Tag: Bill Duncan

Orgyia leucostigma babies!

2024 Caterpillar Season, Backyard Gardens, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, Uncategorized, wildlife, wildlife photography

I posted about the Orgyia leucostigma (white-marked tussock moths) that I reared last year to adulthood and documented their breeding and oviposting on my back porch. In mid-April, the young had emerged from their egg case after overwintering on the porch. Here are some photos of these extremely tiny little ones. It was a pretty difficult task as these guys were not much larger than an average grain of sand. Additionally, shortly after emerging they just wanted to spin a thread and balloon away on the wind, which is their primary method of dispersing. I used a small paintbrush to try and gently move them to some leaves, but their threads would quickly get wrapped around their long setae. After getting some photos, I left most of them to disperse in the backyard.

Spring Photos in Wildlife Refugia

birds, mammals, Nesting Birds of Missouri, wildlife, wildlife photography

In population biology the term “refugium” is used to describe a location that supports an isolated population of a once more widespread species. Refugia are almost always referenced in regards to climate. For example, a plant species that has found refuge in a cool and moist valley in a geography that is mostly inhospitable for its survival. I have come to discover another important example of this term in my own suburban neighborhood and examples of which can be found in most major metropolitan areas.

The photos I am sharing today come from the woodlot refugia that supply critical habitat for a variety of organisms that find themselves in the relative ecological desert known as the suburbs.

Although white-tailed deer will leave the woodlots to feed in our suburban lawns at night, they use these refugia for much of their feeding and daytime refuge.

Another mammal I frequently encounter on my early morning hikes through the woodlots is the Virginia opossum.

Woodlot refugia are green oases for migrating songbirds looking for food and shelter during their stopovers. There are also resident nesting birds that rely heavily on this resource as well.

Barred Owls (pictured above) and Great-horned Owls reside and nest in woodlot refugia.
One of my woodlots, that I have named “Gobbler Hollow” holds a flock of close to two dozen Wild Turkeys.

Here are a few migrant songbirds that stop at our woodlot refugia during their northward trip to nesting grounds.

This final bird is not necessarily a user of the woodlot refugia, but it is a bird I always look forward to seeing return in the spring when I walk through our common grounds turf fields on my way to the woodlots.

Barn Swallow flying over turf picking up insects.

Please make note of potential woodlot refugia in your neighborhoods. It is so easy to lose a 1-10 acre woodlot in the name of neighborhood development, but these places are critical refugia to the flora and fauna we share our homes with.

It’s Spring Again!

birds, macro, native plants, Nesting Birds of Missouri, wildlife, wildlife photography

As much as I love the change of seasons generally, nothing can beat the excitement and enjoyment of the arrival of spring. I simply can’t get out of doors enough during April and May. This past weekend Miguel and I had a great time in hunting newly arrived birds and newly emerged plants at a few of our favorite spots not too far from home. Here are a few photos from our day out.

First, a beautiful male Prairie Warbler from Weldon Springs Conservation Area.

Orange-crowned Warbler photographed at Bush Wildlife Conservation Area

A Worm-eating Warbler also found at Bush Wildlife C.A.

After a brick-fired pizza for lunch, we crossed the river to another favorite nearby location – Engelmann Woods Conservation Area. Here we were hoping to find the Wister’s coralroot orchid for Miguel to scratch off his list. During a good year, hundreds of flowering stems of this species can be found here. This year we found 15-20 stems just by looking along a mile or so along the trail.

Corallorhiza wisteriana (Wister’s coralroot)

Finally, we were able to find three stems of the parasitic Orobanche uniflora (one-flowered broomrape) mere inches off of the trail.

Orobanche uniflora (one-flowered broomrape)

Hoping you find the time to get out and enjoy this wonderful spring!

-OZB