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Tag Archives: insect

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Pollinator Week (2020)

words and images Posted on June 24, 2020 by dlschirfJune 23, 2022

I almost missed Pollinator Week. I think I’m going to make last year’s posts evergreen. Enjoy.

Untitled
Posted in Blog, Nature | Tagged butterfly, Chicago Park District, Hyde Park, insect, photo, Pollinator Week, wildlife | Leave a reply

Pennsylvania: Logan Valley Cemetery, Sinking Valley, Whipple Dam State Park

words and images Posted on September 2, 2019 by dlschirfApril 5, 2020
September 2

We visited my parents’ graves at Logan Valley Cemetery, located across from the high school. A cousin I haven’t seen in decades had left flowers at my dad’s grave. His flag holder for veterans still has a metal medallion. The newer medallions are plastic thanks to theft. Once upon a time I was young enough to find it shocking someone would steal the flag holder from a veteran’s grave.

Dad's marker

In Sinking Valley, this little mare and her young’un attract customers to Hilltop Farm. There’s also a wee donkey.

Wee ponies and donkey

On to Whipple Dam State Park, which was new to me. It’s yet another part of our legacy from the Civilian Conservation Corps. As it was Labor Day and central Pennsylvania isn’t rich with beaches, a college-age crowd had gathered at Whipple Dam’s postage stamp of sand to play volleyball and stand in the relatively shallow water. Despite the crowd, the surrounding woods gave the lake and beach an isolated feeling that reminded me of Pewit’s Nest in Wisconsin.

Whipple Dam State Park
Whipple Dam State Park
Autumn meadowhawk
Whipple Dam State Park

We’d passed the road to Shaver Creek Environmental Center and stopped on the way back. The buildings were closed for the holiday, so we relaxed on the deck’s Adirondack chairs. I kept hoping to hear a creek.

On the way to the park, V. spotted a plant she thought might be teaberry (ICE CREAM!). According to the folks of iNaturalist, it’s partridgeberry. Pretty, but perhaps not as weirdly tasty as teaberry. If you can’t get teaberry ice cream, try Clark’s teaberry gum. You won’t thank me, I think. It’s an acquired taste, associated with childhood 50 years ago.

Partridgeberry
Posted in Adventure, Blog | Tagged family, insect, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania state park, photo, state park, travel, wildlife | Leave a reply

Pennsylvania: Mountain pie cookout and corn boil

words and images Posted on August 31, 2019 by dlschirfApril 7, 2020
August 30–31

My journeys on the Capitol Limited and Pennsylvanian were uneventful. The Capitol Limited arrived in Pittsburgh 40 to 50 minutes before the Pennsylvanian left, so it was a little close — but no Greyhound this time. I got my eastbound trip around Horseshoe Curve, although by looking to the inside I missed the derailed center beams on the outside – on both sides. (There were two derailments at the Curve this summer.)

Eastbound Pennsylvanian (Amtrak #42)

I arrived in plenty of time to go on an outing to load up on spring water at Elk Run near Tyrone. Many, many bald-faced hornets were feasting on the plants by the stream.

Bald-faced hornet at Elk Run near Tyrone

We also stopped at a farm in Sinking Valley to pick up what turned out to be the last corn on the cob of the season and later shuck it for an evening “mountain pie/hotdog cookout and corn boil.” I wish I’d taken a photo of my ham and cheese mountain pie. Delish.

Posted in Adventure, Blog | Tagged Amtrak, insect, Pennsylvania, photo, train, travel, video | Leave a reply

Common green darner (Anax junius)

Common green darner (Anax junius)

I’m behind in keeping up my personal account of summer 2019, so here’s a common green darner to tide me over. They were swarming at Perennial Garden today, where one posed for me despite the winds whipping the plants to pieces and photos into blurs.

August 29, 2019 by dlschirf Posted in Blog, Photography Tagged Chicago, Chicago Park District, Hyde Park, insect, nature, photo Reply

Dragonflies and ice cream

Blue dasher
Blue dasher

I told J this Will County Forest Preserve District program at Monee Reservoir sounded crunchy; I don’t think he quite got it.

I met him at the University Park Metra station, which is not that far north from Monee. For me, it was brutally sunny and hot, but at least I made it through the first part of the program. I had to pass on the second half, a jaunt to another bridge that wasn’t even that far away. At the first, the kids found enough dragonfly and damselfly larvae and other pond critters to keep them engaged for an hour or more, and I wandered off to see what was on the other side (dragonflies, damselflies, butterflies, one elusive Hemaris thysbe moth).

Despite my dropping out partway through, the leader was kind enough to give us ice cream sandwiches. He spent a lot of time answering my questions and showing me illustrative photos. By the time we left the building, where the air conditioning had failed a couple of days earlier, clouds had gathered and the temperature had dropped.

Monee’s not a big town but we found a great cheese and fruit plate, beer, and a light dinner at Labas Latte & Vino. And so back to reality . . . but at least I don’t have to live on 300 mosquitoes an hour.

July 14, 2019 by dlschirf Posted in Blog, Photography Tagged forest preserve, Forest Preserve District of Will County, friend, insect, nature, photo, wildlife, Will County Reply

Pollinator Week, day 7

Finally, what would Pollinator Week be without a bee covered in pollen?

Pollen-drunk bee

Thanks for stopping by.

Bee waving
June 23, 2019 by dlschirf Posted in Blog, Nature Tagged butterfly, Chicago Park District, Hyde Park, insect, photo, Pollinator Week, wildlife Reply

Pollinator Week, day 6

We’ve had the eastern tiger swallowtail. Here’s a female black swallowtail, equally colorful in her own way.

Female black swallowtail

Here’s video of a persistent male.

June 22, 2019 by dlschirf Posted in Blog, Nature Tagged butterfly, Chicago Park District, Hyde Park, insect, photo, Pollinator Week, video, wildlife Reply

Pollinator Week, day 5

Sadly, this painted lady butterfly was killed by a crab spider or assassin bug shortly after I took this photo.

Painted lady butterfly
June 21, 2019 by dlschirf Posted in Blog, Nature Tagged butterfly, Chicago Park District, Hyde Park, insect, photo, Pollinator Week, wildlife Reply

Pollinator Week, day 4

Eastern tiger swallowtails.

Tiger swallowtail
Tiger swallowtail
June 20, 2019 by dlschirf Posted in Blog, Nature Tagged butterfly, Chicago Park District, Hyde Park, insect, photo, Pollinator Week, wildlife Reply

Pollinator Week, day 3

What would Pollinator Week be without a monarch?

Monarch butterfly
June 19, 2019 by dlschirf Posted in Blog, Nature Tagged butterfly, Chicago Park District, Hyde Park, insect, photo, Pollinator Week, wildlife Reply

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