September 12, 2013-Here's what's happening on the trails today

First mushroom sighting of the day.  A Boletus Frostii.

Common Name -Frost's Bolete

They are recognized by their dark red sticky caps, the red pores, the network-like pattern of the stem and amber-colored drops on the pore surface.

Also called Apple Bolete

There were two types of blooms all over the place.  Haven't seen them before now. Spotted jewelweed.

Next a blue/purple wild orchid.

They grow on stalks.  Here's a bunch.

I found an Old Man in the Woods Mushroom.

This is a Strobilomyces Floccopus.  It is prominently wooly and scaly, a mixture of black, white and gray and overall, quite unkept.  Here's another one that has a more grey color that I spotted a couple weeks ago.

A very light colored Old Man in the Woods mushroom.

Tickseed Sunflowers are making a strong comeback right now.  Here's one from today.

I have been seeing these all over the place.  They are a late summer mushroom.  Pretty sure this is an Armillaria Tabescens.  These are often growing out of underground wood.  This one appears perched on a rock.

maybe Armillaria Tabescens

a view from the top of one. 

Seeing a lot of these too.

 Armillaria Tabescens

And a picture of Copper.  He was hot.

Lastly an Indigo Milkcap.  They have the prettiest shade of blue gills.

Here's the top of it.

Snakes

Hiking in the South means you are probably going to run across a snake at times.   I come across maybe 1 snake for every 20 hikes I take.  I think most people are more likely to be bothered by insects than snakes.  (like fire ants) Of the snakes I have encountered only one has been venomous.  It was a Copperhead and it was very non-agressive.  It was laying in the middle of the path, clearly visible, and didn't move an inch as we approached.  I do think that caution is best when it comes to these snakes.

I have read that some snakes will freeze when encountered.  One of the Black Rat Snakes I encountered froze up in a series of kinks.  Kinda weird and kinda cool.  You can see that in the last picture below. All Supplies http://www.designerdigitals.com/

White Tailed Deer

Sometimes these deer will just stop and stare at you. Supplies Designer Digitals.http://www.designerdigitals.com/

Fall

I can't wait for cooler weather!

All about turtles

The Eastern Box Turtle, River Cooters and Snapping Turtles are ones I have encountered so far this year.  Here are my Scrapbook pages about these reptiles. All Supplies Designer Digitals. http://www.designerdigitals.com/

A scrapbook page

I am creating a scrapbook devoted to my nature images.  Here is one that shows one of my favorite areas of the park.  It is on the white trail at the bottom of the first set of stairs along the trail coming from the Tributary.  There is a sandy bottomed area of the creek that Copper likes to wade in.  This is where I see the pretty morning glories bloom. All digital supplies by Katie Pertiet of Designer Digitals http://www.designerdigitals.com/

Butterflies

Since I have started my hiking photo gallery I have managed to capture a few butterfly photos.  They aren't easy since they like to flit about a lot.  Sometimes they get really busy though and forget about the  paparazzi human with the dog attached to her waist.  It's very exciting when they settle down for a moment and I can get a quick shot or two in.  Here's what I got so far this year.

Northern Pearly-Eye Brushfooted Family

Duskywing Skipper Butterfly

Male Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Buckeye Brushfooted Butterfly

Gulf Fritillary Longwing Butterfly

Red Spotted Purple Brushfooted Butterfly

Black Swallowtail Butterfly

Silver Spotted Skipper Butterfly

Female Tiger Swallowtail (yellow version)

Female Tiger Swallowtail (black version)-they mimic the pipevine swallowtail

Last week I was  really absorbed in  photographing a gulf fritillary when all of a sudden I felt a sharp sting on my ankle and looked down to a swarm of fire ants taking a bite out of me.  After desperately trying to brush them off with my handkerchief I sprinted to the nearest creek and sat there soaking for a good while to relieve the awful itch and burn.  Lesson learned: always look down for ant hills.  To explain the above caption.  The Female Easter Tiger Swallowtail Dark version mimics the Pipevine Swallowtail. In Biology mimicry is the similarity of one species to another which protects one or both.  The Pipevine Swallotail eats a plant that makes them nasty to predators.  Predators will learn to leave them alone.  The Female Tiger Swallotail will only have the dark form if a lot of Pipevine Swallotails live in the same area.  So my quest has become to find that Pipevine Swallowtail!