What a wild first half of summer it’s been! Between the lack of rain, poor air quality from wildfire smoke, and stretches of intense heat, it’s hard to predict what each new day will bring. Yet despite these challenging conditions, nature continues to flourish in remarkable ways.
If you’re curious about what’s been happening outdoors, I hope you’ll join me on a quick virtual stroll through nature!
A close-up of rattlesnake master
Our lawns may be looking a little brown, crispy, and tired after this summer’s lack of rain. That’s because the most common turfgrasses found in our yards originated in Europe, Asia, and North Africa. While they’re well suited for manicured lawns, they simply aren’t adapted to Wisconsin’s weather extremes the way our native plants are.
If you’ve hiked through a prairie lately, you’ve probably noticed just the opposite. The grasses are lush and green, and wildflowers are bursting into bloom. A field of flowers may not look particularly rugged, but prairies are among the most resilient ecosystems on Earth. They have evolved to withstand severe drought, flooding, fire, and countless other challenges while continuing to thrive. Just take a look at the intricate beauty of this rattlesnake master flower head up close. Beneath that delicate appearance is a plant perfectly adapted to life on the prairie.
Feathers from Northern flickers
Just the other day, my sister-in-law who lives out in Seattle found a peculiar feather on the ground. Naturally, she sent a photo of it to me and my wife, who love answering nature-related questions. It was dark brown with a beautiful reddish-pink color (pictured above on the left). Having found a similar feather roughly 18 years ago during an internship in the Idaho wilderness, I knew exactly the species that dropped that feather (my wife did, too).
The feather came from a woodpecker called a Northern flicker, or more specifically, a red-shafted Northern flicker. What’s interesting about flickers is that if you are on the western half of the U.S., all of the flickers have reddish feathers. If you’re on the Eastern half, they’re all yellow! I sent her a photo of a yellow-shafted Northern flicker feather that I had found here in Wisconsin.
Scientists believe diet plays a big role in these differing colors since, genetically, these red and yellow flickers are almost identical. It’s believed that the pigment found in the red berries of non-native honeysuckle out West are consumed more, leading to reddish feathers.
Oval ambersnail on milkweed
While taking a stroll along Black Earth Creek just the other day, I noticed some small patches of milkweed. Normally when I come across milkweed, I take a closer look and search for monarch caterpillars. While I didn’t find any monarchs, I did discover some oval ambersnails (pictured above). I knew we had snails in Wisconsin, but I normally see them in the water. I hadn’t realized that we actually have air-breathing land snails!
Apparently, oval ambersnails are native to Wisconsin along with the 100+ other native land snail species! This may be common knowledge for many, but I was so excited to learn this. While they can be found inching along plants on land, they prefer wet environments and are often found near bodies of water.
House centipede
Lastly, I’ll leave you with this creature of nightmares. I love insects, but when I come across one that looks like this, something deep within just tells me to stay away and forget I ever saw it. What’s scarier is that it’s called a “house centipede.” I’m guessing that they didn’t get their name because they are primarily found out in forests …
I’ll admit that after researching them, I feel just a little better (like, a really small amount). Apparently, house centipedes are known for effective pest control in homes and primarily feed on cockroaches, silverfish, carpet beetles, bedbugs, and spiders.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this month’s virtual tour of nature as it’s happening. See you next month!