Tag Archives: nature

Galls Galore

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Randy Tindall

Besides having some spectacular fall colors this year, another thing our drought didn’t seem to hurt was the prevalence of oak leaf galls.  I’m not sure why, but we seemed to have a bumper crop of them this year.

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Fall Medley #1

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Randy Tindall
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Hitting the Trifecta

Posted on September 7, 2012 by Randy Tindall

It’s not often—or ever before, to be honest—that I’ve had the chance to photograph several stages in an insect’s life journey in just a week or so, but I think I nailed it recently. We’ve got some wild senna growing … Continue reading →

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Where have all the berries gone?

Posted on August 12, 2012 by Randy Tindall

This is what the fruiting head of Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) often looks like after the berries have matured.  What berries, you say?  Ask the birds that ate them all, especially the robins that love to gorge on them and leave … Continue reading →

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There Be Giants Here!

Posted on July 15, 2012 by Randy Tindall

Found this in our backyard today, so new that it’s wings weren’t even fully expanded.  A big surprise, considering the dearth of butterflies this season, at least here.  We’ve never seen this one before, but I think we’ve seen its … Continue reading →

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No Free Lunch: Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Randy Tindall

Have you got milkweeds around?  If not, why not?  Have you ever noticed how many insects they attract?  Finally, have you ever noticed some of these insects dangling lifelessly from the milkweed’s flowers?  Ever wonder why?  (I hadn’t, until recently….) … Continue reading →

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A Bounty of Broom Moths

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Randy Tindall

Have your Baptisia been looking a little ragged lately?  Check for these little guys.  We are certainly having an outbreak in our yard, maybe due to the weirdness of the spring this year (?).  I expect the Indigos will survive, … Continue reading →

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Ants in Your Plants? The Magic of Myrmecochory.

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Randy Tindall

Let us again consider the Bloodroot, one of spring’s most lovely and ephemeral visitors.  Having emerged in March, the little herd in our yard is just now finishing with its crop of seeds, and here they are.  Almost, but not … Continue reading →

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Bloodroot Update (At Last)

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Randy Tindall

I finally added the Bloodroot article to our Native Plants section here.  These days our annual crop of Sanguinaria has long ago dropped its blossoms and has settled into respectable child-rearing mode.  Looks like a good crop of seeds this … Continue reading →

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An Eerie, Early Spring (but at least the Bloodroot’s up!)

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Randy Tindall

Stuff is popping out all over, almost too fast to keep up with.  So far we have over twenty Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) blossoms either open or coming up in our yard.  I am now inspired to add this handsome citizen … Continue reading →

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