August 29, 2018

Notes and Changes since last report

• It was 90°F, partly cloudy and humid but breezy at 1:30 PM on August 29, 2018.
• At least there was a breeze today...
• This week's trail report covers the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.
• The Fern Glen will be closed for several weeks starting Monday 9/2/18 while the deck is being replaced.

The Trails

• It was hot and humid along the road to the Carriage House.
• Birds and bugs were pretty quiet all the way to the shade of the Old Gravel Pit where there were still some mushrooms coming up.
• Webs of jewelbox spiders stretched across several paths today.
• At the bottom of the Old Gravel Pit, false nettle was blooming.
• The flower is similar and even though it is in the nettle family, it lacks stinging hairs.
• Just before the exit to the Fern Glen, a large insect flew by and just about disappeared.
• It took several attempts to locate it - it was a dragonfly, perhaps the fawn darner, going by the two yellow spots.
• By the Fern Glen parking lot, one of the hazels was getting wrapped up.
• The fall webworm nest envelopes leaves and branches.
• The caterpillars feed inside the shelter. The eastern tent caterpillar nest is made in crotchs and the caterpillars wander out to feed. The Gypsy moth makes no nest at all.
• In the back of the Fern Glen, horse-balm was blooming.
• The flowers and leaves have a lemony smell.
• Whorled aster was still looking good, especially in the afternoon light.
• Just past it, tall white lettuce was up and in bloom.
• Its small, nodding flowers are easy to overlook.
• White wood aster looked nice against a bed of moss.
• Zigzag goldenrod is an easy one to ID: dry woods; toothed, egg-shaped leaves; terminal flower cluster, all on a zigzaging stalk.
• Only bumble bees can get into bottle gentian. It was still doing well since last week.
• The exuberant groundnut vine by the kiosk was finally blooming. Look for silver-spotted skipper caterpillars with their big false eye spots.
• At the top of the road, a tall shrub was blooming.
• Many insects were in the large flower clusters at the top.
• The leaf is large and divided.
• Every part of the plant is equipped with spines. The native plant is Hercules's club - Aralia spinosa. This is probably the invasive Asian Angelica tree - Aralia elata.
• Next week: the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.