August 7, 2009 at 6:45 am08 (Uncategorized)
Wild Blackberries ripen in the fields.
Now is the time that Wild Blackberries are growing at the edges of fields and along roadsides in our neighborhood. I have been picking, on average, a quart a day this week and the count will only go up over the next few weeks, then taper off again by September. We enjoy fresh-picked blackberries on cold breakfast cereal, mixed with yogurt for lunch, served with whipped cream on blackberry cake, and blackberry pie with ice cream. Then there is blackberry jam and blackberry cordial to prepare ad set aside for the winter months.
There are many different species of Blackberries in New England – most with woody, prickly stems and leaves with toothed margins. Collectively, they are called brambles. Some are tall and upright, others low and creeping, and a few quite bushy and spreading. They all belong to the genus Rubus. The largest species is the Highbush Blackberry, Rubus allegheniensis. The fruit is black and shiny and is round or thimble shaped. The base of the berry does not have a hole at the bottom like a Raspberry. Unripe blackberries, even when black, can be quite tart; it takes a light touch to determine if a blackberry is still firm or soft and ready to be pulled from the stem. Blackberries start out green, gradually turn red, then turn purplish-black, and finally a smooth lustrous black.
To go wild blackberry picking is to endure a few scratches, to wade chest high in fields of goldenrod, joe-pye weed, and boneset, listening to the hum of bees in search of nectar and watching dragonflies and butterflies soar in the sunlight. You may be scolded by birds whose territory you are invading and need to make detours around clumps of multiflora rose or bittersweet vines. Oh – did I forget the mosquitoes? If it is sunny and breezy the mosquitoes will be kept away, but if the wind dies down or the clouds appear, watch out. Coming back home with the taste of summer in a jar is a fine reward.
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August 6, 2009 at 3:38 pm08 (Uncategorized)
Over six feet tall, this striking plant thrives in moist rich soil.
Flat Topped White Aster (Doellengeria umbellata) is hard to miss. It is tall, for one thing – two to seven feet high – and has long narrow leaves, green on top, slightly paler below. The edges are rough but not toothed. is always found in moist soils. The flowers grow in a flat flat-topped cluster with typical Aster-like white ray flowers and yellow centers. Sometimes the yellow centers turn purple with age. The stem is sturdy, almost square in appearance, with narrow lines running lengthwise. The stem is green with reddish-brown streaks.
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August 4, 2009 at 6:55 am08 (Uncategorized)
The Tawny Grisette (Amanita fulva).
When most people think of mushrooms, they think of Fall, and the chill wet rains that prompt them to pop up virtually overnight, or Spring, when morels can be found near old decaying Elm trees. But even in August, when conditions are right, some mushrooms sprout from unseen, underground thread masses (mycelium).
The Tawny Grisette grows in forest clearings, in mixed woodlands, and meadows. It is found throughout the world and is quite common in the northern U.S. It can “fruit” from June through November, wherever the soil contains decaying wood particles. While edible, it is not found in great numbers, and it should never be eaten raw. The Tawny Grisette must be cooked to deactivate toxins that could burst red blood cells.
It took me a while to be confident in my identification of this mushroom and I used several books to confirm and coroborate my observations.
The cap of the Tawny Grisette is thin, white or tan in color, with a small central umbo or raised swelling in the center. The cap is two to four inches across and has clearly striated margins. Younger caps are bell-shaped; mature caps are rolled upward exposing more of the gills. On the edges of the cap there may be adherent fragments of the veil. The cap is fragile ( brittle) and breaks easily.
The gills of the Tawny Grisette are white or cream colored. The gills are “free” and not directly attached to the stem.
The stem of the Tawny Grisette is mostly white and smooth, with some tannish coloring near the ground. The stem is wider at the base and tapers slightly toward the cap. The stem shows no sign of a “ring.” A very thin, sheath-like veil covers the rounded knob at the base of the stem. The stem is three to five inches long.
The spores of the Tawny Grisette are white. I placed the cap gill-side down on a square of black construction paper to check this. Identifying the specimen was challenging, but I don’t plan on collecting or eating any soon.
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August 3, 2009 at 5:54 am08 (Uncategorized)
An adult Viceroy butterfly seeks nectar in a wet meadow.
The Viceroy butterfly (Limentis archippus) is easily confused with the Monarch butterfly. The coloration and the size appears nearly the same. A closer inspection reveals that there is anarrow black curved bar across the middle of the hind wing. The Viceroy (2 5/8″ – 3″) is only slighly smaller than the larger Monarch (3 1/2″ – 4″). The Viceroy butterfly prefers wetlands and openings in woods. It is usually found close to Willow and Poplar trees, which serve as the host plant for emerging Viceroy larvae. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Viceroy is that in each life stage, the Viceroy is well adapted for survival. The eggs of the Viceroy look like the kinds of insect galls that form on willow leaves. The mature caterpillar appears to have ”horns.” The chrysalis resembles bird droppings. The adult form mimics a Monarch butterfly, which has a disagreeable taste.
Another tell-tale difference between the Viceroy and the Monarch is that during flight, the Viceroy flaps its wings rapidly between short glides. The Monarch displays a stronger, soaring flight. The Viceroy glides with wings out flat; the Monarch sails with its wings up in a V-shape.
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August 1, 2009 at 6:04 am08 (Uncategorized)
The white flowers of Queen Anne's Lace appear in fields and roadsides.
August is often remembered for its hot dry days and warm nights that gradually cool to fall. The first of the Goldenrod appears. Thistles, Burdock, and Aster adorn the landscape with purple flowers. Monarch butterfly caterpillars feed on Milkweed. Goldfinches harvest thistle heads. Cat-tails reach full height. Crickets create an evening chorus. Sunflowers ripen. Purple Joe-pye Weed, White Boneset and Blue Vetch is in bloom. Young garter snakes are born. Flycatchers begin to migrate south. Buttonbush blooms white and fragrant in the swamps. Yellow buttons of Tansy appear. The “blues” (Bluefish) are running on Cape Cod. More hummingbirds appear at the feeder as the young join parents.
When the flowers of Quenn Ann’s Lace go to seed, the edges of the flower stalks curl upward to form a cup-shaped structure resembling a bird’s nest.
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July 30, 2009 at 6:13 am07 (Uncategorized)
The Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe) visits flowers by day throughtout the eastern half of the US and Canada. Also known as the “Common Clearwing,” this moth sips nectar from flowers using its long feeding tube or proboscis, which rolls up when not in use. This species of moth belongs to the family Sphingidae – a group that incudes Hawk Moths, Sphinx Moths, and Hornworms. The family is distinguished by rapid and sustained flying ability – flying backwards, gliding side to side, or hovering in place. Some, like the moth in the photo above, are sometimes mistaken for Hummingbirds. The larvae or caterpillars of some species can be very destructive of garden flowers and vegetables.
Not all moths in this family are as large or noticeable as the Hummingbird Clearwing, but all lay their egs on a specific host plant. The Ash Sphinx, Elm Sphinx, Apple Sphinx, Laurel Sphinx, Wild Cherry Sphinx, and Pine Hawk moth are examples.
A Hummingbird Clearwing Moth sips nectar from flowers on a Buttefly Bush. Photo by Jean Williams Mattson of Townsend, MA
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July 28, 2009 at 5:47 am07 (Uncategorized)
One species of Goldenrod is blooming this week.
There are many different species of Goldenrod, and this one, the Candada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) is starting to bloom in fields and waste places or land disturbed by heavy equipment. Where you find one you will probably find others because they spread by underground stems or runners. The thin, pointed leaves have toothed edges and lack leaf stalks. Note how the small yellow fower heads are arranged on only one side of the slightly curved and drooping branches at the top of the stem. To many people, Goldenrod is a sign of a waning summer, the begining of fall. However, this is only the last week in July.
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July 26, 2009 at 5:52 am07 (Uncategorized)
The majenta-colored whorls of flowers on a Purple Loosestrife
This plant may look a bit all by itself in an overgrown pasture, but it won’t be by itself for long. The Purple Loosestrife (Lythrium salicaria) is one of the most prolifically spreading plants in open, disturbed sites with moist soil and shallow standing water. Look for it in drainage ditches, depressions in the median strips of highways, and areas adjacent to shopping mall parking lots where water runoff collects. Purple Loosestrife simply out-competes other (more valuable for wildlife) plants for space. Through seeds and an aggressive root system Loosestrife forms dense stands that crowd out cat-tails, reeds, and grasses that birds and other wildlife need for nesting and feeding. As a result, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife lists Purple Loosestrife as an invasive species. It is a difficult plant to eradicate.
Field identification: 2- 5 feet tall; stems 4 sided and hairy; leaves opposire or in whorls of three, narrow, and lance-shaped; spikes of numerous magenta flowers in whorled clusters; blooms July-September.
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July 25, 2009 at 5:58 am07 (Uncategorized)
The hairy stems and wrinkled leaves of Boneset aid in identification.
Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) is another summer and fall plant of moist and wet habitats. It grows from 2 to five feet tall. The leaves of Boneset are simple, opposite, lance-shaped, and toothed. They grow directly from the central stem of the plant with some of the opposing leaf bases so completely fused that he stem appeas to pierce through the double leaf. The plant stem is hairy. The leaves of Boneset are deeply veined and have a wrinkled appearance.
Boneset blooms from July to October. Its small, white chalky flowers for fuzzy, flat-topped clusters several inches across. The berb was named Boneset because its leaves were once used to make a bitter tea taken to treat “break-bone” or dengue fever.
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July 23, 2009 at 1:55 pm07 (Uncategorized)
Joe-Pye Weed blooms in moist lowland thickets
We are tip-toeing this week on the edge of August. Already beginning to bloom are several plants that are so typical of the dog days month, including Joe-Pye Weed. Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium purpureum) is a herbaceous perrenial natve to the eastern and northern United States. It grows 5 to 7 feet high in clumps 2-4 feet wide. Joe Pye Weed blooms July – September in low, moist ground, wet meadows, and thickets. It has coarsely toothed, lance-shaped dark green leaves growing in whorls of three to four on short green stalks that clasp the stem with purplish leaf nodes. The stem is smooth and deep purple or purple-spotted. The flowers are tiny, vanilla-scented, and pinkish purple, developing in a large, terminal, flat-topped cluster. Joe-Pye Weed flowers are very attractive to butterflies. Many people regard Joe-Pye weed as just another roadside plant (look for it growing in swales and ditches along highway ramps) but it makes an attractive border plant.
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