Somehow, we’re already halfway through summer and I’m having a hard time accepting that. In my mind, it’s still spring but when I see the wild bergamot in my front yard starting to go to seed, I know it’s definitely not still spring. While there’s still plenty of summer to enjoy, let’s take this opportunity to see what’s happening out in nature!
Mallard Nest
While at Patrick Marsh with our outdoor volunteers, we accidentally flushed a female mallard sitting on a nest. It had seven perfect eggs in a cozy little nest filled with dead grass and down feathers.
When most people think of prairies, they tend to think of flowers, butterflies, and tall grasses blowing in the breeze. A duck nest doesn’t usually fit the bill, so to speak. Mallards however are one of a few different species of waterfowl that nest in prairies that are next to water.
American Toad
While out on a trail, be sure to watch where you’re walking. This little guy almost got stepped on and he wasn’t too happy about it! Never in my life have I met a more grumpy-looking toad. Shortly after placing the toad off of the trail (and apologizing), I found another but it was about the size of a thumbnail. Out of curiosity I looked into the life cycle of toads and learned an amazing fact. Apparently, the stage after tadpole but before adult toad is called toadlet, which sounds like a word my son made up.
Gray Treefrog
Unlike the grumpy toad, this gray treefrog I found at Westport Prairie seemed pretty happy! Maybe it was because I didn’t almost step on it. When I think of treefrogs, I think of rainforests in South America and definitely not Wisconsin.
We have two different species of treefrog and the way they’re able to survive our winters is by producing glycerol which acts as a natural anti-freeze. It prevents ice crystals from forming so they essentially hibernate all winter long without freezing. It’s not how I would want to spend my winter, but I’m glad it works for the treefrogs!
Dog-day cicada
Lastly, I’ll leave you with this photo of a dog-day cicada emerging from its exoskeleton. When I first found it in the grass, it was halfway out of the shell, and over the course of 15-20 minutes, it slowly wiggled free. It was both extremely creepy and exciting to watch. I often find these little brown exoskeletons clinging to trees or on the sidewalks, but they’re always empty. This was the first time I got to watch the process!
Well, I hope you enjoyed this month’s nature update and I’ll see you next month!