I learned that the Isabella is the most common Tiger Moth in North America.  And that the legend of the weather predictor is just that...a legend.  It says that if there is more black than brown it will be a harsh winter.  And if there is more brown than black, the winter will be mild.  Sounds like a groundhog story.  

 

Anyway, this looks like more brown than black, verifying other predictors of this coming winter.  Let me see if I can find a picture of an Isabella Tiger Moth adult.....Be right back.  

 

 

That didn't take too long.  You still here?  It was worth it, wasn't it?  Cool!!!!

 

HAPPY MILD WINTER TO COME!!!

 

Have you seen this butterfly around lately?  It is a Red-spotted Purple.  The red spots are on the underside of the wings.  It was still for a long time, so I was able to get my camera and take a picture.  

 

We saw it in the grass the other morning, one of those 52 degree days.  Jon moved it to a sunny spot, so it could warm up its body.  I read in the Stokes Butterfly Book that butterflies need their bodies warm to be able to fly.  After basking in the sun for five minutes,  it flew up into the Redbud tree.

 

I love seeing butterflies any time of year.

 

SO PRETTY!!!  

 

I met a new neighbor this week.  Denise Mann is a photographer, and she snapped this picture of deer in her yard.  She has other pictures to share, and you can see them by logging in and going to her profile page under the Five Forks neighbor directory.

 

I hope you will enjoy her pix and welcome her to the neighborhood.  She told me that she will be at the annual meeting next week. 

 

Thanks Denise for sharing. 

 

I saw this picture last week on Karen's Facebook page.  She told me I could share.

 

WOW!!!  Three babies in their backyard.  Goodness knows, we have too many deer in the neighborhood; but they are so fun to watch.  Especially the babies with springs on their feet.  
 

Remember to drive slowly around the curves;  they don't know about cars yet.

 

HAPPY CRITTER SIGHTING!!!

 

I'm not trying to make fake news, but doesn't this look like some of those yeti sightings?  
 

Truthfully, it's a juvenile black bear who visited our blueberry bushes last Saturday.  We were sitting on the porch, and the deer in the driveway spun around at the sound of something near the compost bin.  So we looked up to see what had spooked them.  And there was the bear.

 

 

Exciting, and terrifying all at the same time.  Too close!!!  He went down the path toward the garden.  Next thing we saw was the blueberry bushes shaking.

 

 

After he ate a bunch of berries, he cut through the garden, and seeing nothing there he wanted, moved on to the bird feeders.  I got a really good picture of him there, helping himself to the birdseed on the tray.  

 

 

We were thrilled with our experience.  It lasted about 15 minutes.  I hope you enjoyed our story.  
 

HAPPY CRITTER SIGHTING!!!

 

 

 

 

 

We've seen lots of babies in the last few weeks.  Tis the season!

 

Remember to drive slower than usual, especially around the curves.  "Thanks" from all the momma deer.

 

SAFE TRAVELS!!!

 

 

Here's a good one!  Today I read that the collective noun for ladybugs is 'a loveliness.'  A loveliness of ladybugs.  I like it.  I even dress up in a ladybug costume for Halloween, and feel quite lovely.  
 

Don't tell Henry.  He hates them.  They invade his house like there's no tomorrow.  We still visit on Halloween just for a tease.
 

Harlequin Ladybugs were intentionally released in 1979 in the US as biological warfare to control the population of aphids, corn borers, and other herbivores (insects who feed on garden plants.)  They have since become an invasive species, causing a whole new set of problems.  Just ask Henry.  
 

Anyway, I thought it was interesting and hoped you would too.  
 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!!
 

 

 

 

 

We were visiting a friend the other night (keeping our distance of course) and saw this dragonfly on the wall.  I took the picture, and then later noticed the shadows.... Interesting.  
 

We have a fun reference book called Animal Speak, by Ted Andrews.  He describes animals, insects, birds, and reptiles using their unique qualities to help us understand them, and help us understand ourselves.  Dragonflies and damselflies are about light and color and iridescence.  How intriguing that they have both shown themselves to us in the last week.  It makes me think more deeply about light and color and the mysteries therein.

 

I hope you get to see dragonflies in your travels, and take the time to reflect on their iridescence as a gift.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

We saw this insect in the park.  Its color was so vibrant, we had to stop.  It held still for a full minute!!!  I used my new favorite app SEEK, and it called it Beautiful Demoiselle.  Had to look it up.  According to SEEK, scientifically it is Calopteryx virgo, or European damselfly.  
 

According to Wikipedia, Calopteryx virgo lives in Europe.  'The distribution of the beautiful demoiselle covers all of Europe with the exception of the southwestern Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islands and Iceland.  On the North African Mediterranean coast, its southern populations in Morocco and Algeria can be found.'  No mention of Southern Appalachia.  
 

I sent an email to iNaturalist, SEEK's creators, and asked about other damselflies in our area, and I got this back:  'Seek's image recognition model doesn't take location into account, it relies purely on visual similarity,'  plus a link to four species of damselfly spotted in north Georgia.  This one is probably Superb Jewelwing, Calopteryx amata.  Ya gotta love that!!!!
 

I love this app even more now!!!  Information AND support!!  Did I mention that's it's free?  
 

Whatever species it is doesn't really matter to me;  we were just captivated by its beautiful iridescence.  And now you get to see it too.  Maybe you'll see some in your travels.  I hope so.  They are so beautiful:  superb, in fact.  
 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

Didn't need SEEK to identify this guy.  This is the groundhog that lives at Meeks Park.  We've seen him lots of times, always in the same area.  Usually, though he scoots back into his den.  I guess he was sunning himself, or trying to catch a breeze, because he sat right there while we took 6 pictures, and didn't try to hide.  I don't know scientific names for mammals;  I guess I could look it up, if I needed to know.  OK, here we go...

The groundhog (Marmota monax), also known as a woodchuck, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. It was first scientifically described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758.
 

The groundhog is also referred to as a chuck, wood-shock, groundpig, whistlepig, whistler, thickwood badger, Canada marmot, monax, moonack, weenusk, red monk and, among French Canadians in eastern Canada, siffleux.

 

Groundhogs are true hibernators, spending 4-6 months sleeping in their dens.  They spend the fall fattening up, storing energy to maintain their bodies through the winter.  They can slow their respiration to 1 breath per minute, and lower their heart rate from 110 to 4-5 beats per minute.  They also lower their body temperature from 96 degrees to 40 degrees, just above freezing.  Then, sleep and sleep and sleep.  
 

I love seeing groundhogs in the park, and now I have new respect for their resilient nature.  I'm glad I looked them up.  I learned something new.  I still don't want to see them in my garden or tunneling under my deck.  
 

Maybe you'll get to see him next time you're in the park.  
 

 

HAPPY CRITTER SIGHTING!!!