Dark-Eyed Junco the Snow Bird

Dark Eyed Junco aka "Snow Bird"

One of Ohio’s cold weather residents is the Dark-eyed Junco bird. This little gray and white sparrow should be showing up any day now, if you haven’t seen one already. They usually make their way south to Ohio sometime around the middle of October. Once they show up you know that winter is definitely close.

During the summer Dark-Eyed Juncos raise their families in Canada then head south during the winter. During the cold months, they prefer to stay in a flock. So, when you see one you can bet there are several more around. If you don’t see any take a closer look because they are there. Their color pattern helps them to camouflage into the shadows on the ground.

Dark-Eyed Juncos prefer insects during the summer months, but during the winter they eat seeds. I’ve seen them on my platform style bird feeders, but they seem to prefer an open platform bird feeder. They can usually be seen scavenging on the ground near the woods edge or under the feeders where seeds have fallen to the ground. When I notice that the birds have made their way to my yard during winter migration, I always throw a little seed on the ground just to keep them happy and coming back.

These cute little birds have the nickname of “Snowbird”. They received this name due to the fact that their gray backs resemble the drab winter sky and their white breasts resemble the snow on the ground. The males and the females will look just a slight bit different. The males will usually have a darker gray back than the females.

These birds will puff up their feathers to keep warm. In doing so they can appear round.

In 2001, a Dark-Eyed Junco was captured for banding operations. After it was captured they figured out that it was already banded in 1991. So, at that point in time, this little bird was at least 11 years and 4 months in age. This is the oldest recorded Dark-Eyed Junco on record.

Hitched Arches Moth Caterpillar

The Hitched Arches Moth Caterpillar

This is a pretty interesting little green caterpillar. The Hitched Arches Moth Caterpillar is one of the many Ohio caterpillars that I find every year. I usually only find one or two, so they aren’t as abundant as some of the other caterpillars like the Hickory Tussock Moth Caterpillar or the Woolly Bear Caterpillar.

The Hitched Arches Moth Caterpillars are hard to spot due to the fact that they camouflage very well into all types of vegetation. The last one that I found was on a piece of overgrown grass that had gone to seed. It was on the seeds and almost impossible to spot.

These caterpillars vary in color from a light brown to a light green. The V shape pattern on their back helps them blend in.

The Hitched Arches Moth Caterpillar feeds on many types of plants including goldenrod, honeysuckle, alder, clover, alfalfa, dandelion, birch, willow, trefoil, dandelion, clover and asparagus. They can usually be found along woodland areas near a clearing. 

Laurel Sphinx Caterpillar

Now, this is a hog of a caterpillar and a beauty at that. I found this searching a section of my yard that I don’t usually look in while I’m doing my caterpillar hunting. Yes, I am a caterpillar hunter. Hahaha! Looking for Ohio Caterpillars is a crazy obsession. I had to walk through a rather large flower bed that butts up against the woods. I have no idea why I went in that area, but for some odd reason, I walked right to this large caterpillar. The brilliant bright green color drew me in. I hadn’t ever seen one like this before and I thought that it was along the lines of a tobacco hornworm or a tomato hornworm, but after a little research, I learned that it is a Laurel Sphinx Caterpillar.

This huge caterpillar was wreaking havoc on the bush that it was eating. I was able to keep track of it for a few days but lost track after we had a very bad storm. Due to his size and the fact that his horn had turned blue, I figure it formed its chrysalis and prepared itself for winter. At least that is what I’m telling myself. I would hate to think that a bird had it for dinner.

Laurel Sphinx Caterpillars grow rapidly and molt their skin. They have 5 instars. They are a bright green color and have an almost translucent look to them. There are diagonal stripes on their sides that are black, white and yellow. There are orange spiracle dots under each stripe. The head also has a black and white stripe on each side. Its true legs are black and white and their prolegs are black and green. Its anal prolegs and anal plate have black bumps. The horn of the caterpillar is not poisonous and changes color as it ages. The last instar has a blue horn with black bumps. The moth of this species is quite large and has a wingspan that can reach anywhere from almost 3” to over 4”. The hindwings are tan in color with a black border. The forewings are more of a yellowish brown color with a white border.

The name "Sphinx" is believed to have come from the defensive position that this type of caterpillar takes when it is startled. It will rise up the front part of its body and in a weird way resemble the Egyptian Sphinx. The tobacco hornworm and the tobacco hornworm take this defensive posture.

Metallic Green Sweat Bee

Metallic Green Sweat Bee

Sweat bees are small and can range from 1/8” to ½” in size.  These bees are not usually aggressive and only sting when they are handled. Many of these bees are attracted to the salt in human perspiration, hence the name “sweat bee.”

Sweat bee is the common name used for a large group of bees. There is estimated to be about 1000 different species of sweat bee in the United States, Central America and Canada alone. These bees are so similar in appearance that it is very hard to tell what type of species they are actually a part of. They vary in color from metallic green, gold to black. These types of bees are very common and can be found all over the world, except Australia where they are very uncommon. 

These bees are great pollinators and play a vital role in the ecosystem. They are often seen in large numbers flying about from one flower to the next in a field of wildflowers or some crops.  Females sweat bees are able to carry pollen on their back legs, while males cannot. This is due to the fact that females have dense hair on theirs.

Sweat bees are just like a lot of bees and they live in colonies. Each bee has its own specific role that it has to perform. Depending on the type of sweat bee they will either live underground or in wood. 

Don’t be afraid of sweat bees. They are not aggressive but they can be quite annoying on a nice hot summer day. Just remind yourself that these bees are just doing their job.  If it wasn’t for bees pollinating our food sources our world would be in a lot of trouble.

Ohio Bees Green Bees in Ohio Ohio Insects

Woolly Bear Caterpillar Winter Forecast

Woolly Bear Caterpillar Winter Forecast

As winter and the cold weather are rapidly approaching that means that “caterpillar season” is quickly coming to an end.  I wait all year long to hunt these little creatures and the season goes by so fast.  Right now the only caterpillars that I am finding are pretty much the Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrharctia Isabella) and the occasional Hickory Tussock Moth caterpillar.   The Isabella tiger moth caterpillar is commonly referred to as the woolly bear, banded woolly bear or the woolly worm.

According to folklore, the woolly bear caterpillar can predict the severity of the coming winter.  The more black bands that the critter has the harsher the winter conditions will be.  So, unless you love cold snowy long winters when you see an Isabella tiger moth caterpillar you want the brown band to take up the biggest part of its body. 

The typical woolly bear caterpillar has 13 segments.  It is believed that each one of these segments represents a week of winter.  The brown segments represent a mild week and the black segments represent a bad week.  You can also look to the thickness of the hair on the caterpillar.  If it is dense the winter will be colder, but if it is space the winter will be mild.  Another prediction depends on which end of the woolly worm caterpillar has the most black stripes.  If the head area has more, then the beginning of winter will be the harshest.  If the rear area has more, the end end of winter will be the worst.

Woolly bears are so popular here in Ohio that the residents of Vermillion have been holding an annual “Wooly Bear Festival” since 1973.  This festival only lasts one day, but it includes a winter forecast, parade and even woolly bear races. 

How accurate are the woolly bears weather predictions?   Not very accurate at all.  Scientists have performed studies and have found out that the caterpillars’ bands are affected by other factors such as the species, food source, natural conditions and age. 

So, if you want to believe in the folklore or not is up to you.  It doesn’t hurt to check out the caterpillars and see what they might be telling you.  Maybe they will be right.  This year the caterpillars that I have found all have a large brown section so, here’s hoping to a mild winter. 

The caterpillar pictured only has 13 segments, 7 are brown and 6 are black. There are 5 dark stripes on the front of the caterpillar and only 2 on the rear. So, according to folklore the beginning of this winter should be harsh and the end of it not so bad. 

The Golden Tortoise Beetle

The Golden Tortoise Beetle

I came across this crazy looking bug on the back of one of my Rose of Sharon leaves. It was rather small and I couldn’t tell exactly what it was, so I took a picture of it and zoomed in. To my amazement, this thing was partially transparent. After doing a little research I found out that this was an adult Golden Tortoise Beetle, also referred to as a “goldbug”.

The Golden Tortoise Beetle, Charidotella sexpunctata, can be found throughout North America. They can be recognized by their beautiful metallic golden color. They are able to change color during mating and when they are disturbed. 

The Question Mark Butterfly

The Question Mark Butterfly

Polygonia interrogationis

The Question Mark butterfly is a beautiful little creature and is quite common in Ohio during the summer months and is found throughout a large portion of the Eastern United States. These butterflies a red-orange color with black spots.  Depending on the season their hindwings are different colors.  During the summer months the hindwings are a dark brownish black color and in the fall they have the beautiful orange color that is edged in violet. When these butterflies close their wings they look like a dead brown leaf which is great camouflage for protecting them from predators.  

The Question Mark butterfly is native to Ohio and is found primarily in openings in wooded areas and is rarely seen in developed areas. Its flight periods occur in June, July, August, and September. They feed on rotten fruit, tree sap, animal dung and carrion.  When it is available they will also feed on the common milkweed, aster, and the sweet pepperbush. Males are also attracted to mud puddles.

These winged beauties get their name from a little marking on their hindwings that resembles a question mark.  This marking can be seen as they are perched with their wings closed. 

Question Mark butterflies are one of the longest living Ohio butterflies, along with the Comma and the Mourning Cloak.  All three of these butterflies are known to hibernate as adults during the winter.  They will find hollow logs and crevices to hide in.  This allows them to stay safe from predators the cold Ohio winter elements. Once they emerge in the spring, they can be up to 8 months in age.

During afternoon hours the males will sit and wait for females to fly by so they can mate.  They will fend off other butterflies, insects and even birds as they are waiting.  Females will then lay their eggs on the underside of leaves.  They might lay them individually or they might stack them.  Most butterflies will lay their eggs on a host plant, but not these butterflies.  Once the Question Mark Butterfly caterpillars hatch they will have to fend for themselves and find a host plant to feed on.  The host plants of the Question Mark larval stage include the American elm, red elm, hackberry, hops and nettle.

The larva of the Question Mark butterfly is a scary looking thing.  The head is a reddish-brown color and is covered in small spines and two larger spines. The body is black with white or yellowish spots and lines.  The whole body is covered in rows of branched spines, also known as scoli. The spines range in color from a reddish-orange to yellow to black.

Question Mark Butterfly Glass Paperweight

by WilfredaDesigns

Question Mark Butterfly Stone Coaster
by WilfredaDesigns

Question Mark Butterfly iPad Cover
by WilfredaDesigns

Micrathena Sagittata Spider 

(Arrow-shaped Micrathena)

One of my favorite little spiders, the Arrow-Shaped Micrathena. I usually find this striking spider locate in my holly bushes in the late summer. Last year I didn’t have the pleasure of seeing any in my yard, but this year I have been lucky to find 2 females located on the edge of the woods.

The Arrow-Shaped Micrathena can be found in the USA in 12 states. It is one of the smallest orb-weaving spiders. The abdomen in both sexes have a distinctive arrow shape to them. The female has a bright yellow abdomen and is quite larger than the male. The male’s abdomen is black with some white edging. It differs quite a bit from the female making it hard to recognize as the same species.

Webs are usually built near the ground in forested areas, but one of the ones I located this years is about 5 feet in the air. That would be something terrifying to walk into. The web is built every morning and the spider will leave a hole in the center where it hangs upside down waiting on its prey. The web will then be removed in the evening and consumed by the spider.

THE TOBACCO HORNWORM CATERPILLAR

The Tobacco Hornworm Caterpillar

The tobacco hornworm, manduca sexta, is often confused with the tomato hornworm.  They look quite similar, but the tobacco hornworm can be identified by the black edge against the white stripes and their red horn.   The tomato hornworm has white v-shaped stripes that are edged in green and their horn is also green.  These tobacco hornworms grow to be over 3" in length and they are quite plump bodied.  In their adult form they are known as the Carolina Sphinx Moth.

1st or 2nd Instar Larva

To many people the tobacco hornworm is a garden pest, but to me he is an awesome little creature.  I think this caterpillar is amazing.  The first year I planted tomatoes these caterpillars destroyed my plants, but that was OK with me.  I became fascinated with them and watched them all the time.   I tried to take pictures of them daily.  It's was amazing how big these things got.  The next year I planted some more tomato plants hoping that these caterpillars would visit me again, and it worked.  One even ate my peppers, as you can see in the picture below.  I found it funny that I was able to hear it chew on the crunchy vegetable.  When it felt threatened by my presence it would rear its "head" back to look scary.  There are spots located on both sides of it's body, near the head area, that look like eyes.  His little head is actually scrunched up next to it's true legs (front legs).  He might have looked frightening to a real predator, but to me he reminded me of a begging dog.  

The Very Loud Eater

I ran out of time to get my garden planted this year, so I haven't had the pleasure of watching them this summer.  Hopefully I get one planted next spring and a couple of these destructive pests will visit me again.  I just wish that I could keep them confined to one plant.  I really would love to have some home grown tomatoes and peppers.

Tobacco Hornworm Caterpillar Tomato Plant Puzzle
by WilfredaDesigns

THE WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH

I feel that it is only fitting that I start this blog off with the kind of bird that started my whole obsession.  The amazing white-breasted nuthatch.  I’ve always loved nature and after my husband and I got married we decided to build our home out in the country.  Once we moved in I would waste so much time just staring out the windows enjoying the beauty that surrounded me.  I was also hoping to see some white-tailed deer, but who would have thought that instead of deer I would become obsessed with birds. 

We had a huge tree that was located off of our back deck and I was fascinated one day when I saw this cute little bird climbing up and down the trunk.  I had never seen such a site growing up in town.  A bird that could actually climb up and down the side of a tree!  How had I never seen this before?  WOW!  I was sucked into birdwatching. 

I told my husband about my little discovery and for some odd reason he already had a book on birds.  I have no idea why he had this book, but I am so glad that he did.  This was before the time you could find literally anything online and it surely came in handy, and I still use it to this day.  I looked this little bird up and was able to identify it as the white-breasted nuthatch.  My next goal was to get a photograph of it.  Since this was 20+ years ago, it wasn’t as easy as it is today.  We had some film cameras, but didn’t have the proper lens for the shot.  Needless to say it wasn’t too long before we purchased a 400mm lens.  I would love and hate to know how much time I have spent outside trying to get the perfect shot.

I caught the birdwatching bug and I have never looked back.  I have also spent way too much money on these feathery little beauties, but it is so worth it.  The next bird that caught my eye was the scarlet tanager.  Now that is a striking beauty!  That is another story, so I will leave it for a different day.