Monthly Archives: July 2025

Black Vine Weevil

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01 Black Vine Weevil_2961

I’ve come across this curious creature on several occasions. Weevils are beetles that known for their elongated snouts. Approximately 97,000 species are known.

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Black Vine Weevils are oval in shape, about ½ inch long and have a short, broad snout with elbowed antennae. These insects earned their name “vine” weevil because they were first documented on grapes in Germany.

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These insects are parthenogenic (can reproduce without a male). As a result, their population can grow very quickly. Only females are produced.

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The Black Vine Weevil is a serious pest in nurseries and established landscape plantings. It and its larvae stunt or kill plants by feeding on the roots – it has been recorded on more than 100 species of cultivated and wild plants.

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They are active night feeders and when disturbed, adults drop quickly to the ground. During daylight hours adults hide in dark places on stems of plants with dense foliage or in leaf litter and mulch.

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A native of Europe, this species was first reported in Connecticut in 1910.

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Sandhill Crane

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01 Sandhill Crane_5138

Although it’s not very often, I occasionally see these big birds while out and about in my home state of Ohio. This is among the oldest living species of birds, dating back 2-1/2 million years. Sandhill Cranes are currently listed as a threatened species in Ohio, though they have made a comeback after being extirpated in the mid-20th century. They returned to Ohio in 1987 to breed in Wayne County and have expanded their range since.

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Sandhill Cranes are wading birds characterized by long legs, necks, and bills. An adult sandhill crane stands about 4 feet tall, sports a 6 foot wingspan and weighs up to 12 pounds. Perhaps the most unique characteristic of the sandhill crane is its tendency to dance. Although an integral part of their courtship, they can be seen dancing any time of the year. The dance of the sandhill crane includes many quick steps around each other, wings half spread with an occasional leap into the air up to eight feet off the ground.

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These birds are primarily a wetland-dependent species. Sandhill Cranes live on a diet of small rodents, reptiles, amphibians, grains, insects, and berries. On their wintering grounds, they will utilize agricultural fields; however, they roost in shallow, standing water or moist bottomlands. On breeding grounds they require a rather large tract of wet meadow, shallow marsh, or bog for nesting.

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Sandhill Cranes, the most abundant of the world’s cranes, are found throughout most of North America. They spend most of the year in Canada and the northern United States, migrating to the southern United States and Mexico for the winter. In Ohio, Sandhill Cranes are listed as an threatened species due to habitat loss.

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The beauty of Sandhill Cranes has permeated cultures all over the world, and the species has captured the attention of many groups throughout history. There are at least ten annual Sandhill Crane festivals around the United States, from Tennessee to Washington. Colorado has two.

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Stonecat

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01 Stonecat_7019

While looking for cool creatures in a creek in Lisbon, Ohio this month, I caught a fish that I have never encountered before. Stonecats are small, slender, flat-headed catfish. Stonecats typically reach four to eight inches in length, but can reach 12 inches.

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While the dorsal and pectoral spines of most members of this family cause wounds that irritate, the Stonecat has venom glands, particularly on the bases of the pectoral spines, that cause extreme pain similar to that of a wasp sting.

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These fish reside in freshwater environments, and are found from large creeks to small rivers. They occasionally are found in tiny creeks, or rivers as large as the Lower Mississippi. Stonecats occupy gently to fast-moving riffle areas with rocky substrates.

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The Stonecat is an opportunistic feeder, using its sensitive barbels during the night to search for food. They eat a variety of food items, such as aquatic insect larvae, mollusks, minnows, fish eggs, isopods, amphipods, crayfish, plant material, and worms.

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Because Stonecats cannot tolerate heavy siltation or pollution, their presence or absence in a stream is an indicator of water quality. It was neat to come across this fascinating fish while herping.

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California False Wolf Spider

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01 False Wolf Spider_5000

I found this cool creature while on my visit to California. It is often misidentified as the Brown Recluse Spider, due to similarities of coloration, body proportions, leg length, and even leg positioning prior to movement. Their common name False Wolf Spiders comes from their physical similarity to Wolf Spiders, though they can be distinguished from Wolf Spiders by their two rows of eyes that are more equal in size than those of true Wolf Spiders.

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This species is often found in areas of dense human population. They are most common from the northernmost portions of California to the southern portions just north of the mountains near Los Angeles Basin. They often reside in redwood forests and present in cabins in the woods. Due to its large size, the False Wolf Spider is one of the most commonly feared species, though the venom of these spiders is not toxic to people.

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False Wolf Spiders are a small spider family, with only 181 known species. Like true Wolf Spiders they hunt their prey freely without a web. However, unlike Wolf Spiders, they are cribellate spiders, meaning they produce a very fine, crimped spider silk known as cribellum wool. However, this is no longer used to build webs for capture ng prey, but instead is used only in the area of the retreat and to protect the eggs.

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This particular specimen was found in a house. Even if you are not a fan of spiders, leaving a False Wolf Spider and other hunting spiders you find indoors might actually help reduce not only the number of insects in your home, but also its overall spider population. Mostly nocturnal, it is shy and tends to avoid humans. This species is Titiotus californicus, all 16 species of the genus Titiotus can be found residing in California.

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This eight-legged wonder was a neat and unexpected find on my trip.

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