Park Inhabitants

It's always an adventure coming across plants and animals not often seen in Headwaters Park.  These items are usually smaller, or quiet, in an out-of-the-way location, or a combination of all three.  It feels like a true treasure when one takes the time to notice what is right next to us.

Back in June, my family and I nearly ran over an adorable baby snapping turtle.  Only my exclamation of "STOP!" saved the little one from injury.  He was young enough that when we picked him up to move him to a safe location, his hind claws tickled rather than scratched or sliced.  It is never a good idea to approach a snapping turtle unless you know where and how to be near them, and only when necessary (such as moving them to a safe location).

Snappers can take off fingers with their beak and slice through skin with one swipe of their claws.  Their 'snap' of the jaw is incredibly fast, the opposite of the stereotypical slow motion one reads about in picture books.  For more information on snapping turtles, check out wiki.

This week, our discoveries in the Park continued - with Indian Pipes, or the Ghost Plant!  Truly unique and quite fragile looking, the indian pipes grow without chlorophyll.  Because the plant does not depend on sunlight for sustainance, it is often found in shadows of the forest.  Perhaps the most fascinating part of the plant is the way in which it derives its food.

Rather than sunlight, the ghost plant finds its food from a fungus growing underground that obtains ITS food from the roots of a nearby tree.  It is said the ghost plant is actually a parasitic plant, keeping in mind that the plant, fungus, and tree are not harmed in this unusual partnership.  The plants only grow to 6-8 inches tall - pay attention while hiking or you may pass or step right on them!  For more information about monotropa uniflora, see Tom Volk's site.

Then we found the walking stick.

Apologies in advance for the blurry image.  Note to all - pack a small camera with you, or make sure your cell phone takes great photos.  Mine is less reliable, as we can see.  

One could go their whole life not noticing a walking stick with it being right beside them.  Their camouflage is spectacular.  This one was discovered only by its motion.  Had it been still, it would have blended perfectly with the tall green grasses in the background.  They are herbivores, and are mainly browns and greens.  However, some species sport wings and bright colors and patterns.  They wear the crown of being the longest insect species in the world.

And, right before cleaning up from our hike, what did we find right outside our door?  Milkweed Tussock caterpillars, of course!

Again, a little blurry.  A very busy group of caterpillars, industriously chewing through one leaf then moving on to the next.  Note the empty stalk at the bottom of the photo.  I checked back a few hours later and they had organized themselves in vertical bands around the main stem.  It looked like the milkweed was wearing several bracelets.

Tussock caterpillars can irritate the skin if touched - be wary when observing any type of caterpillar.  Watching this group systematically take down the milkweed was fascinating.

Always keep your eyes and ears open when heading out into nature - there are things to discover at every turn, every day!