Observador
cotinisDescrição
Texas Soldier Beetle - Chauliognathus scutellaris
Reference
- BugGuide bugguide.net/node/view/90067
Fotos / Sons
Observador
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Blister Beetle - Nemognatha nigripennis (or a similar species in Tribe Nemognathini)
Series also uploaded at:
bugguide.net/node/view/2349863
Flower is:
Perfumeballs - Gaillardia suavis
Note on ID. It is difficult to distinguish Nemognatha species from each other and even from the related Zonitis and Pseudozonitis in the same tribe. This image seems to match others of Nemognatha nigripennis, but that may not be diagnostic. Am happy to get an ID to tribe at least.
References
BugGuide--species bugguide.net/node/view/271286
BugGuide--tribe Nemognathini https://bugguide.net/node/view/1038866- Evans, Beetles of Western North America (Princeton Univ. Press, 2021), p. 388
What
Callophrys gryneusObservador
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Juniper Hairstreak - Callophrys gryneus (rather worn)
Fotos / Sons
What
Metrobates truxObservador
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Water Striders - Gerridae (2-4 mm)
Also posted at:
bugguide.net/node/view/2348853
Perhaps Metrobates species:
bugguide.net/node/view/649380
or
Trepobates species
https://bugguide.net/node/view/71333
Fotos / Sons
What
Texola eladaObservador
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Updated caption:
Elada Checkerspot - Texola elada (syn. Microtia elada; male, female)
References
- Brock and Kaufman, Butterflies of North America (Houghton Mifflin, 2003), pp. 180-181
- BugGuide bugguide.net/node/view/466183
See comments below. Thanks for the ID correction.
Fotos / Sons
What
Lagartixa-Ornada (Urosaurus ornatus)Observador
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Ornate Tree Lizard - Urosaurus ornatus
What
Anolis-Verde (Anolis carolinensis)Observador
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Carolina Anole - Anolis carolinensis (male)
Apparently, in this species only males have a colorful dewlap, but in some Caribbean species the female has a prominent dewlap as well (Internet searches and various printed references).
You can see the support bone(s) of the dewlap here because of the backlighting.
"The dewlap is erected by the movement of the hyoid apparatus, a set of bones derived from the gill support of fish and functioning in tongue support for most land vertebrates, including humans."
lucec.loyno.edu/natural-history-writings/anoles-and-dewlaps
Fotos / Sons
What
Anolis-Verde (Anolis carolinensis)Observador
cotinisDescrição
Carolina Anole - Anolis carolinensis (male)
Apparently, in this species only males have a colorful dewlap, but in some Caribbean species the female has a prominent dewlap as well (Internet searches and various printed references).
Fotos / Sons
What
Zanate-Mexicano (Quiscalus mexicanus)Observador
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Great-tailed grackle - Quiscalus mexicanus (male and female)
Sequence shows courtship behavior. A male was pacing about on a lawn. A female came near and he went into a frenzy of displays and calls. I think they did mate, but it was such a brief flurry of activity, it was hard to tell.
What
Aligátor-Americano (Alligator mississippiensis)Observador
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American alligator - Alligator mississippiensis
A cool day--we saw just this one, and it seemed to be, literally, chilling.
Fotos / Sons
What
Porco-Espinho-Norte-Americano (Erethizon dorsatum)Observador
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North American Porcupine - Erethizon dorsatum
Neighbors at the resort alerted us to an adorable porcupine snoozing behind their cabin. They said it had been there a couple of days, but it was not seen on 8 April and subsequently. It dozed while I took photos, appearing rather bored. This was only the second time I've seen this species.
What
Cravo-Do-Mato (Tillandsia recurvata)Observador
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Ball Moss - Tillandsia recurvata
This was everywhere. I failed to take a photo of all the clumps on phone/power lines. It looked like rows of tribbles.
What
Esquilo-Raposa (Sciurus niger)Observador
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Fox Squirrel - Sciurus niger
I don't recall seeing any Eastern Gray Squirrels in this area, just the foxes. I saw both species in the Houston area.
What
Cobra-d'Água-Diamante (Nerodia rhombifer)Observador
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This substantial snake was struggling to swallow a large fish. I think it is a...
Diamondback Watersnake - Nerodia rhombifer
This seems to be the species reported from the park.
Nerodia sipedon does not occur this far west, I believe. I guess N. erythrogaster also occurs in Texas. I don't think this is that species.
Opinions welcome!
Observador
cotinisDescrição
Two-lined Leather-wing, Two-lined Cantharid - Atalantycha bilineata (syn. Ancistronycha bilineata, length 7.5 mm)
Also posted at:
bugguide.net/node/view/3274
References
- BugGuide bugguide.net/node/view/3114
- Dillon and Dillon, A Manual of Common Beetles of Eastern North America (Row, Peterson, and Company, 1961), p. 264, plate 26(12)
Photo taken with an early generation digital SLR, the Canon 10D (6MP sensor). If I was careful not to push the ISO, images from this camera were just fine! That Tamron macro lens was excellent--I only traded it in for a Canon later because it tended to get grit caught in the barrel as it extended. I believe this to be the first image of a living specimen of this species, at least the first one that was widely accessible. I identified it based on Dillon and Dillon's guide.
Fotos / Sons
What
Phanogomphus lividusObservador
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Clubtail - Phanogomphus species (male)
Also uploaded at:
bugguide.net/node/view/2341848
Update to caption based on ID here on iNaturalist:
Ashy Clubtail - Phanogomphus lividus (male)
References
- BugGuide https://bugguide.net/node/view/17841
- Beaton, Dragonflies and Damselflies of Georgia and the Southeast (University of Georgia Press, 2007) pp. 190-191
- Dunkle, Dragonflies Through Binoculars: A Field Guide to Dragonflies of North America (Oxford Press, 2000) p. 69, plate 8
- Paulson, Dragonflies and damselflies of the East (Princeton University Press, 2012) pp. 230-231, figs. 136.1, 136.2
Observador
cotinisDescrição
Mischievous Bird Grasshopper - Schistocerca damnifica (gender?)
References
- BugGuide bugguide.net/node/view/15597
Fotos / Sons
What
Ladona deplanataObservador
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Blue Corporal - Ladona deplanata (syn. Libellula deplanata; female or teneral male)
Fotos / Sons
What
Vaccinium tenellumObservador
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Southern Dwarf Blueberry, Small Cluster Blueberry - Vaccinium tenellum Aiton (syn. Cyanococcus tenellus)
A rather obscure blueberry, grows in rhizomatous clumps and is only 10-40 cm tall. Mostly restricted to xeric woodlands of the Coastal Plain of the Carolinas. Second/third images here shows another stem nearby.
Just a few were blooming on 21 March 2024. I had seen them in full bloom 6 April 2023:
www.inaturalist.org/observations/154083884
References
- Carolina Nature (Will Cook): www.carolinanature.com/trees/vate.html
- Porcher and Rayner (Univ. of South Carolina Press, 2001), A Guide to the Wildflowers of South Carolina, p. 245 (photo)
- Radford et al., Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (UNC Press, 1968), pp. 814 (key), 815 (description)
- Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (UNC Herbarium, 2020), pp. 1183, 1187
Observador
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Dwarf Iris (Dwarf Violet Iris, Vernal Iris) - Iris verna
This would be Coastal Plain Dwarf Iris, Sandhill Iris - Iris verna var. verna.
What
Viola pedataObservador
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Bird's Foot Violet - Viola pedata
Abundant at Weymouth Woods, but more so in April.
Fotos / Sons
What
Asarum sorrieiObservador
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Sandhills Heartleaf - Asarum (Hexastylis) sorriei)
Hard to see the pattern on the leaf for all the pine pollen!
For references, see observation of this same species, I think, at the same site.
www.inaturalist.org/observations/111488120
Fotos / Sons
What
Lindera benzoinObservador
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Spicebush - Lindera benzoin
Pretty display that day.
Fotos / Sons
Observador
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Early Saxifrage - Micranthes virginiensis (syn. Saxifraga virginica)
Fotos / Sons
Observador
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Dimpled Trout Lily - Erythronium umbilicatum Parks and Hardin
This is the common lower Piedmont species. Erythronium americanum is also present at this site, but less common, and mostly(?) blooms later, I think. Extracting a bit of Weakley's key, the two can be differentiated:
- Petals (inner tepals) lacking auricles at base; capsule and ovary distinctly indented (umbilicate) at apex-->E. umbilicatum
- Petals (inner tepals) with auricles at base; capsule and ovary truncate, rounded, apiculate, or beaked at apex --> E. americanum
References
- Porcher and Rayner, A Guide to the Wildflowers of South Carolina, (Univ. of South Carolina Press, 2001) p. 175
- Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (UNC Herbarium, 2020), pp. 220-221
Observador
cotinisDescrição
Bloodroot - Sanguinaria canadensis
Flowers folded up in the cool weather.
Fotos / Sons
Observador
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Update to caption:
Cut-leaved Toothwort - Cardamine concatenata
NOT Slender Toothwort - Cardamine angustata.
With pollinating bee, Andrena species (adjacent observation).
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/203852156
Fotos / Sons
What
Género AndrenaObservador
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Bee (Andrenidae?) on Cut-leaved Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata).
Plant at:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/203852164
Update. Correction on plant.
See comments.
What
Hepatica americanaObservador
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Round-lobed Hepatica - Hepatica americana (sometimes listed as Hepatica nobilis)
A botanist friend of mine has seen it blooming in the Triangle area as early as Christmas!
Fotos / Sons
What
Aplectrum hyemaleObservador
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Putty Root - Aplectrum hyemale
Foliage present mostly in winter and early spring, like the much more common Cranefly Orchid, Tipularia discolor. I cannot recall seeing so many Aplectrum in a clump like this previously.