Category: Uncategorized

As I’ve become familiar with the different plant species that can exist in riparian areas through my research this semester, this fern is one of my favorites. It usually grows close to a water source, and can be found growing along banks and even on rocks (like below).  

My research group was initially unsure of the identity of this plant but after having help from our research assistant who was familiar with the species, we agreed that this was a type of Maidenhair Fern. Upon uploading the observation and photos to iNaturalist, multiple community members have further identified the species as a Black Maidenhair Fern, or Adiantum capillus-veneris. My iNaturalist observation can be found here.

Black Maidenhair Ferns are native to the southern half of the United States, and on down through Mexico and Central America to South America. It exist where moisture is high and it is commonly cultivated as a houseplant. More on the Black Maidenhair Fern can be found here.

The devils walking stick gets its name, I assume, form the thorns covering the trunk. This tree is certainly not ideal for use as a walking stick and it’s wood is not good for commercial use either but it is is a very interesting tree to observe. The crown is flat and the leaves are twice pinnate giving it a fan like appearance. It was, at first, difficult to identify the tree by the leaves alone but the flat crown was a key identifier when looking at trees common in Texas. The devil’s walking stick is common throughout the southern United States and the Midwest.

 

See my iNaturalist Post here

Sunflower is one of my favorite flowers, so I was excited to see wild sunflowers. Sunflower seeds brings back childhood memories since it was staple snack, it was nearly impossible in the summer to see a kid without a bag of sunflower seeds. What I didn’t know that you can eat flowers, you can boil it and serve with butter or  even using shells as substitute for coffee.

Sunflower can adapt to variety of soil and climates, but wild sunflowers are native to Central United States and Mexico. As most people are used to domesticated sunflower that usually have only one (or two) flowers on top of the stem, the wild sunflower have several flowers branching out of from the stem. Wild sunflowers also usually have smaller flowers with smaller seeds than domesticated sunflowers. Sunflowers can grow up to 6 feet but often in the wild, sunflowers will stay short to reduce risk of toppling over during rain. Wild or domesticated, sunflowers remain bright yellow flower with dark brown/black in the center with thick stem and big leaves.

My iNaturalist observation can be found here.

The Short’s Aster (Symphotrichum shortii) blooms vividly in the Fall months of the year in shady or forest-like areas. I saw many of these perennial wildflowers while hiking through Archstone Greenbelt during our group research audits of Austin parks.

These wildflowers tend to grow about three feet in height, with blue-violet petals surrounding a bright yellow center. Their habitat generally consists of shady areas with very fertile soil and relatively dry conditions,  and is known for being a late-blooming wildflower, especially in the northern United States.

You can find my iNaturalist observation here: http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/4408014

 

This weekend I spotted an insect I’d never seen before, but luckily its uniqueness made it easy to identify: the red velvet ant (Dasmyutilla occidentalis). Despite its name (it’s also known as “cow killer”), it is actually a wasp. It is the largest of the velvet ants. They’re parasitic to immature wasps and ground-nesting bees, utilizing their nests and eating through cocoons to lay their own larva. The one I came across was wingless which indicates it was a female. The name cow killer is said to refer to their painful sting, but they are not actually known to sting cattle. Although their sting is painful, they are known to be non-aggressive and will seek cover if pursued — which is just what this one did when I tried to get a picture of it. They can even emit a “squeaking sound” when disturbed. This species is uncommon and does not require any kind of control (e.g. pesticides) to manage.

On days we have class Lexington and I always walk together.  It’s kind of a routine type-of-thing; meet up in the lot by the parking garage and walk to class.  We usually discuss homework from the night before or quiz each other before an exam.  Since we started doing the biodiversity blog, we have become much more observant of what is around us.  Whether it is a bird, tree, or insect, we try to get a picture and attempt to identify it.  The other day we spotted a butterfly flying around a shrub.  I immediately took out my camera and tried to get the picture, which proved difficult.  I thought of my wildlife photography days and just snapped pictures until the butterfly was too far away.  It was a success!

Next came the task of identification.  Neither of us are very good with our etymology, so I googled it.  By identifying the wing type and colors of the butterfly, I figured out it was the Western Giant Swallowtail (Papilio rumiko).  The Western Giant Swallowtail is found from the Southwest of the United States through Mexico and Central America.  The best way to ID this butterfly are the two maize-yellow bands on the forewings, and a central band of spots.  Its forewings grows to be quite large reaching 50-58 mm.

During my breaks at work, I enjoy walking around the nearby pond and forest area. This small area of preserved land is home to quite a bit of biodiversity. Just off of the main trail I spotted this American holly (Ilex opaca). It was easy to spot with it’s bright red fruit and spiny-teeth leaves.

The American holly is typically an upright, evergreen tree that can grow up to 50 feet tall. It has many slender branches that form a dense pyramidal or oval crown of striking dark green color. Open-grown specimens, such as this holly, have branches that often extend to the ground. It is found on rich, moist soils of bottomland forests in East Texas, westward to Wilson County. The bark is light gray, tight, leathery, and roughened by wart-like growths and blotches on older specimens.

Holly boughs, especially those with fruits, are commonly used for Christmas holiday decorations such as wreaths.

See my iNaturalist post here.

Source: http://texastreeid.tamu.edu/content/TreeDetails/?id=48&t=H

As the days are getting shorter, I now come home when the last bits of sun are leaving the sky. The short walk from my car to my apartment is through a green patch that is home to a nine-banded armadillo. I first met the armadillo last year when I heard some rustling in a bush. Being from the pacific northwest I had never seen the strange animal that came out of the bushes. It looked like a strange scaly nutria, however I knew from pictures of southwest wildlife that it was in fact an armadillo.

Nine-banded armadillo is the only species found in the United States. The animal can have anywhere from 7-11 scaly bands that give it an armor looking coat. From my research they seem to eat almost anything from insects to plants allowing them to live in a wide range of areas, including the green space at my apartment complex. Amazingly they can hold their breath for approximately six minutes and will either swim or walk across the bottom of rivers. An armadillo usually gives birth to identical quadruplets, but since the armor is not formed until later in life they are prone to predation. Their population is increasing since humans have killed off most of their predators including pumas, black bears, and alligators.  Armadillos were a source of food for humans, especially during the great depression, due to their abundance. I have been unable to get a picture of the armadillo living near my apartment but here is my iNaturalist post.

References:

https://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Library/Mammals/Nine-Banded-Armadillo.aspx

Per usual, I spotted this weeks observation while walking my dog. At first, this little gecko seemed so cute in my eyes. (I definitely have friends who would disagree with the word “cute” for a gecko, as they are terrified of them. Yes, even when they are this small). Upon identifying this little thang, I found out that it is invasive to the US. In fact, the website that helped me identify it is called texasinvasives.org. Its most established populations in the US are in Florida.According to the website, they are resistant to pesticides and have an ability to reproduce rapidly, capable of laying multiple clutches of two eggs during the summer. Because of these traits, they have steady populations across the Southern US. However, these populations are disjunct, and therefore there is hope for native species according to that same website. The Mediterranean house gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) is also mostly found in developed areas, as its common name implies. They will often be seen at night below sources of light, eating insects.

My iNaturalist observation can be found here.

The red bird of paradise, Caesalpinia pulcherrima, is a fairly common ornamental plant found throughout the U.S. It is popular because of its characteristics and beautiful flowers. It requires very little maintenance and blooms year-round. It is an attractive plant for pollinators such as bees and butterflies.  The seeds are poisonous if consumed. It is drought resistant and sun tolerant. Red bird can be found many places in Austin, this particular one is on campus next to Moody Hall.

My iNaturalist post can be found here.