Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrharctia isabella)

Leave a reply
Isabella tiger moth

Photo by Bill Reynolds

In its larval (caterpillar) stage, Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrharctia Isabella) may be the most widely recognized moth in North America. Most of us have seen a woolly bear crossing a sidewalk, driveway, road, or parking lot. It has a densely bristly body that is black on both ends and orange in the middle. The adult is less conspicuous but equally distinctive. They are nocturnal and therefore rarely seen.

Folklore says that the size of the orange band predicts the severity of the coming winter, with wider bands forecasting a milder winter. This means of forecasting is probably as accurate as the Farmer’s Almanac, though not as accurate as the National Weather Service.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Insects/Isabella_tiger_moth.html

American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens)

2 Replies
American bittersweet

Photo by Kirk Nelson

American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) is a widespread and, in Minnesota, fairly common woody vine. Unlike most vines it does not produce tendrils or aerial roots. It climbs by growing spirally from left to right up a tree or other adjacent vegetation. In the fall the bright orange fruit coverings splits open into three parts and folds back to reveal 3 to 6 bright red, berry-like seed coatings. The fruits remain on the vine through the winter, adding interest to the colorless landscape. They are poisonous to humans but not to birds.

American bittersweet is similar in appearance to the exotic invasive Oriental bittersweet. The best way to identify them is by leaf shape, location and number of flowers, and fruit color. American Bittersweet has leaves that are often twice as long as wide; clusters of 5 to 60 flowers at the ends of branches; and orange fruit capsules. Oriental bittersweet has broader, sometimes almost round leaves; clusters of 2 to 7 flowers in leaf axils; and yellow fruit capsules.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/American_bittersweet.html

Clifton E. French Regional Park

Leave a reply

Clifton E. French Regional Park

This popular urban park on the north shore of Medicine Lake is surrounded on three sides by suburban housing. It has everything that its many visitors want, including a picnic area, fishing dock, swimming beach, boat launch, and a large playground. It also has 5.2 miles of natural surface hiking trails through deciduous woodlands. Visitors who come here for the trails are advised to come on a weekday when it is less crowded but still well used.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Destinations/Clifton_E_French_Regional_Park.html

White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima var. altissima)

Leave a reply
white snakeroot

Photo by Kirk Nelson

White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima var. altissima) is a late bloomer, one of the last flowers to be seen in the fall in the woods of Minnesota. At that time of year it is certainly the most conspicuous. The inflorescence is a flat-topped to dome-shaped, up to 3″ in diameter cluster of many white flower heads at the end of the stem. On larger plants they also appear on long stalks from the upper leaf axils.

This plant is poisonous to livestock. It was unusually abundant in southern Minnesota in 2004. A number of horses in the New Ulm area died in the summer of that year, and it is thought that white snakeroot is the cause. If eaten by cows the cow’s milk may also cause “milk sickness” in humans. Nancy Hanks Lincoln, the mother of Abraham Lincoln, is thought to have died of milk sickness in 1818.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/white_snakeroot.html

Blue Ridge carrionflower (Smilax lasioneura)

Leave a reply
Blue Ridge carrionflower

Photo by Bill Reynolds

There are seven species of carrionflower (Smilax) found in Minnesota. Blue Ridge carrionflower (Smilax lasioneura) is by far the most common and widespread. It is found throughout the state in woodlands, woodland borders and openings, thickets, fencerows, roadsides, and other open areas. The seven species are differentiated by the stem, the tendrils, the length of the leaf stalk, the hairiness of the leaf, and the length of the flower cluster stalk. Blue Ridge carrionflower has a non-woody, easily crushed stem with no thorns or bristles; long, conspicuously curled tendrils in almost every leaf axil; a leaf stalk that is shorter than the leaf blade; hairs on the veins of the lower leaf surface; and a flower cluster stalk that is 1 to 5 times as long as the stalk of the subtending leaf.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/Blue_Ridge_carrionflower.html

Glacial Lakes State Park

Leave a reply

Glacial Lakes State Park

Several state parks in western Minnesota preserve parts of the state’s once vast tallgrass prairie. The best of these by far is Glacial Lakes State Park. It is located in the Leaf Hills, a 10 to 19 mile wide region of glacial hills stretching from Detroit Lakes to Willmar. Hiking trails on treeless, wide open prairie lead over rolling hills, eskers, kettles, and moraines. One section of the prairie loop trail follows ridge line with spectacular views of the prairie below. Another trail leads through bur oak forest. In all, there are 16 miles of natural surface hiking trails. If you visit, come early and plan to spend the whole day.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Destinations/Glacial_Lakes_State_Park.html

Purple-stem beggarticks (Bidens connata)

Leave a reply
purple-stem beggarticks

Photo by Bill Reynolds

Purple-stem beggarticks (Bidens connata) is one of the nine species of Bidens found in Minnesota. These plants are differentiated by the division of leaves, the number of outer bracts below the flower head, the size of the flower head, the presence or absence of ray florets, the color of disk florets, and the number of awns on the seed capsule. Purple-stem beggarticks is often most easily identified by the color of the stem. The stem may be green tinged with purple or mostly or completely purple. The leaves often turn purple or purplish in the fall.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/purple-stem_beggarticks.html

Northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens)

Leave a reply
northern leopard frog

Photo by Bill Reynolds

Northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens) is a slim, medium-sized, widely recognized, true frog. It is widespread and very common, occurring in every county in the state. It is found in woodlands and grasslands, always within about a half mile of a waterway, water body, or wetland. Most adults are green on the back (dorsal surface) with 2 to 4 rows of rounded black spots. However, background color and spotting is variable and there are two distinct color morphs. Some adults have a greenish-brown or brown background. The Burnsi color morph is brown or green with no dorsal spots. The less common Kandiyohi color morph is brown with flecks of white, brown, or black between the spots. Juveniles may have few or no dorsal spots.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Amphibians/northern_leopard_frog.html

Cockspur hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli)

Leave a reply
cockspur hawthorn

Photo by Kirk Nelson

Depending on who you ask, there are 9 (or 10) species of hawthorn in Minnesota, not including 2 (or 3) species that haven’t been seen in the state in the last 50 (or 100) years. Cockspur hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli) is in neither group, though the USDA shows Minnesota as part of the native range of this species.

Cockspur hawthorn is most similar to dotted hawthorn (Crataegus punctata). It is distinguished by its leaves, which are hairless. In addition, the upper leaf surface is shiny and does not have impressed veins.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/cockspur_hawthorn.html

Goldenrod soldier beetle (Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus)

1 Reply

goldenrod soldier beetle

Goldenrod soldier beetle (Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus) is the most common soldier beetle in the Midwest. Adults can be seen from June to early October but their numbers peak in August to mid-September. They are found on goldenrods and other flowers in prairies, meadows, abandoned fields, gardens, parks, and roadsides. The long, yellowish-brown wings with black marks give this species a distinctive appearance.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Insects/goldenrod_soldier_beetle.html