Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe)

A couple of weeks ago, W went to the local EMC to pay the electric bill. Outside the office there are several flowerbeds with lantana bushes. One particular variety, with pink and cream flowerlets, was alive with butterflies: Eastern Tiger Swallowtails (cream and black), Common Buckeyes, Fiery Skippers, a few Sleepy Oranges and the odd Cloudless Sulphur, Painted Lady, Pipevine Swallowtail, and Gulf Fritillary. They were all doing their butterfly thing.

Then something else appeared. It had an olive green upper back and hovered like a hummingbird. W figured it was a moth and spent about an hour trying to photograph it. It would hover for a few seconds feeding at one flower head and, just as he managed to focus, it would fly onto the next flower head, and so on... We reviewed the photographs and Googled ‘hummingbird moth’ and there it was – a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe). Wish all identifications were so easy.


I had to try and get photographs even if it was 90+ degrees. We went down to the EMC one evening. At first there was no sign of it and suddenly, out of nowhere, it appeared. It consistently worked the lantana bushes in a counterclockwise direction. After it circumnavigated one bush it would fly off to the other bush just across the path and then back to the first bush. This made stalking it a little easier. But focusing on this dervish was almost impossible; it just didn’t stay still.
And here are the photos…

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It also ‘clicked’ that this was probably what had buzzed me last year. Late one afternoon, I was crouched down by the butterfly bush in the late afternoon photographing a spider. I was wearing a yellow baseball cap. Something flew up to me hovered just above my head; it gave me a start. I just had time to glance up and see something that looked like it had olive green ‘feathers.’ It was hovering – its rapidly beatings wings making an audible sound - like a very small hummingbird. Before I could really get a good look at it, it flew off. I assumed it was a small hummingbird. Now I realize it was a hummingbird moth.
Click on an image to view a larger image


Identification resources:

BugGuide: Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe)

- Dorsal view

-
Lateral view
Seabrooke Leckle,
The Marvelous in Nature: Moths and ants

Monday, August 30, 2010

Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans)

Campsis radicans is known by the common names Trumpet Creeper, Trumpet Vine, Cow-Itch Vine. It grows widely throughout the area, particularly along fences. At Fort Yargo State Park, it grows along segment 2 and at the junction of segments 13/14. Both of these sites are viewable from the water.

Plants are frequently seen along fences.

Blooms occur as clusters. These buds are just developing

Flowers are just starting to emerge

A little further along.

A little further still.

The first blooms have opened.

Most blooms are open now.

A seedpod. (The leaves behind the seed pod are a Smilax sp. which is growing on the same fence.

In Winter. The seedpod has opened; the seeds are long gone.

Campsis radicans (Trumpet Creeper) is native to the United States and grows in most states, except the Rocky Mountain states. It also grows in Ontario, Canada.

Click on an image to view a larger image


Distribution Map:

- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Campsis radicans (Trumpet Creeper)

- University of North Carolina Herbarium: Campsis radicans


Identification resources:

- Southeastern Flora: Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans)

- Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Campsis radicans

- Missouri Plants: Campsis radicans


Related posts:

- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower – Wildflower Index

Sunday, August 29, 2010

White Sweetclover (Melilotus alba)

Melilotus alba is known by the common names White Sweetclover, White Melilot. According to the United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database, Melilotus alba is now included in the species Melilotus officinalis (Yellow Sweetclover). Melilotus alba grows widely in this area.

At a distance, Melilotus alba and Lespedeza cuneata plants look very similar and a closer inspection may be required to identify the plant. Melilotus alba blooms are ‘concentrated’ along the upper section of a stem bare of leaves; Lespedeza cuneata blooms occur evenly along the stem in leaf axils. Melilotus alba flowers are pure white (with no pink) compared with those of Lespedeza cun
eata which have purple accents.

The plant first appears as a single stem…


Then multiple stems develop to produce a ‘bushy’ plant.

The blooms develop individually along the stem.

A close up of the flowers.

Melilotus officinalis
(Yellow Sweetclover) is native to Eurasia and grows throughout the United States and Canada.

Click on an image to view a larger image


Distribution Map:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Melilotus officinalis (Yellow Sweetclover)
- University of North Carolina Herbarium: Melilotus alba


Identification resources:

- Southeastern Flora: White Sweetclover (Melilotus alba)

- Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Melilotus alba

- Missouri Plants: Melilotus alba

Related posts:
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower – Wildflower Index

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Zen: Halloween Pennant on Rush by Water’s Edge

This male Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina) was posing on a stem by Fox Lake at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Jasper County, Georgia.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Clasping St. Johnswort (Hypericum gymnanthum)

Several Hypericum species grow in this area: Flatwoods St. John's-wort (Hypericum microsepalum), St. Andrew's Cross (Hypericum hypericoides), Spotted St. Johnswort (Hypericum punctatum), and Clasping St. Johnswort (Hypericum gymnanthum) are the most common. Clasping St. Johnswort is the first to bloom. It’s a short plant; it only grows about 18 – 24 inches high. The flowers are about 3/8 inches across – tiny compared Flatwoods St. John’s-wort or St. Andrew’s Cross. It’s easy to miss this plant as a young plant. It will grow into a short dense ‘shrub’ with time.

At home, it grows on the ledge above the creek by the frog pool. At Fort Yargo State Park, it grows along the trail south of the Fishing Area (segment 13).


A young plant; essentially single stems about 24 inches tall, The flowers are hardly visible.

A closer view of a flower and leaves.

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Closer views of the flower.

An older plant that has branched and become more shrub-like.

Hypericum gymnanthum
(Clasping St. Johnswort) is native to the eastern United States.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Distribution Map:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Hypericum gymnanthum (Claspingleaf St. Johnswort)


Identification resources:

- Southeastern Flora: Clasping St. Johnswort (Hypericum gymnanthum)


Related posts:

- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower – Wildflower Index

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Pipsissewa or Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata)

Chimaphila maculata is known by the common names Pipsissewa, Striped Wintergreen or Spotted Wintergreen. This is one of two Chimaphila species that grows in the southeastern United States. The other species, Chimaphila umbellata (Prince's-pine, Pipsissewa) does not grow in Georgia; it grows south only as far as northern South Carolina.

I first saw the striped leaves of Pipsissewa in the woods by Whitetail Lake in Charlie Elliot Wildlife Management Area in December, 2009. Jasper County would be close to the southern end of the range for Chimaphila maculata in this part of Georgia. The leaves are unique so it was relatively easy to identify. When I saw photographs of the exquisite flowers, I knew one of my quests (obsessions) this year would be to find and photograph it’s flowers.

I’ve seen a few plants at home in the woods. A Fort Yargo State Park, I spotted the plants along the trail north of the dam (segment 4) and along the trail both north (segment 12) and south (segment 13) of the Fishing Area. The plants that grew in the open along segments 4 and 13 set buds but didn’t bloom successfully. Plants that grew in the shade along segments 12 and 13 bloomed successfully.

The patterns on the leaves are unique. This makes them easy to spot in the woods.

The plants started to set buds in late April, early May.

My favorite plant grows under the shelter of this rock; under the ‘ledge’ at the lower right. This plant has it made. It is ‘protected’ from the elements by the boulder and by the Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) plant to its right. If you enlarge the photo, you can just see three tiny white spots directly above one of the poison ivy leaves.
These are buds.

A closer view of is plant. In addition to the Poison Ivy, a leaf of Wild Ginger (Hexastylis arifolia).

The buds have developed a little further by late May.


A small cluster of plants that have begun to bloom at the end of May.

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A closer views of a blooming plant.

A close up of the top of the blooms.

A close up of blooms, in profile.

A close up of blooms, exposing more of the underside.

A close up of a bloom, front on.

A close up of a bloom, in profile. The petals of older blooms curl up.


The seed pods are developing in early July.

Close up of the developing seed pods in mid-July.

Mature seed pods from 2009; these were photographed in early May 2010.

An open seed pod which is composed of compartments.

Chimaphila maculata
(Striped Prince's Pine or Pipsissewa) is native to the eastern United States and Canada.

Click on an image to view a larger image


Distribution Map:

- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Chimaphila maculata (Striped Prince's pine)

- University of North Carolina Herbarium: Chimaphila maculata


Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora: Pipsissewa or Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata)

- Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Chimaphila maculata


Related posts:
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower – Wildflower Index

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Carolina Horsenettle (Solanum carolinense)

Solanum carolinense is known by the common names Carolina Horsenettle, Horse Nettle, Bull Nettle, or Ball Nettle. There are two species - Solanum carolinense and Solanum sisymbriifolium (Sticky Nightshade) – that have similar flowers. The leaves of Solanum sisymbriifolium are deeply indented compared with those of Solanum carolinense.

Solanum carolinense
grows widely in this area. At Fort Yargo State Park I’ve seen plants along from the boat launch at Section B just where the trail crosses the drainage and heads back into the woods (segment 2).

A young plant in the shade. Insects have not done much damage to this plant yet.

A plant growing in the full sun.

A leaf showing insect damage.

The stem has nasty prickles that scratch skin and snag clothes..

Flower buds.

A single flower, closed. Flowers close at night.

A single flower, open. The flowers may be distinctly bluish when they first open but fade to white as they age.

A cluster of flowers, open.


Sepals

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Fruit. These look like tiny tomatoes. They are related to the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum).

Solanum carolinense (Carolina horsenettle) is native to the most states in the continental United States and in Ontario and Quebec, Canada.

Click on an image to view a larger image


Distribution Map:

- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Solanum carolinense (Carolina Horsenettle)

- University of North Carolina Herbarium: Solanum carolinense


Identification resources:

- Southeastern Flora: Horse Nettle (Solanum carolinense)

- Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Solanum carolinense

- Missouri Plants: Solanum carolinense


Related posts:

- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower – Wildflower Index