July 15, 2015

Notes and Changes since last report

• This week's trail report covers the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.
• It was 70°F and mostly cloudy at 1:30 PM on July 15, 2015.
• One new butterfly arrival today: mulberry wing, a less common skipper.
• The first cicada of the season was singing.

The Trails

• Across from the Carriage House, an old patch of bee balm was having a great year.
• Not far was bad news called black swallowwort.
• Black for the almost black flowers.
• Swallow for the swallow's tail resemblence of seed pod pairs.
• This is New York State's 2nd Annual Invasive Species Awareness Week and this is my favorite plant to hate...
• It is self pollinating, its many seeds fly far and wide, they can produce twins when they sprout, the rhyzome (underground stem) remains when the vine is pulled, older rhyzome sections may break off and remain when it is dug out.
• To control its spread, it is most important to destroy its pods (not compost: they will mature off of the plant). The plant can be dealt with another time.
• Monarchs recognize that it is in the milkweed family and will lay eggs on it, but it is fatal to the caterpillars. Notice the flawless leaves - nothing can eat it. The Latin name translates to dog strangling vine.
• That was only the 2nd monarch I've seen this season. Their troubles are another rant for another day.
• At the back of the Little Bluestem Meadow, a few spreading dogbane blossoms were remaining in the shadiest places.
• Down in the Fern Glen, an American copper was trying to get warm in the weak sun.
• Dun skippers, male and female both, were alternately feeding and sunning.
• Around the limestone cobble, great St. Johnswort was blooming.
• Behind it, tall bellflower was opening its interesting blossoms.
• All around, all kinds of berries were ripening including false Solomon's seal.
• Red and white baneberry differences were finally at their most obvious.
• Another success story was this year's abundant enchanter's nightshade with its minute flowers.
• Back in the fen, swamp milkweed was coming into its own and was providing for this occasional visitor, a mulberry wing.
• Not wanting the dragonflies to feel neglected, I snapped this damselfly that was basking in the afternoon sun.
• Near the deck, spotted wintergreen was blooming.
• From a distance it was clear that the Turk's cap lily was finally blooming.
• What a fabulous flower.
• Less conspicuous on the other side of the trail was Culver's root.
• And at the pond's edge, wild mint and lizard's tail were sharing space nicely.
• Wild mint doesn't seem too wild for a mint - it has not spread greatly over the years here.
• Lizard's tail was the seemingly unlikely source of the sweet fragrance in the air.
• Next week: the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.