July 03, 2018

Notes and Changes since last report

• It was humid, 88°F, partly cloudy and almost calm at 2:00 PM on July 3, 2018.
• That 88°F was in the shade in the woods. Mercifully, some cloud cover rolled in towards the end of the walk.
• This week's trail report covers the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.
• Gypsy moths were on the wing in numbers today.

The Trails

• It was a hot summer day on the way to the Carriage House.
• At the Fern Glen, a tiny caterpillar was transferred from my sock to a leaf.
• The leaf was not entirely vacant: a small bug was already there.
• And hiding in the leaf axil was a tiny leaf hopper of some sort.
• Between the pond and the kiosk, Turk's cap lily had survived the exotic leaf beetles and was producing flower buds.
• At the back of the pond, New York ironweed was barely starting to form its flower head.
• In the meantime, a candy strip leaf hopper was there providing color.
• Towards the limestone cobble, lopseed was starting to bloom.
• The flower folds down to form a seed on a loose hinge which easily yields to passing legs.
• Something, perhaps a gall, disfigures the leaves of honewort. It's so common, I don't recognize an unaffected plant.
• Back in the fen, swamp milkweed was getting ready to bloom.
• Swamp candles had already started.
• Up above, poison sumac was done flowering and was forming berries.
• The small flower of winterberry was easy to overlook compared to the brilliant red berries that persist through the winter.
• On the way back towards the kiosk, daisy fleabane was up along the railing.
• Nearby, enchanter's nightshade had been blooming.
• That's another obscure plant with an obscure flower but a big name.
• Off the side of the road was a patch of shinleaf.
• The flower is curious enough, but the bug added something special.
• On the way out from the cobble, spikenard had just started.
• Finally there was a white spot on a tree up ahead.
• It was a female Gypsy moth. They are very weak flyers, but males seem to never land.
• Another nearby was laying eggs.
• Finally, almost at the parking lot, a male had dropped down and paused long enough for a photo.
• Next week: the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.