Well--maybe not as much! I wrote last about the destruction we've seen in the trees as a result of the ice storm combined with high winds. But the violent rearrangement of nature has brought some interesting opportunities as well.
We were recently at Beechwood Nature Preserve in Indiana, enjoying a bright spot of warm weather in the early spring. We didn't find many insects (except for midges) until we came to a wonderful opportunity right next to the trail. A very large tree had fallen, exposing the underside of the roots, and offering an impromptu pond.
It was interesting to see the roots of the tree; for some reason I have this persistent belief that tree roots grow straight down, like the branches, underground. But of course they don't. The roots fan out around the base of the tree, near the surface, to soak up rainwater. This is one reason why trees offer such good protection against erosion.
But I digress. Both boys immediately dropped to the ground and began looking for signs of life. This spring we've spent several days around wetlands, photographing life in those areas. Some of the reason for that is because we're desperate for wildlife, and life seems to begin in the water. But also because we haven't explored wetland habitat much before--and the mosquitoes aren't out yet!
So speaking of mosquitoes, we found plenty of their larvae, squirming around in the water spasmodically. They look like very tiny white worms. They make a jerking motion, then sit perfectly still and sink a little bit, then squiggle around again frantically. I wish we could take underwater pictures (movies) because they look so funny.
But aside from the mosquitoes, Tony got some pictures of water bugs that had taken up residence in the "pond."
Water bugs rest on the surface of the water and wait for a meal, sometimes living, sometimes not. Not sure what kind these are, but we think they are some kind of water strider, possibly genus Limnoporus. (Thanks Bugguide.net!)
Sharp-eyed Tony also found a millipede next to the boardwalk.
He moved really fast. Jim put a shoe in front of him to slow him down, but he just went up and over as quick as you please, not hesitating for a moment.
Back in the water, Tony also found what appears to be a queen ant, but she wasn't having a good day.
She may have been unable to fight the water tension. It is amazing to realize that even ants, which are renown for their strength, struggle against the force of that tension. When you watch an ant drink from a drop, they literally have to push the water away to avoid getting sucked in. (For some awesome close-up pictures of insects reacting to water in the environment, watch the wonderful French documentary Microcosmos.)
Tony then found another possible queen ant, in some kind of interaction with a smaller, darker ant. Not sure if this was love or war.
As a side note, we didn't even get close to going through the whole preserve. If you are in the area, and are looking for a nice hike into the wilderness, this one is really fun. It's very hilly and combines meadows, forest and wetland habitats, so something for everyone. A few years ago, hikers spotted bobcats in the preserve. Bobcats were previously endangered, and are now "of special concern", so their numbers are coming back up. Here's a link to the story.
We were recently at Beechwood Nature Preserve in Indiana, enjoying a bright spot of warm weather in the early spring. We didn't find many insects (except for midges) until we came to a wonderful opportunity right next to the trail. A very large tree had fallen, exposing the underside of the roots, and offering an impromptu pond.
It was interesting to see the roots of the tree; for some reason I have this persistent belief that tree roots grow straight down, like the branches, underground. But of course they don't. The roots fan out around the base of the tree, near the surface, to soak up rainwater. This is one reason why trees offer such good protection against erosion.
But I digress. Both boys immediately dropped to the ground and began looking for signs of life. This spring we've spent several days around wetlands, photographing life in those areas. Some of the reason for that is because we're desperate for wildlife, and life seems to begin in the water. But also because we haven't explored wetland habitat much before--and the mosquitoes aren't out yet!
So speaking of mosquitoes, we found plenty of their larvae, squirming around in the water spasmodically. They look like very tiny white worms. They make a jerking motion, then sit perfectly still and sink a little bit, then squiggle around again frantically. I wish we could take underwater pictures (movies) because they look so funny.
But aside from the mosquitoes, Tony got some pictures of water bugs that had taken up residence in the "pond."
Sharp-eyed Tony also found a millipede next to the boardwalk.
He moved really fast. Jim put a shoe in front of him to slow him down, but he just went up and over as quick as you please, not hesitating for a moment.
Back in the water, Tony also found what appears to be a queen ant, but she wasn't having a good day.
She may have been unable to fight the water tension. It is amazing to realize that even ants, which are renown for their strength, struggle against the force of that tension. When you watch an ant drink from a drop, they literally have to push the water away to avoid getting sucked in. (For some awesome close-up pictures of insects reacting to water in the environment, watch the wonderful French documentary Microcosmos.)
Tony then found another possible queen ant, in some kind of interaction with a smaller, darker ant. Not sure if this was love or war.
As a side note, we didn't even get close to going through the whole preserve. If you are in the area, and are looking for a nice hike into the wilderness, this one is really fun. It's very hilly and combines meadows, forest and wetland habitats, so something for everyone. A few years ago, hikers spotted bobcats in the preserve. Bobcats were previously endangered, and are now "of special concern", so their numbers are coming back up. Here's a link to the story.
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