Shadow Void

Finally A New Nature Photo

Can you guys guess what that is? If you guessed a mantis fly you are right.

From my collection: Philippines land snail

This snail is not your average snail. They are huge and wish that I had a video to show you. I actually own two of these shells. Just thought I would share it. Does it hurt your eyes?

Nature Moments; Something Amiss

        

This picture is a reminder that nature isn't just about plants and animals. It takes the complete picture to make up nature. I happen to love scenery. This clip speaks to me.

This poor tree will never be the same. It will carry these carvings until it turns to dust. What these poor misguided people didn't know that the bark of a tree serves the same purpose as our skin. It keeps the bugs and germs out. When we break the bark, we can set death in motion.

Blurred Black eyed Susan; Bloom Challenge

 

Nature Moments

Sometimes, your yard or a neighbor's yard gets visited by urban wildlife. In this case, my brother's yard got visited by a two or three baby Virginia opossums. They were hiding in some hollow railroad ties that sit on one side of his yard. This was the best picture that I could get. You can see the pink, naked tail and his white face with the pink nose underneath the railroad tie. You just never know who is coming to visit so our yards should be safe for wildlife to visit.

Under the right conditions, you can find life holding on to just about any surface. In this case, you are looking at pioneer organisms. The surface is rock formation in Turkey Run State park. The organisms are plants. In this case, there are mosses, and liverworts. In the top right corner, you can see a fern sticking it's fronds in the picture. In the middle of the left side, you can see some yellow wood sorrel and a species of grass sticking out. It's possible because dirt will get into the cracks and then plants like the liverwort or mosses get in there and they help other plants take a hold.

Edible Plant Tryout; Black Raspberry

These wonderful berries are a native raspberry. I happen to love this time of year and I look forward to it every single year. Sadly, this plant doesn't produce fruit year round. You pretty much can get your fill when they are on the plant. Our family has four or five such plants on our property. Each year, I make sure to get my fill. Typically, we eat them pretty much right off the plant. If you've never had the opportunity to taste black rapsberries, I would say you're missing out. Though I am sure, there are other edible goodies out there that taste plenty good. I can think of one such plant right now ie Pawpaw. I highly recommend this plant. A couple things to know about this plant, 1.Berries are ripe when they turn the blackish purple color that you see in the picture, 2.The stems of this plant has thorns.

Nature Moments

Sometimes when I'm out in nature I don't see any animals, however I don't always have too. Sometimes, there signs are all I need to see. In this case, it's the track of white-tailed deer running through some mud. You can see that the deer perhaps slide as it stepped. It's pretty easy to see the two claw marks in the mud.

 

I've high-lighted this plant before but it is one of my all time favorite plants. This is wild ginger and I've only seen in one place, that place is in Deep River County Park. I love the sort of heart shaped leaves. I was either too late or too early to catch the flowers. Anyway, I just thought I would share.

Nature Moments

Butterflies are wonderful creatures to have around the yard and garden. All you need is the right mix of habitat and plants.

 

Not the best pictures I've taken, but spicebush is one of those plants worth discovering.

Nature Moment

This is Wild Geranuim and I love them. I find them behind the school that I work at. I strongly suggest taking time out of your daily life and enjoy our native wildflowers.

 

Again, I really love inverts. I don't know if you can see them, but these critters are land snails. I use to actually keep some long time ago. I don't recommend keeping them unless you are careful in making sure they don't escape

Nature Moments:

 

Many years ago, I collected some violets off a property that no longer has a house sitting on it. Among the plants on it were these Confederate violets. As you can see the flowers are both white and violet, I find them to be really amazingly beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

I apologize for this blurry view. This is one of my spiders that is currently sitting on her egg sac. Make no mistake, this tarantula is not to be messed with.