October 03, 2018

Notes and Changes since last report

• It was 67°F, mostly cloudy and calm at 1:30 PM on October 3, 2018.
• Once again, there were heavy rains the day before.
• And again, this week's trail report covers the Wappinger Creek Trail side of the trail system.
• However, the Fern Glen and its new deck may be open for business next week.

The Trails

• The road to the Carriage House was dotted with deer tracks.
• A stroll along the road yielded only a couple clouded sulphurs this week.
• Fall colors were finally beginning to show across the Little Bluestem Meadow.
• Behind the Carriage House, buckyeye was already bare of leaves.
• But it was sporting a few nuts.
• Next to it, magnolia fruit were appearing.
• Beautybush wasn't much to look at this time of year.
• There was not too much exciting about the seeds either.
• But running around the leaves was the curious handsome trig.
• The black palps under the face were in constant vibation.
• At the edge of the front Old Hayfield, some color was waking in the foliage.
• A plain sort of moth landed in the open - how could I refuse a photo op? It was the Lucerne moth.
• Something stood out in the brush along the side of the path.
• A little green frog was sitting in the weak sun.
• That would be the gray treefrog - it can change color.
• At the bottom of the path, invasive burning bush was taking on color.
• And across from it, Japanese barberry was doing likewise.
• The vain search for last week's monarch chrysalis was interrupted when a leaf flying sideways landed on the milkweed under inspection.
• It was a species of noctuid moth.
• Moments later, the scene repeated but with a different species. Noctuidae is our largest family of moths.
• Along the Sedge Meadow Trail, dogwood sawfly larvae were numerous today.
• A couple good old wooly bear caterpillars were around as well.
• Oh but with all the rain there were mushrooms in the Old Pasture.
• Several species of puffballs were out too.
• This white mushroom was just getting started.
• Another was fully developed.
• Orange ones were scattered across the area.
• The Wappinger Creek was quite full today.
• We weren't finished with mushrooms yet.
• One more orange one was noteworthy.
• That took us to the big recurring fungus by the Watershed kiosk.
• A small dark form was dangling from wood nettle along the flood plain section of the Wappinger Creek Trail.
• It was an eastern comma caterpillar preparing to pupate.
• Another leaf of the same plant bore a fully formed chrysalis of the same.
• Nearby, a banded tussock moth caterpillar seemed to be just resting.
• Something flat was on the back of my neck - not a tick but a louse fly.
• Then it was back to caterpillars with the familiar fall webworm.
• Next week: maybe the Cary Pines Trail side of the trail system.