Tag: missouri

Spring Beauty Rust (Puccina mariae-wilsoniae)

fungi, macro, native plants

I shared some images and info on the spring beauty rust last year. I did not find it nearly as prevalent this year in the same patch of spring beauty (Claytonia virginica) but I was able to find the alternate and rarer sporulating telia. The life cycle of the Puccina rusts are very complex and often require the use of two hosts (heteroecious). In the case of this species, there does not seem the need to use more than one host to complete its lifecycle. The first sporulating legions are the yellow “cluster cups” or aecia. These structures burst open and release dikaryotic (containing two nuclei) aeciospores.

“Cluster cups” or aecia of Puccina mariae-wilsoniae

The next photo shows the darker teliospore-producing telia. Known as “black rust” in the wheat pathogen, the teliospores are able to survive harsher conditions in the environment and do not need the strict temperature and humidity requirements to survive and infect the next generation.

Telia of Puccina mariae-wilsoniae

This is all I have for now. Next year I would like to see if I can get photographs of each respective spore if I can figure out the right equipment.

-OZB

Bizarre Creatures in My Garden

Hemiptera, macro, native plants, wildlife, wildlife photography

Here is a perfect example of ‘why native plants?’ in the home garden. This is the first year of our new native flower garden in front of our new house. This spring we spent a good deal of money and time getting the old exotic evergreen bushes out of the beds and planting a new garden consisting of mostly native forbs and a couple patches of grasses. After a long and cool spring, we are finally getting some heat units on these mostly gladey and xeric species and a few are starting to respond nicely.

These golden drops turned out to be eggs of a leaf-footed bug (Coreidae family)

During my daily deadheading of some flowering Coreopsis and other asters, I notice new things from time to time. The arthropods are beginning to come. Since the original razing of the land that this subdivision sets on some 45+ years ago, these plant and insect communities have undoubtedly been rare. While my 100 square feet of natives won’t likely make a big difference, hopefully more and more of us will ‘go native’

I originally noticed these eggs by observing this jumping spider. The concurrence is assumed accidental.

About a week ago, I noticed these golden drops on the leaf of a Liatris spicata (marsh blazing star). After taking a few photos in situ, I decided to collect the leaf and see what the hatch might be. I figured it was a hemipteran of some sort and after a little research, I narrowed it down to the Coreidae family, or ‘leaf-footed bugs.’ If you can identify these to any degree of higher specificity, please let me know.

Coreid nymphs within an hour of hatching.

After three or four days in a jar, all of a sudden the leaf was alive with the movement of spikey mechanisms. I took a few photos on their cradle leaf, then moved a few to a Coreopsis sp. bloom. Afterwards, I let them go to feed as they like on our plants, maybe to see them another day.

-OZB

Nesting Birds of Missouri – Black-and-White Warbler

Nesting Birds of Missouri, wildlife, wildlife photography

The Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) is another weirdo in the Parulidae family. It is the only extant member of the genus, Mniotilta, and it definitely stands out against the other wood warblers that we find in Missouri. Whereas other warblers flit about the leaves at ends of branches, through bush or along forest floors, gleaning for arthropods, the Black-and-white Warbler finds another niche. It forages by hugging tree trunks and inner branches, much like a nuthatch or creeper. The interesting genus name apparently comes from another of this bird’s behaviors. This name comes from the Ancient Greek mnion, meaning “seaweed”, and tillo, “to pluck”. Apparently, Black-and-white Warblers strip mosses and reindeer lichens to line their nests, which they make in mature forests across much of eastern and central North America.

The Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) can be an easy target for the bird photographer, often being seen exposed along inner tree branches.
A Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) refueling in the trees at Tower Grove Park in St. Louis.

-OZB

Tachinus fimbriatus (crab-like rove beetle)

macro, wildlife, wildlife photography
Tachinus fimbriatus – who decomposes the decomposers?

This Tachinus fimbriatus, a member of the rove beetle family, Staphylinidae, was found and photographed in September, 2020 at Babler State Park in St. Louis Co, MO. Some consider the Staphylinidae the largest family of animals in North America with close to 5,000 species described in more than 500 genera. Most rove beetles are carnivorous and feed primarily upon invertebrates. However, many feed on decaying vegetation, especially as larvae. This adorable beetle is believed to feed primarily on rotting mushrooms.

Tachinus fimbriatus – a potential pet for the tiny home?

Melanthium virginicum – Illinois Bunchflower

native plants

I still have quite a few from 2020 to share. These Melanthium virginicum were photographed a year ago this month at Helton Prairie Natural Area in Harrison County, MO.

Melanthium virginicum (Illinois bunchflower) in full bloom in June being visited by pollinators.

With a CC value of 9, this plant requires specific habitat of wet meadows, moist prairies, fens and acid seeps. With the loss of these habitat types, this plant has become rare in Missouri and Illinois. This plant is also toxic to mammalian herbivores. So, if you have the appropriate spot, this would be a great native perennial to plant in high deer pressure areas.

Melanthium virginicum, a glorious native lily.

-OZB

Obolaria virginica (Virginia Pennywort)

macro, native plants

It’s not only orchids that I have had the pleasure getting to know during the past few years. Having new botanically-minded friends, I have been able to find and get to know a number of other interesting and sometimes quite rare plants found in other families. Obolaria virginica, known as Virginia pennywort or pennywort gentian, is indeed in the Gentianaceae family (gentians). It is ranked as S2 (imperiled) in Missouri, likely due to the small number of populations found here. This plant emerges very early and is much like a typical spring ephemeral. Like the coralroot orchids (Corallorhiza sp.), this plant is mycoheterotrophic, getting at least some of its nutrients by parasitizing microrrhizal fungi.

The diminutive Obolaria virginica (Virginia Pennywort) has been reported from only three Missouri counties in the southeastern portion of the state.

Nesting Birds of Missouri – The Ovenbird

Nesting Birds of Missouri, wildlife, wildlife photography
The thrush-like Ovenbird

With the relatively recent removal of the Yellow-breasted Chat from the Parulidae, the title of the largest new world “wood warbler” may very well go to the Ovenbird, Seiurus aurocapilla. The Ovenbird is somewhat of a misfit itself. Seiurus is a monotypic genus, believed to have derived early in the evolution of the family. This pot-bellied, thrush-like bird nests and forages on the forest floor, getting its common name from its nest that supposedly resembles a Dutch oven.

Although the Ovenbird can be easily heard through much of the summer in any large-track deciduous forest, getting good looks and photographs is easiest by waiting to spot them in a migration trap like Tower Grove Park in St. Louis City where these photos were taken.

Getting a photo of an Ovenbird showing its orange crown stripe can be a fun challenge!

There is a singer everyone has heard,
Loud, a mid-summer and a mid-wood bird,
Who makes the solid tree trunks sound again.
He says that leaves are old and that for flowers
Mid-summer is to spring as one to ten.
He says the early petal-fall is past
When pear and cherry bloom went down in showers
On sunny days a moment overcast;
And comes that other fall we name the fall.
He says the highway dust is over all.
The bird would cease and be as other birds
But that he knows in singing not to sing.
The question that he frames in all but words
Is what to make of a diminished thing.

“The Ovenbird”
Robert Frost

Ovenbirds walk along their environments more often than flying.

-OZB

Cypripedium candidum (Small White Lady’s Slipper)

macro, Missouri's Orchids, native plants
The conservation status of Cypripedium candidum, the small white lady’s slipper, is currently ranked as S1 (critically imperiled) by the Missouri Natural Heritage Program.

I have one more lady’s slipper we found in May to share. Cypripedium candidum or small white lady’s slipper requires moist and full-sun exposures, such as may be found in wet prairies, meadows, fens and forest edges. The reason for its rare status (likely found on fewer than five locations in the state) is due to habitat disturbance and orchid poachers digging them up for horticultural uses.

A small bunch of small white lady’s slippers

This species can hybridize with C. parviflorum (yellow lady’s slipper) when found in close proximity. This can potentially be a conservation concern in some states, but to my knowledge, there are no close associations between these two species in Missouri.

The habitat where these slippers where found in Shannon County, MO. You will not be able to see them, but I assure you, there are slippers in this photo.

It was wonderful finding this and the other lady’s slippers in the state this year. I’m hoping this one can still be found here far into the future.

The rare Cypripedium candidum

–OZB