WHO'S YOUR DADDY (LONGLEGS) (this blog was prepared for use as a presentation at the Creation Appreciation nature center)

I found this drawing on the web (no pun intended)  On the left is a crane fly, in the middle is a cellar spider and on the right is a harvestman.  All of these are sometimes referred to as "Daddy Log Legs"

The harvestmen are not spiders, and not insects.  Harvestmen have only 2 eyes, most spiders have 8,  Harvestmen to not make webs or silk or any kind.

The proper name for harvestmen is Opiliones 

MORE PICTURES FROM FOWLER'S HOLLOW

Just got back from my camp in the woods and thought I would post some more pics from there and 2 from Root's - captions to follow when I have time.

FUN AT CAMP IN PERRY COUNTY

Living in a tent in the middle of the Tuscarora forest is my idea of fun.  Seeing and hearing the creatures and plants is so envigerating - it is literally a spiritual experience.  Here are a few of the interesting things I am seeing.

with a body less than 1/4 in long - this spider looked like a little ugly brown spot to the naked eye - but with a macro lens his true colors are revealed - I have yet to id him.

This female Ruby-throated Humming Bird visited our feeder daily.
Do you know why Humming Birds hum?
Because they do not remember the words to the song.

The most beautiful spider I have seen.  The Marbled Orb Weaver    (Araneus  marmoreus)
His body is about 3/4 inch long.

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"Daddy Long Legs" is his common name - he is not a spider but a
relative of the sider know as a harvestman.

another harvestman with different patterns - notice the (red) mite parasites

Come by to visit at my camp in Fowler's Hollow State Park in Perry County.  I am usually there Wednesday PM to Monday PM every week.  I come home to be at the nature center on Tuesdays.  Call home 684-2849 to make certain I will be at camp.  Florence is at home recovering from her foot surgury

LOVING HIS CREATION

I have been raising caterpillars for the last while.  Alas, no Monarchs, tis a bad year for them. You may want to read the article, on the disappearing Monarchs, in the Lancaster newspaper yesterday Aug 27 or 28, you can find it at Lancaster online too.  Lets hope they can make a comeback.  I have about 10 black swallowtails thanks to the James Strickler family and 5 (I gave away more than 30) Imperial moths, thanks to Tara Wright and children.  I also found 2 wildflowers than have yet to be identified.

unidentified wildflower 

unidentified wildflower

Black Swallowtail cats do not miss the little black an white one to the left of center

Imperial moth cats  - compare to the earlier blog - they have grown to almost 4 inches, soon to pupate

Here are some pics.

2013 NATURE CLUB

Below are some pics from our 4th annual nature club.  Pics by Myron Hostetter.

John Knisley shared about his recent trip to Rocky Mountain Bear Country
and had opening devotions for us.

A very nice group of young and "old"

All enjoyed "Nature Walk" the giant board game

more children play "Nature Walk" while others participate in show and tell

Don brings more butterflies for the butterfly house

and Molly Sauder.

IMPERIAL MOTH EGGS AND CATERPILLARS

Hello friends -  I have been busy with programs, moving to a new site at Root's, and exploring nature.  I should have blogged at least twice in July and hope to catch up with that soon - I was at the butterfly walks at Indiantown Gap and saw more regals butterflies than ever before - today I am working with about 50 little caterpillars with more to hatch soon.

One of our friends from our nature club called us about a female Imperial Moth they saw and I told them to put it in a paper bag and fold down the top so no light gets in.  This stimulated the moth to lay her eggs and the following pics show the result.  At this point they are 1/4 to 3/8 inch long.

caterpillar emerging from egg

caterpillar emerging from egg

caterpillars on Norway Maple Leaf

caterpillars on Norway Maple Leaf

close up of caterpillar and empty egg

caterpillar parade

freshly laid eggs

eggs ready to hatch (can you see the little caterpillar?)

These caterpillars change several times before they pupate and I hope to get pics of each stage.

don b

OUT AND ABOUT

As you know I spend as much time out of doors as possible.  Saturday June 29 we had a crowd of about 100 attend our program at Colonel Denning State Park near Newville.  We found many White-marked Moth Caterpillars crawling around the amphitheater,  I brought two home - they both pupated later that night.  They do sting and those who are sensitive to such things can get a painful rash but these guys were kind enough that no one got stung although everyone "played" with them.

Jonas Sauder has a small woodlot on his property and his daughter Katie took Florence and I on a hike to see their Indian Smoke pipes,  This is an unusual plant that I have not seen for 30 years, so I jumped at the chance.  They are a "parasite on a parasite."  They live off of the energy of trees that they steal from fungi attached to the tree roots.  Having no chlorophyll they are ghostly white.  They are an angiosperm (flowering seed plant) but the lack of chlorophyll makes them unique.

Indian Smoke Pipes

White-marked moth

White-marked moth caterpillar