It was cloudy the day we went out. But that didn’t matter much since we in understory. Cloudy days however do make it harder to keep oriented in the right direction.
Bee Fly (Hemipenthes)! There are 23 known species in this genus. Hemipenthes refers to the wing pattern which is half-veiled in black. (BugGuide)
Jeanne carries the flashlight so we can check out the holes we find! Nothing but some little flying bugs that time.
A little larva was rolled up like a burrito in a Greenbriar leaf.
Not a burrito as it releases its frass! Its two anal prolegs are so cute.
The head!
The For-get-me-not (Myosotis) calyces were covering our pants and shoes. It belongs in the Boraginaceae. There are two species in the genus in FNCT. As you can tell, the calyces has hooked hairs. I am still removing them.. LOL
Quite a few violets (Viola) had already bloomed. In fact, not one was seen in bloom. 🙁
One of my goals was to find the Grape Fern or Rattlesnake Fern (Botrychium virginianum). So it is not a very common plant at the grasslands. The conservation status in Texas and many other states has not been assessed. However, Arizona and Colorado ranks it as critically imperiled (S2).
Oh my gosh, we had hit the jackpot with the Grape Ferns! Love it!
Oh and in addition to my various bird finds today I had 3 Earth Snakes to remove from a portion of my garden that I was prepping for new plants. I let them go in the cabbage patch right next to the new seed bed. They are such cool snakes. Mary do they give off a smell when threatened? My hands had an unpleasant smell afterwards.
California reason: imap://mary@mail.islandfox.net:993/fetch%3EUID%3E.INBOX%3E419406?part=1.2.2&filename=RPI_TaxonReport_Botrypusvirginianus_2023-05-13.pdf&type=application/pdf
I think I have heard that so I smelled my hands and they were not pleasant. But these tiny snakes about 8 inches long are so neat that is was worth it.
Love the “bloom” spore stalks on those ferns. So neat!
Really interesting burrito.
And i do not envy you having to pick off all those velcro burs!
Oh and in addition to my various bird finds today I had 3 Earth Snakes to remove from a portion of my garden that I was prepping for new plants. I let them go in the cabbage patch right next to the new seed bed. They are such cool snakes. Mary do they give off a smell when threatened? My hands had an unpleasant smell afterwards.
Do you know why the grape fern is imperiled? Humans couldnt have had anything to do with it could they?😄
The best reason I could find was habitat lost. 🙁
California reason: imap://mary@mail.islandfox.net:993/fetch%3EUID%3E.INBOX%3E419406?part=1.2.2&filename=RPI_TaxonReport_Botrypusvirginianus_2023-05-13.pdf&type=application/pdf
Kathy, i think the snake emits a stinky musky scent as a defense.
I think I have heard that so I smelled my hands and they were not pleasant. But these tiny snakes about 8 inches long are so neat that is was worth it.
I would say it was worth it too!
Thanks Judy for sharing your knowledge on snakes!