Trail Treasure Hunt

 

Back in September, I threw down the gauntlet - challenging myself and anyone who happens to read the GFF blog - to get people to use their phones and cameras to take different pictures of nature.  The hope was that, by doing this, we would all take a bit more time to look around us and find new textures and new perspectives.  Then perhaps we could take a moment or three and learn some new things about what we had captured in those images.

Since I do not want to be the sort of person who proposes something for other people to do without my also participating, I've tried to take up my own challenge.

Shown above is an interesting bark pattern from the base of a Shagbark Hickory tree.  I have to admit that I haven't really given this particular tree much thought over the years.  For one, most people would tend to not plant these trees in an urban setting because they are deemed to be "messy."  The bark of mature trees tends to curl off of the trunk and fall and they do produce edible nuts (that also fall to the ground).  I'm not sure when we got it into our head that natural shedding from a tree is "messy."  Probably about the point in time when we all collectively decided to keep our lawns mowed short AND when we decided we had to have a turf lawn everywhere...

On the other hand, Shagbark Hickory trees can be excellent, long-lived and sturdy shade trees.  They are native to the Midwest (including Iowa) and, unlike many trees, they seem to to like to be intermixed with other trees, like oaks, maples and pines.  And, of course, that's where we found this one and others like it.  They are frequently found in Northeast Iowa woodlands, so a trip to the Yellow River Forest or Backbone State Park will give you a chance to see them in person.

According to this site, the name "hickory" is from pawcohiccora, an Algonquian word for the oily food removed from pounded kernels steeped in boiling water and a yellow dye can be created from the inner bark of a Shagbark Hickory.

We also discovered that it is not just plants that attract the six-legged critters.  Apparently rock outcroppings at Backbone State Park provide habitat for different insects in October.  The East Lake Trail has a couple of rock benches you can use for a quick rest if you need (or want) it.  While Tammy availed herself of that opportunity, I couldn't help by take note of the Paper Wasps that were walking and buzzing around the rock face.  Then, I also noticed a few Box Elder bugs and a Lady Beetle.

Box Elder Bugs are considered to be a "nuisance bug" by many people as they like to find a warm place to over-winter - and that often means a house or other building.  Otherwise, they don't really spread disease, they don't really bite or sting, and they don't destroy desired plants.  Generally, it is simply the fact that they can find their way into small cracks to get to a place where they can survive the cold months.

The Ladybug, on the other hand, is generally appreciated... until the Asian Lady Beetle got introduced and it decided it ALSO liked to be a nuisance bug, taking a page from the Box Elder Bug's book. Based on the characteristic "M" shaped marking on the back of the head of this specimen, this is an Asian Lady Beetle.

These, and the Seven-spotted Ladybug, have very strong populations in the United States largely because vegetable farmers began purchasing ladybug populations to control aphids.  I have to admit that we considered this option at one point in time until we read how it would impact the native ladybug populations.  As a result, we accepted the slower approach and let the populations come to us.  You see, the Asian Lady Beetle and the Seven-spotted Ladybug DO eat aphids.  But, they also out-compete native populations, which means those populations are declining.

It also explains why we have so many Asian Lady Beetles on the sides of buildings (and rock faces) in the Fall.  Regardless, this is another insect population I am fine with having.  I would rather have the natives, of course.  But, I'll take the non-natives over the aphids too.

As a last offering, here's another way to look at things.  Sometimes the play of light and shadows is worth spending the time observing what goes on there.  I am not entirely sure what I was trying to capture this time around - but maybe I'll figure it out with future attempts.

It doesn't matter, because I was enjoying looking at things in different ways.  And now, I feel good that I learned some new things to supplement things I already was aware of.  Maybe you came away learning something new too?  Or, perhaps, you were mildly entertained for a few moments of your day.

I'll take that as a positive thing too.