Multicolor Gill Polypore

Posted on November 22, 2023 by tspuckler

While looking for reptiles and amphibians in the woods in southern Illinois, I noticed this bracket fungus on a tree stump.

Multicolor Gill Polypore is widespread across Europe, Asia, and North and South America. In the United States it is very common from the East Coast to the Great Lakes states, south to Texas, and on the West Coast.

From the top, it looks very much like Turkeytail Mushroom, but by viewing the underside of the cap, there are gills instead of pores.

The “gills” of the multicolor gill polypore are actually radially arranged tubes that are forked and fused, which can make them look like gills. These tubes are tough and leathery, as opposed to true gills, which are more fragile.

This species exists as a network of fungal cells (mycelium) within rotting wood. The mycelium obtains nourishment by digesting the wood. When ready to reproduce, it develops the brackets outside of the wood, which are reproductive structures.

Multicolor Gill Polypore plays an important role in the ecosystem, breaking down dead wood and returning nutrients to the soil. This species also helps to recycle carbon and nitrogen, aiding in the growth of new plants and trees.

Mushrooms decorate nature the way wildflowers do, adding to our pleasure on hikes. Many mushrooms are most prominent in the fall, when wildflowers are winding down.

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Water Scorpion

Posted on November 17, 2023 by tspuckler

This was a super cool creature that I encountered while on my trip to southern Illinois. It is sometimes called a Needle Bug or Water Stick Insect.

They are more commonly called “Water Scorpions” due to their superficial resemblance to scorpions – raptorial forelegs and the presence of a long slender tube at the posterior end of their abdomen, which resembles a tail.

These insects mostly inhabit stagnant or slow-moving freshwater habitats like ponds, marshes, canals and streams. Though they do not sting with their tail, but they do have a painful bite, although it much less harmful to humans than a true scorpion’s sting.

Water Scorpions are rather poor swimmers and typically crawl about on aquatic vegetation. To swim, they rely on an alternating oar-like movement of their second and third pairs of legs to slowly propel them along; they are built much more for camouflage than they are for swimming. They can fly, but this is an infrequently seen behavior.

An underwater predator, the Water Scorpion hides among dead leaves where it waits to ambush its prey. Its tail actually acts as a kind of “snorkel,” rather than a stinger, so it rests hind-end-upward with the tip of this tube projecting above the water surface; therefore it can stay submerged for long periods of time.

Their front legs are modified into pincer-like grabbers that are used to grasp their prey. They feed primarily on aquatic invertebrates such as other insects, as well as worms, but occasionally take small fish or tadpoles.

Interestingly, Water Scorpions produce sound by friction. In this case, a leg segment is rubbed against the body, making noise underwater. Sometimes a faint squeak can be heard from a Water Scorpion that is pulled from the water.

When fully grown, this species measure about two inches in length, from the tip of their tail-like breathing tube, to their head. This slow-moving, cryptically colored and shaped invertebrate was a fun find while exploring the Land of Lincoln.

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Blanketflower

Posted on November 10, 2023 by tspuckler

While on a hike in Missouri, I noticed this eye-catching plant growing in a dry field. It has a flower that resembles the brightly patterned blankets of Native Americans.

Another possibility for its common name is that it refers to the plant’s habit of “blanketing” the ground in areas where it thrives. Either way, this colorful wildflower is much loved by bees, which are drawn to its bright petals.

The plant also happens to be a food source for caterpillars of the brilliantly colored Gaillardia Flower Moth and Painted Schinia – these insects have wing patterns and colors that mimic blanketflower’s petals.

Blanketflower is often found on the dry slopes and meadows of uplands and mountains. It is drought tolerant and capable of growing under very harsh conditions. It prefers full sun.

Its flowers are typically bicolored with an inner red band surrounded by an outer yellow band. However, they can also be entirely red or yellow, have an inner band surrounded by a white band, or, on rare occasion, be entirely white or yellow.

With the Scientific Name of Gaillardia aristata, the genus Gaillardia was dedicated in 1788 in honor of the early French botanist Gaillard de Charentonneau. Aristata means “bearing bristles” in botanical Latin, in reference to the rough hairy leaves and stems.

Blanketflower has flowers to three inches in diameter, and very hairy, light green, elongated leaves. It typically grows to about a foot tall. This was a neat find on my trip.

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Prairie Kingsnake

Posted on November 3, 2023 by tspuckler

While driving back to my hotel one evening last month after a long day of herping in Missouri, I crossed the Mississippi River and not long afterwards saw this snake crossing the road.

The Prairie Kingsnake is a medium-sized, tan or gray snake with numerous brown blotches. The top of the head usually has a backward-pointing, arrowhead-shaped marking, and there is usually a thin dark marking between each eye and down to the corners of the mouth.

The name “Prairie Kingsnake” is somewhat misleading because this common, harmless species lives not only in prairie habitats, but also along the edges of crop fields, hayfields, fallow farm fields, or the edges of open woodlots, on rocky, wooded hillsides, and near farm buildings.

Small mammals such as mice, voles, and shrews constitute some 60 to 80 percent of this reptile’s diet. It also eats lizards and occasionally small snakes. This species kills its prey by constriction. As with other kingsnake species, it is immune to the venom of Copperheads, Cottonmouths, and Rattlesnakes.

Although sometimes called the Yellow-bellied Kingsnake, the belly is often cream to tan in color and interrupted by faint rectangular or square markings that extend across several belly scales.

The Prairie Kingsnake is active during the day in Spring and Fall, but becomes nocturnal in the summer. It may be found hiding under rocks, logs or boards or in small mammal burrows. When disturbed, this 3 foot long snake may vibrate the tail rapidly, hiss and strike (although it is harmless to man).

This was a serpent that I’ve wanted to see in the wild for quite some time, so it was an excellent find on this year’s trip to the Midwest.

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Monthly Archives: November 2023

Multicolor Gill Polypore

Water Scorpion

Blanketflower

Prairie Kingsnake