July 29, 2020

Robber Fly

Notes and Changes since last report

• It was 85°F, mostly clear and breezy at 2:00 PM on July 29, 2020.
• This week's trail report covers the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.
• The days have been hot and dry with temps in the 90s and humidity sometimes below 50%.
• In butterfly news, The 2nd brood of Zabulon skippers has appeared.

The Trails

• Up the hill from trail marker 11, a bulky insect flew across the Cary Pines Trail. It was actually two: a robber fly and a carrion beetle, its meal.
• On the hillside above the Fern Glen, a fresh 2nd brood Zabulon skipper was darting out and returning to its perch in the sun.
• Painted turtles were still perched where the sun had been on the pond.
• At the back of the pond, Joe-Pye weed was still in the sun.
• It looked like there should be at least one blossom open in the flower head, but alas.
• On the other side of the path, New York ironweed had gotten tall.
• There was no question about the state of those buds.
• Something flew across behind both of the plants and landed: it was a young yellow-bellied sapsucker.
• Below, sweet pepperbush was actually blooming!
• Those two little blossoms were quite fragrant. Each had a little insect in attendance.
• Galls of some insect - perhaps a psyllid - adorned the underside of some hackberry leaves. Galls don't generally bother the plants they grow on.
• Back in the fen, blueberries were taking on color.
• Not too far away, poison sumac berries did not have a hint of white yet.
• Elderberry was working its way to black.
• Climbing hempweed was climbing over everything.
• Its buds were very close to opening. This will be very fragrant, too.
• Maleberry was not much to look at. The flowers were much more attractive.
• On the other hand, limber honeysuckle was interesting many all ways.
• In spite of not being all that common, turtlehead seems well known to insects.
• Scratch and sniff the leaves of horsebalm: they have a lemony scent that follows the flowers development.
• The strange, narrow leaves of water parsnip stood out in the surrounding vegetation.
• Compare the arrangement of its flower head to that of Joe-Pye weed.
• Easily overlooked was Indian tobacco.
• A closer look reminds one that it is a lobelia.
• All the way in the back of the 'Glen, the big pieces of the downed white oak had been cut up and moved out.
• The path around it had been touched up, but the root ball may stay as a demonstration of "disturbance and recovery".
• Surprise, surprise, it would be hard to miss that red.
• Another lobelia, cardinal flower was out.
• Heal-all is another low, common, weedy plant, easily overlooked.
• One brave little Indian pipe was daring to rise along the mossy, well mowed road edge.
• In the bottom of the Old Gravel Pit, a familiar leaf was growing alarmingly close to the path.
• But the flowers were wrong - it wasn't wood nettle, but false nettle - completely harmless to the touch.
• Even though shadows were now reaching out over the Little Bluestem Meadow, a handsome eastern tiger swallowtail was still foraging out in the dogbane.
• Next week: The Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.

Sightings