Yearly Archives: 2013

Northern Slimy Salamander

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There are several common ways a small and relatively defenseless animal might avoid being eaten by predators. One method might be blending in with the surrounding environment, thereby avoiding detection. Another tactic would be the ability to make a fast escape. Still another strategy to not be eaten is to be poisonous, or at the very least, distasteful. The Slimy Salamander, however, employs none of these techniques.

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This amphibian might be better named if it were called the “Sticky Salamander,” because it secretes a glue-like substance from its skin when threatened. This substance can be very difficult to remove from hands or clothing. It prevents the animal from being eaten by some predators. It’s scientific species name glutinosus is the Latin adjective “sticky.”

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The relatively cool, wet Summer we’ve been experiencing has made for ideal conditions to come across this woodland salamander and I’ve seen a few over the past several weeks. This attractive amphibian is black with a scattering of small silvery-white flecks all over it. The amount of flecking can vary among individuals; flecks may be absent on some and plentiful on others.

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The Northern Slimy Salamander is found throughout much of the northeastern United States. Though slender, it is relatively long, reaching total lengths of over 7 inches. It likes to hide under rotting logs or in stumps. Although entirely land-dwelling, it needs a damp habitat. It is a lungless salamander, so wet conditions are essential, because it breathes through its moist skin.

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The Slimy Salamander emerges from its burrow at dusk and retreats at dawn. It hunts insects and other small invertebrates and catches food by flicking out its tongue. It is occasionally active on rainy days. Not only is it good looking, but the Slimy Salamander is also a true original when it comes to defending itself.

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Red-headed Woodpecker

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Can a bird be inspirational? Adult Red-headed Woodpeckers are so striking that the sight of one motivated Alexander Wilson, the author and illustrator of the early 1800s, nine-volume work American Ornithology, to become an ornithologist.

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The gorgeous Red-headed Woodpecker is so boldly patterned it’s been called a “flying checkerboard,” with its entirely crimson head, a snow-white body, and half white, half inky black wings.

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Adult males and females are impossible to tell apart in the field. Immature birds have a buff-brown or “dusky” head and back.

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These birds don’t act quite like most other woodpeckers. Red-headed Woodpeckers are less likely to drill for food than other species. Instead, they fly down to the ground to capture insects or they catch prey from the air.

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They also eat lots of acorns and beech nuts, often hiding away extra food in tree crevices for later. They have been known to wedge live beetles or grasshoppers into cracks in wood to store them for future use.

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The Red-headed Woodpecker has declined severely in the past half-century because of habitat loss and changes to its food supply. It can be found open woodlands and forest edges and clearings, river bottoms and wooded swamps. It especially likes areas with dead or dying trees.

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This year was my first year to have seen these magnificant birds and I’ve been lucky enough to find them several different times throughout the year in different locations.

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Staghorn Sumac

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The common name for this tree is derived from the fine, felt-like hairs on young stems, giving them the texture of a deer’s antlers.

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“Back in the day” Native American Indians made a lemonade-like drink from its crushed fruit. And tannery workers used the tannin-rich bark and foliage as a tanning agent.

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This is a small (15-30 foot) colony-forming, tree with crooked, leaning trunks, picturesque branches and velvety twigs.

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On female plants, yellow-green flowers are followed by fuzzy, bright red berries in erect, pyramidal clusters which last throughout winter.

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Many species of birds have been observed eating the fruits of Staghorn Sumac, especially during the Winter months.

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This is one of the first trees to change color. Vibrant orange, vermilion, vivid yellow and sometimes purple may be seen all together on a single tree. I’ve noticed that the leaves on some trees start turning in late July.

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Staghorn Sumac is shade intolerant, so is most often found along the edges of forests, in forest openings, on the edges of grasslands and fields and along roadsides.

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With appealing features that can be enjoyed year-round, Staghorn Sumac is indeed a tree for all seasons.

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Eastern Cottontail

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This is a very adaptable mammal. I’ve seen them at school, work and occasionally in my backyard. The rabbits in this post were all seen near the Lake Erie shore while on a recent trip to Pennslyvania. Eastern Cottontails communicate with each other by thumping with their back feet against the ground.

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Historically, the Eastern Cottontail inhabited fields, swamps and hardwood forests. These days it prefers “edge environments” between woody vegetation and open land. Its range of habitats includes meadows, orchards, farmlands and hedgerows.

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They can be seen year-round. At this time of the year they browse in the evening and at night on grasses and herbs (they are also fond of garden fare). In Winter their diet consists of bark, twigs and buds.

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During the day, cottontails often remain hidden in vegetation. Cottontails have keen eyesight and hearing. When danger is sensed, a rabbit will usually freeze in place until danger has passed. If approached too closely, they flee, running in a zigzag pattern, sometimes reaching speeds of up to 18 miles per hour.

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This animal is an essential element of the food chain, serving as prime prey for many predators. As a result, Eastern Cottontail life expectancy is extremely short – one year or less – requiring the prolific reproduction so often attributed to rabbit species. Adaptability pays off; Eastern Cottontail is one of the most common mammals of both the natural and the human-generated ecosystems in North America.

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Indian Pipe

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This white apparition has appropriately been called Ghost Flower, Corpse Plant, or more commonly, Indian Pipe. “Indian pipe” is descriptive of the shape of the plant, with its flower curved downward, so that it faces the ground.

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The scientific name, Monotropa uniflora, means “once-turned, single flower.” Each stalk bears a solitary flower that turns upward after pollination and remains that way as the fruit develops. The flower turns black with age or if picked.

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Indian Pipe is a plant that lacks the green pigment called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is necessary for photosynthesis, the process which allows plants manufacture their own food in the presence of sunlight.

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Lacking chlorophyll, Indian Pipe is unable to produce its own food and therefore has no need for true leaves, which are replaced by small scales along the stem. It is able to inhabit the darkest areas of the forest where sunlight is in short supply.

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Indian Pipe fulfills its nutritional needs through the services of an intermediary fungus. The fungus forms a connection with Indian Pipe and nearby trees and transfers some of the photosynthate it derives from the tree roots to the Indian Pipe.

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The ethereal appearance of the Indian Pipe, with its pallid stem topped by a nodding, white flower makes this “Summer ghost of the forest” perhaps the most easily identifiable wildflower.

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Viceroy

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This insect is commonly known as “Viceroy” because it is similar, but smaller than the two other butterflies it resembles — the Queen and the Monarch. However, it is only distantly related to these species.

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The Viceroy belongs to a group called the “Brush-footed Butterflies,” which have four functional legs and two very small front legs which are not used for standing on. These legs are more for “tasting” than walking.

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This butterfly occurs in moist open or shrubby areas such as lakes, swamp edges, willow thickets, valley bottoms, wet meadows and agricultural and rural areas.

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Last month I found this Viceroy caterpillar. In all life stages of life, the Viceroy mimics something. The eggs resemble parasitic insect galls that affect plants. The caterpillars and chrysalis’ resemble bird droppings. And the adult resembles the poisonous Monarch Butterfly.

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I set the caterpillar up in a small terrarium and fed it willow leaves.

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One day at about 10:00AM, I noticed the caterpillar hanging upside down, preparing to transform into its next stage in life.

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By 3:00PM on the same day the caterpillar had formed its chrysalis. It stayed that way for a week before emerging as an adult butterfly.

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Here is the Viceroy about to be released.

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Ever wonder what it’s like to fly for the first time?

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Common Musk Turtle

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The Common Musk Turtle is a small (usually about 4 inches), tough turtle. It is Ohio’s smallest species and one of the world’s smallest turtles.

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I’ve had the good fortune of coming across two of them so far this year. These reptiles have an oval, high-domed shell and a large head that usually has two yellowish stripes on each side.

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This species is a weak swimmer that is often seen crawling on mud in quiet, shallow water; it is easy to mistake them for stones. There are barbels on both the chin and throat. Perhaps these assist the turtle as it probes the bottom of a stream or pond for food.

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It eats a variety of food items, including seed pods, seeds, beetles, moths, dragonflies, crayfish, freshwater snails and other mollusks. It also eats algae, leeches, tadpoles, and fish.

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Despite their size and being undeniably cute in appearance, Common Musk Turtles have cantankerous dispositions. They get their name from their ability to relase a bad smell if harassed. This “extra protection” is probably compensates for the reptiles’ small plastron (lower shell) which is reduced in size compared to most turtles and does not offer the armor of its relatives.

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They occur throughout the eastern United States in a variety of aquatic habitats. There are regional names given to this creature such as Stinking Jim, Skillpot and Stinkpot. No matter what you call them, I always enjoy encountering these tough little turtles in the wild.

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Lobster Mushrooms

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Lobster mushrooms are a fascinating departure from what we typically consider mushrooms. They have a color similar to cooked lobster meat or lobster shell.

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This “species” is actually an example of a mold attacking a mushroom. The mold parasitizes Russula brevipes and covers the entire fruiting body with an orange skin.

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Eventually, the fungus even begins to transform the shape of the host mushroom, twisting it into odd contortions. Here’s what an unparasitized Russula brevipes (apparently this species has no common name) looks like.

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The idea of eating a fungus infected by a mold may sound pretty gross, but Lobster Mushrooms are considered “gourmet food.”

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The presence of the parasite dramatically increases the flavor of its host. The taste of a Lobster Mushroom is said to resemble that of an actual lobster. Who knew?

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Smallmouth Bass

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Smallmouth Bass are native to Ohio and are found in every county of the state. They are known for their acrobatic abilities and putting up a very strong fight when caught on hook and line. I caught this one with a net.

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These fish thrive in streams with gravel or rock bottoms with a visible current. They feed primarily on crayfish and other large aquatic invertebrates, but will also feed on small fish and flying insects that fall into the water.

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Despite the common name, their mouth is relatively large, with the upper jaw almost reaching the rear margin of the eye. A distinguishing marking is dark bars which radiate back from the eyes.

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Smallmouth Bass also have dark, vertical bars which are usually green or gray in color. In Ohio, the average adult size is 9-12 inches – this one still has some growing to do.

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Sometimes called a “bronzeback” for its brassy brown hue, the Smallmouth Bass is one of the strongest fish for its weight. The second largest member of the sunfish family, the Smallmouth Bass is only smaller than its cousin, the Largemouth Bass.

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When the railroads spread around the country in the second half of the 19th century, so did the smallmouth. It was transported by train and eventually became a popular sport fish throughout the United States.

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Baltimore Oriole

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The Baltimore Oriole is Maryland’s official state bird. It has also been the namesake of the state’s professional baseball team, the Baltimore Orioles, since the late 19th century. Baltimore Orioles inhabit Maryland and the rest of the eastern United States only in the Summer months. In Winter, some of these migrating birds live in the southeastern United States, but most fly further south in search of warmer climates.

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Male orioles are a bold orange hue with black wings and a black head. Females are not as brightly colored.

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These attractive birds frequent woodlands and mainly eat caterpillars and insects. They supplement their diet with fruits and berries. The Baltimore Oriole’s appetite for caterpillars may help protect forests from some destructive pests.

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The nest of the Baltimore Oriole is one of the most distinctive bird nests. Females weave remarkable, sock-like hanging structures from slender fibers. The nest are suspended from small tree limbs. Along with natural materials, string or yarn is usually incoporated into the nest.

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The Baltimore Oriole is named for Lord Baltimore, an early leader of the British colony of Maryland. His coat-of-arms was orange and black, like the male oriole. You can sometimes hear the male’s loud, flutelike whistle from the tree tops. It may take some time, but catching sight of one of these brilliant black-and-orange birds is worth the effort.

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