What to See This Week

Water parsnip is in bloom currently at the Red Barn Reserve. As seen in the photo, water parsnip can grow directly out of the water and thrives in wetland environments. Water parsnip has a similar appearance to many of the other members of the parsley/carrot family including an incredibly deadly relative: spotted water hemlock. Like the majority of plants in the parsley/carrot family, water parsnip has inflorescences growing in the umbel (umbrella-like) pattern.

Not all leaves of three are cause for concern! Virgin’s bower is a beautiful native vine belonging to the genus clematis. They are easy to tell apart in flower, but also look at the leaf arrangement. Virgin’s bower has leaves that grow opposite each other on the vine while poison ivy has an alternate leaf arrangement. 

Look closely amongst the similarly-shaped pickerelweed leaves at the boardwalk at the Red Barn Reserve and you may spot broadleaf arrowhead. Broadleaf arrowhead is a native wetland plant that grows edible tubers that have a long history of importance to indigenous people across the plant’s range. Some other names for this plant include wapato and duck potato.

Something you may see on grounds is a gross reminder of some really cool residents! This owl pellet was seen on a wooden fence at the Red Barn Reserve. Owls generally eat their prey whole. During the process of digestion, indigestible materials like fur and bones are regurgitated in the form of an owl pellet. This is one of many signs of animals that can be noticed even when the animal itself is elusive.

Yellow-collared scape moths are one of a handful of common day-flying moths you may encounter at The Arboretum. They are often seen nectaring from plants in the sunflower family, including wingstem as seen in this photo.

The spotted apatelodes moth has a very distinctive larval stage! Pictured here is a middle-stage caterpillar featuring some of the unique traits that make this caterpillar stand out. Caterpillars range from grayish-white to bright yellow. Along the caterpillars back is a row of black tufts of hair. The most exciting feature may be hard to see, but look closely beneath their fluff and you will find rows of bright red feet that look like a nice set of ruby slippers! 

Cloudless sulphur caterpillars have incredible camouflage capabilities. Pictured here is a caterpillar I nearly missed sitting on a wild senna leaf that it had already partially consumed. Without specifically looking for it, I likely wouldn’t have found it. These caterpillars are well known for their diet-based camouflage. As this caterpillar’s diet was the leaves of the plant, the color matches where it was feeding.

On the other hand, cloudless sulphur caterpillars that feed on the yellow flowers of the wild senna plant come in a beautiful yellow color like the one pictured here! On this same plant was another yellow caterpillar on a flower as well as a green caterpillar feeding from a leaf. If you look for the cloudless sulphur caterpillar, careful searching is necessary.