Monthly Archives: June 2013

Plant-Insect Interaction: Syrphid fly feeding on grass pollen

Posted on June 30, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

True grasses (Poaceae) are typically wind-pollinated plants. From their tall flower heads they cast pollen containing male gametes into the breeze. Some of the pollen may land on the female parts of flowers, resulting in fertilization. Although insects aren’t necessary … Continue reading →

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Random Plant: Mountain laurel

Posted on June 27, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia, Ericaceae) can be found in and around the Appalachian Mountains from Maine through the southeast. This shrub or small tree features thick, leathery, whorled leaves that are evergreen even in relatively cool climates. It’s perhaps best known … Continue reading →

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Mourning Dove feeding squabs

Posted on June 25, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

I first noticed a pair of Mourning Doves (Columbiformes: Columbidae: Zenaida macroura) nesting above the front door of my friend’s shop eight days ago. Four days ago I caught my first glimpse of one of the newly-hatched squabs. Just today … Continue reading →

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Random Insect: Winged aphids

Posted on June 24, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) can often be seen in large groups feeding on plants. These tiny, soft-bodied insects spend most of their time crowded together, getting plump off of the juices of their particular hosts. Some species are serious crop pests, … Continue reading →

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Random Insect: Lace bug

Posted on June 22, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

Lace bugs (Hemiptera: Tingidae) are some of the tiniest, most delicate creatures I observe on a regular basis. Only a few millimeters in length, the individual shown here was dwarfed by the whorls of my thumb. Although small some of … Continue reading →

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Mourning Dove and squab

Posted on June 21, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

The other day I wrote about a pair of Mourning Doves (Columbiformes: Columbidae: Zenaida macroura) that had built a nest above the front door of a friend’s shop. They had been taking turns incubating their eggs, seeming completely unbothered by all the people … Continue reading →

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Random Plant: Silky beach pea

Posted on June 19, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

Silky beach pea (Lathyrus littoralis, Fabaceae) can be found exclusively on coastal dunes along the Pacific Ocean from British Columbia through northern California. Although growing to only 18-24″ in height, this perennial stands out thanks to its fuzzy foliage and striking bicolored flowers. These … Continue reading →

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Mourning Dove on a nest

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

Common across most of North America, Mourning Doves (Columbiformes: Columbidae: Zenaida macroura) have learned to live alongside humans rather well. Many of these birds nest in trees, shorter foliage, and even on the ground. Some, on the other hand, are perfectly happy raising … Continue reading →

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Random Insect: Snout beetle

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

Although I frequently encounter many different snout and bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) I don’t usually make an attempt to identify them beyond the family level. With over 40,000 known species in this enormous animal family, further identification could make anyone … Continue reading →

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Random Plant: Beach strawberry

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

Beach strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis, Rosaceae) can be found among beaches, coastal dunes and grasslands along the Pacific Ocean from Alaska through South America. I came across the individual above at Redwood National Park in California this April. As with other strawberries … Continue reading →

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Random Insect: Pipevine swallowtail

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

While visiting the Cataloochee Valley of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina last week, my wife and I came across a large number of pipevine swallowtails (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae: Battus philenor). These recently-deceased insects were all gathered around a small, … Continue reading →

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Congaree National Park

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

Situated in the middle of South Carolina, Congaree National Park preserves the largest remaining old-growth hardwood floodplain forest left in the United States. Prior to European settlement some 52 million acres of these bottomland forests blanketed the southeast. While most were … Continue reading →

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Cataloochee Valley

Posted on June 8, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

Straddling the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, Great Smoky Mountains National Park preserves over 800 square miles of pristine southern Appalachian wilderness. Here misty valleys are nestled within the highest mountains in eastern North America, with sixteen peaks reaching … Continue reading →

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Random Plant: Salmonberry

Posted on June 2, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis, Rosaceae) can be found in damp forests along the Pacific coast from Alaska to California. Similar to the raspberry, this woody perennial forms dense prickly thickets. It blooms through the spring and early summer and the purple … Continue reading →

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Fungus-Insect Interaction: Pathogenic fungus emerging from a root-maggot fly

Posted on June 1, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

At first glance it looks like this root-maggot fly (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) was getting fat and happy filling itself with the sweet juices of this young blackgum tree (Nyssa sylvatica, Cornaceae). It was actually getting fat and unhappy as the unfortunate victim … Continue reading →

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