Thursday, May 22, 2008

Wayne National Forest

Things to ponder from Lawrence County, Ohio's southernmost county.
12
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

14 comments:

  1. #2 is certainly easy...cicadae shell. We used to pick them off the trees when we were kids and my cats love to play with the bugs if they catch one.

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  2. These are some beautiful photos. I've never been able to get good photos of flies, so that first one is special for me. Thanks for sharing.

    Cheers,

    David Webb - Nature Pictures

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  3. #1 & 2 appear to be some kind of cicada & its shell.

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  4. Mary, David, and Lana- the Cicada is the first thing that captured your eyes! Mary and Lana, you've definitely nailed this as a cicada. Its actaully a periodical cicada, in the genus Magicicada These species (there are three species of periodical cicacas) live in the ground as larvae, and every 17 years, they become adults en masse. This particular emergence is known as brood XIV, and they last appeared in 1991. Here at the Wayne, there were thousands of these creatures covering the low vegetation along the stream banks. We believe they had come out of their cases the night before- none could fly. Each was about 1.5 inches long.

    Check out this map, from researchers at the University of Michigan, to find out where you can see these Cicadas:

    Brood XIV

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  5. Wow, you got me on most of these!

    #4 & #6 looks like something in the Mustard family due to their 4-petal arrangement - a Cress perhaps?

    #5: one of the fancy Clarkias? Although the lack of visible stamens may indicate otherwise, in which case, perhaps a pink?

    #12: Oxalis sp.?

    #13: The flowers look rather orchid-like, but the leaves do not, so maybe a legume?

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  6. I'll take a crack at these excellent images:

    1 & 2. Periodic Cicada, Magicicada septendecim
    3. Wild Stonecrop, Sedum ternatum
    4. Bluets, Houstonia cerulea
    5. Moss Phlox, Phlox subulata
    6. Long-leaved Summer Bluets, Houstonia longifolia
    7. Black-margined Sedge, Carex nigromarginata
    8. Box Turtle, Tarrapene carolina
    9. "Shroom, baby!
    10. Virginia Spiderwort, Tradescantia virginiana
    11. Bryophyte (moss) with sporocarps (fruiting bodies)
    12. Violet Wood-sorrel, Oxalis violacea
    13. Showy Orchis, Galearis spectabilis

    You're getting good with that camera, lad!

    Al Gore

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  7. I should have also said that those are great photos as always :-) I was just thrilled to get one right! I love that last flower!

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  8. Tom: Very well done friend, you certainly made a beautiful post here.

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  9. Adam- You're ideas were all really good. The four parted flowers are actually bluets, but they do kinda look like mustards. Five is a phlox...I need to look up Clarkia, I'm not familiar with that genus. You've hit the nail on the head with number 12, it is an oxalis!

    And number 13 is an orchid.

    Al Gore-

    Let me just say that I had no idea you were such an accomplished botanist. After that failed presidential bid, I just never knew that you had turned to botany for an interest. It makes sense though, since you are so interested in global warming, that you would also become a botanist, since plants' distributions will surely change with the advent of global warming!

    Anyways, it does feel good that my pictures are good enough for you to get everything right! Al Gore will remain anonymous for now, but I'm pretty sure I know who he is, and he's a great botanist here in Ohio.

    Anyone know what little mushroom that yellow and orange one is? We're still in the dark about this one.

    Mary- Yes, you should feel awesome about recognizing one of these creatures and thanks for the kind words.

    Guy- Thank you very much. I remember the periodical cicada brood that emerged in your neck of the woods back in 1999 when I was in College.

    Thanks everyone, this is always fun.

    Tom

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  10. Gorgeous photos. You'd love to explore my wilderness called Muskoka in Ontario, Canada.

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  11. The cicadas are awesome! They don't appear to have arrived in Iowa, yet.

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  12. Love the eyes on that Cicada.
    Great post.
    Beautiful photos.

    I try to visit regularily,
    but don't always leave comments.
    Too many good blogs,
    so little time.

    Alaska Sunday is posted.
    Come visit,
    Troy and Martha

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  13. Tom, you sure get around Ohio!! All such stunning photos! Bravo

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  14. Gosh that bee picture is close, I can see everything. It almost looks like his wings are heavy!

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