It’s turtle time here in this part of New Hampshire and the big snapping turtles are on the move, looking for soft sand to dig their nest in. Average adult snapping turtles can be over two feet long and weigh as much as 50 pounds and they can be very aggressive on land, so it’s best to stay away from them. They don’t have teeth but they have strong jaws and beaks that can easily break fingers. I took this photo of a female wandering along the side of a dirt road from my car window. I’ve read that the largest snapper ever recorded weighed 75 pounds. It must have been huge.
Snapping turtles dig rather shallow holes with their hind legs and lay anywhere from 25-80 eggs each year. Incubation time is 9-18 weeks but many eggs don’t make it anywhere near that long. Foxes, minks, skunks, crows and raccoons dig them up and eat them and destroyed nests are a common sight along sandy roadsides. These big turtles eat plants, fish, frogs, snakes, ducklings, and just about anything else they can catch. Oddly, when in the water they are rather placid and don’t bother humans.
Snapping turtles aren’t the only reptiles laying eggs; painted turtles are also nesting.
Tent caterpillars are out of their nests and searching for food. Many people confuse tent caterpillars with fall webworms, but tent caterpillars appear in spring and do much more damage than fall webworms, which usually eat foliage that trees no longer need. Tent caterpillars prefer fruit trees but will also eat maples, hawthorns, and others. They can defoliate a tree in a short amount of time and a large outbreak can leave large areas of forest weakened.
I’m seeing more swallowtail butterflies this year than I’ve ever seen but I can’t get a single one to pose for a photo. This cabbage white was willing though, and sat for a while on this yellow hawkweed blossom while I clicked the shutter. At least I think it’s a cabbage white; my insect identification abilities aren’t what they should be.
I was able to identify this rosy maple moth because there apparently aren’t too many others that look like it. This is a cute little thing with its wooly yellow body and pink and creamy yellow wing stripes. These moths lay their tiny eggs on the undersides of maple leaves and that’s how they come by their common name. Adult moths do not eat but the caterpillars are able to eat a few leaves each. They are called green striped maple worms.
I went looking for the beautiful purple flowers of the larch tree (Larix laricina) but instead I found the tiny yellow eggs of a ladybug stuck to a larch branch. Each egg is less than a millimeter in length and this entire batch of them was less than an inch long. This larch must have an aphid problem because I’ve read that ladybugs will always try to mate as close to an aphid colony as possible. The ladybug lays infertile eggs along with the fertile ones though, and the hatchlings will eat these infertile eggs if they can’t find any aphids. They also eat scale insects and mealybugs, so they are great friends to have in a garden.
On the same larch I also saw some newly emerging needles which I thought were something most of us never see. Larch trees lose their needles in winter and grow new ones each spring; the only conifer I know of to do so.
Other conifers are busy right now too; pines are growing pollen cones, which are the tree’s male flowers. Pine trees are wind pollinated and great clouds of smoke like yellow-green pollen can be seen coming from them on windy days. The trees look like they’re on fire and virtually everything gets dusted with pollen; cars, houses, and even entire lakes and ponds. If you live near pine trees it’s impossible not to breathe some of it in, but pine pollen is a strong antioxidant that has been used medicinally around the world for thousands of years. Its numerous health benefits were first written of in China nearly 5000 years ago.
Here’s a close look at some pine pollen cones that have opened and released their pollen. Not good news for allergy sufferers, I’m afraid.
When all that pollen falls on water it can make some fantastic abstract designs that I love watching as they slowly float along on the current and change shapes and patterns. There were also white locust blossoms scattered here and there on the pond on this day. The scene kind of takes me back to the seventies when my consciousness was expanding.
Here was a snake like river of pollen on the surface of a pond. I can’t even begin to explain how it could have formed. I hope everyone gets to see such beautiful things in their day to day travels. These are the things that make us wonder and, as Edgar Allan Poe once said: It is happiness to wonder, it is happiness to dream.
To ensure that there will be plenty of pollen available for future generations here was a tiny white pine (Pinus strobus) seedling. If everything goes according to plan it will grow to become one of our largest trees.
Sometimes I wonder if every now and then nature does something just to please us because I can’t think of any other reason rattlesnake weed’s foliage (Hieracium venosum) would have evolved into something as beautiful as this. Leaves colored in such a manner would only lessen photosynthesis I would think and I doubt that would be a benefit to any plant, so until I learn differently I’m going to believe that this kind of beauty was put here simply to please any onlookers that might pass by. This is the only plant of its kind I’ve ever seen and each year I make a special pilgrimage to see it, so I hope you like it. It is in the hawkweed family and has flowers that resemble those of yellow hawkweed.
And here was another plant at the river that looked like it was trying to mimic rattlesnake weed. I haven’t been able to identify it but I do know that I’ve never seen another like it. If you should recognize it I’d love to know what it is. It grew very low to the ground.
Here’s something that I’d guess that most of us have never seen; the tiny seed pods of dwarf ginseng (Panax trifolius.) I know of one small colony of perhaps 20 plants and this is the first time I’ve ever seen seed pods on one. I hope all of them grow into new plants.
The tiny splash cups of juniper haircap moss (Polytrichum juniperinum) have appeared. These are the male reproductive organs of this common moss, which grows both male and female plants. Male plants produce sperm in these cups and when a raindrop falls into the cup the sperm is splashed out. If everything is wet enough and all goes well the sperm will swim to a female plant and fertilize the eggs found there. If you sat a single pea in one of these splash cups the tiny cup would disappear behind it.
When young the female spore capsule (sporangium) of juniper haircap moss is covered by a cap called a calyptra. This cap is very hairy, which is where the common name comes from, and it protects the spore capsule and the spores within. As the capsule ages it moves from a semi vertical to a more horizontal position and the calyptra will fall off. The spore capsule will continue to ripen and when the time is right the end cap will fall off and the spores will be released to the wind. At this stage the capsule is about the same diameter as a piece of cooked spaghetti.
It has been so dry here we’re already down about 3.5 inches from our average rainfall so I’m not seeing much in the way of fungi, but I did see these examples growing on a pine root. There are many mushrooms that look like these so I’m not sure what their name is. They are pretty though.
I also saw a few examples of the aquatic fungi known as swamp beacons (Mitrula elegans.) Each one is about as big as a wooden match stick and I find them in seeps where there is open water year round. They are classified as “amphibious fungi” and use a process called soft rot to decompose plant material in low oxygen areas. Since they only decompose soft tissue they aren’t found on twigs or bark; only on things like last year’s saturated leaves.
I looked down into the heart of a yucca plant and wished I could think of something to make from all those threads. Native Americans used yucca fibers to weave sandals, cords, and baskets. They also ate the fruit of the plant. The sharp points at the tips of the leaves were used as sewing needles and the roots were peeled and ground and mixed with water to make soap for washing their hair and treating dandruff. Sap from the leaves was used medicinally to stop bleeding and heal sores. They used every single part of this plant.
It’s hard to believe that something as tiny as a river grape blossom (Vitis riparia) could be fragrant but in places right now you can follow your nose right to the vines, so strong is the fragrance. And this isn’t the end of the joy they bring; in the fall the fermented fruit on a warm day will make the woods smell just like grape jelly.
Live this life in wonder, in wonder of the beauty, the magic, the true magnificence that surrounds you every day. It is all so beautiful, so wonderful. Let yourself wonder.
~Avina Celeste
Thanks for stopping in.
I was just checking back to see if you had identified that plant yet. I saw a similarity to Knotweed as well, but you have eliminated that. It is turtle time here too. It is so amazing to see big turtles that have climbed several storeys up the banks of the Grand to lay their eggs beside the path. Always enjoy your posts.
Thank you Cathy. No, I’m not sure what that plant was but I agree that it looked more like knotweed than anything else.
I never knew turtles could climb such heights but I’ve seen them do the same here. The drive to lay those eggs must be very strong!
I believe that when Japanese knotweed is a seedling it lacks hollow stems, however when it sprouts from the previous years growth it does have hollow stems and they are larger in diameter. There is a huge infestation near my house and I’ve been pulling them out of my yard for the last twenty years.
Thank you Gary. I wondered about that but I couldn’t find any seedlings to confirm it.
I think that this is one of your best posts ever, and that’s saying a lot! From the huge snapping turtles to the tiny reproductive parts of the mosses and the aphid eggs and everything in between. It turns out that I’ve seen the yellow eggs of aphids before, but I never knew what they were until your post.
I also loved the swirls of the pollen on the water, I’ve been checking similar things here, both pollen and flower petals in the water, but I haven’t come across the lovely patterns that you found.
Thanks Jerry! Those are actually lady bug eggs, which eat the aphids. I don’t know if aphids lay eggs.
I just stumbled onto that pollen on the pond that day. One of those lucky finds!
Hello, Mr. Snapping Turtle! There are signs near here that warn motorists and others to watch for the turtles — I really like that!
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Thank you Cynthia. We have them for frog and salamander crossings too!
Lots of swallowtails in Maine. For some reason, it was a good season for them. How wonderful to see those lovely creatures flutter by. Like you, I have been able to capture a picture of one. I will keep trying.
I’m glad to hear it’s not just me they’re avoiding! I hope you get a shot of one.
I’ll keep trying!
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When I read this I thought of you and am sure you will appreciate it.
https://mindfulbalance.org/2018/06/17/if-you-make-space/
Thank you Ben. You’re right, I do appreciate it because it’s very true. Even in winter I can find flowers if I want to!
I’ll have to be on the lookout for swamp beacons. I’ve noticed several basidiomycetes growing in vernal ponds as the water dries up but have no idea what they are. Really like your photos of the pollen on the water.
Regarding seaside crowfoot it will be about a week before I post anything on it. Work is coming up and I will not be able to get a photo until next Friday.
Thank you Gary. Eyelash fungi like to grow in such places too, but they grow of saturated twigs.
No hurry on the crowfoot. I know how it is!
We’ve got eyelash fungus here and it does seem to prefer wet rotted wood. I just recently learned that the orange eyelash fungus is actually two species and a microscopic examination is needed to tell them apart.
Thank you Gary, I hadn’t heard that but you bring up a perplexing problem. I’ve had a moss expert tell me that identifying many mosses is impossible without a microscope, and the same is true for many fungi and lichens. I don’t have a microscope but I keep trying. It’s hard, for instance, to mistake a swamp beacon for anything else but there may be several species of swamp beacons and there is the problem.
Wonderful macro shots of fungi, moss, insect eggs and seed pods! I always love these posts of yours although I know they take ages to research. The swirling pollen on the water is beautiful! There have been prodigious quantities of pollen this year, I don’t know why.
Thank you Clare, I’m glad you liked them.
Yes, these kinds of posts take a while but people seem to like them so it’s worth it every now and then.
I don’t know why everyone is seeing so much pollen this year either. Rain washes it out of the air but we haven’t had any rain, so that’s what I thought caused it here. If you’ve had rain and are still seeing a lot of it then that puts that theory to bed.
We haven’t had much rain here, either – the countryside looks more like mid-August than mid-June! Looks like your theory holds water 😀
It sounds just like what we have here!
I believe I’ve seen the swamp beacons on northern Michigan. It’s amazing we see as many snappers as we do when one takes into account how many nests fall victim to raccoons.
I agree. I see a lot of destroyed nests!
I admire the diligence, effort, and – yes – love you invest to bring to us this wonderful nature of New Hampshire to admire. I also love that you are mentioning and giving credit to the nearness to this nature the indigenous inhabitants have had.
Thank you Zyriacus. I do love nature and hope a day never comes when I can’t be out there enjoying it. Still, in all the years I’ve spent studying nature I doubt that I know 1/10th of what Native Americans knew. I hate to think of the knowledge that was lost.
The snakelike pollen ripple on the pond was very intriguing. The shot of the ladybird eggs was very well taken.
Thank you. I hope you don’t see that much pollen in Scotland. A lot of people suffer because of it.
The rosy maple moth reminds me of a foxglove flower. The pollen swirling in the water was great.
Thanks very much Emily, I’m glad you liked it!
Thank you for your interesting comments and photographs, and for letting us get to see such beautiful things in your day to day travels.
You’re welcome Jane, and thank you. I’m glad you enjoy these posts. Some of them are hard to put together.
You certainly found lots of beautiful things. Isn’t this a wonderful time of year! We don’t have snapping turtles here, so seeing your photos was very enjoyable. The rattlesnake weed’s leaves are very pretty. We don’t have that here, but we have rattlesnake plantain, which is a wild orchid. It’s leaves have a somewhat similar pattern, but the veins are white. Great post!
Thanks Montucky! Yes it is a wonderful time of year!
We have rattlesnake plantain too, but I haven’t been to see it yet. I’d better get with it!
The unidentified plant is probably a young Japanese knotweed. My advise is to dig it up before it becomes established. As you know it is very invasive.
Years ago I came across a snapping turtle bigger than a dishpan. I had always heard that it could take off a finger. I was curious about wether it could or not, but I was not willing to lose a finger so I stuck a stick about the size of a pencil in its mouth. The turtle bit down hard on the stick but did not break it. When the turtle let go of the stick, I examined it and saw two grooves where the jaws were.
Thank you Gary. My first thought was Japanese knotweed but it has finger size, hollow stems even when it comes up in spring and these were not hollow and quite small in diameter. In any case, I went back the other day and whatever it was is gone.
I’m glad those grooves weren’t in your finger! There are some people doing foolish things with snapping turtles on YouTube.
The stick was quite long and I was in no danger of being injured.
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Dawn Redwood is another deciduous tree and I have some kind of cypress that I got from a nursery that has lovely needles.
Thank you John! Cypress can be beautiful trees.
I always look forward to reading a new post. You provide so many fascinating tidbits to chew on.
Thank you Lee, I’m glad you think so!
I believe your unidentified plant is Japanese knotweed. Even though it’s pretty now, please go back and yank it out or in a few years that’s all you’ll see in the area, it’s very invasive. Try and get all of the root.
I always enjoy reading your blog and seeing one of your posts in my inbox makes my day, thank you!
You’re welcome and thank you Lynn. I know Japanese knotweed well and I thought that’s what it was too until I looked at the stems. Knotweed has finger size, hollow stems even when it comes up in spring and these were not hollow and quite small in diameter. In any case, I went back the other day and whatever it was is gone.
What a wonderful Spring post! Presently living away from the Monadnock region, and miss watching the seasons in New Hampshire – thank you!
On Sat, Jun 16, 2018 at 4:14 AM, New Hampshire Garden Solutions wrote:
> New Hampshire Garden Solutions posted: ” It’s turtle time here in this > part of New Hampshire and the big snapping turtles are on the move, looking > for soft sand to dig their nest in. Average adult snapping turtles can be > over two feet long and weigh as much as 50 pounds and they can be very a” >
You’re welcome, and thank you. Glad I can show you a little piece of home.
Loved all your great turtle photos. Some of those big old snappers sure are fearsome-looking creatures. I’ve heard how fast they can move to snap, but looks certainly are deceiving.
The floating pollen photos made me smile. Thanks for expanding what little is left of my own consciousness. I usually see pollen swirled into patterns in my window and door screens, which is not nearly as beautiful as yours.
Love all the tiny bits of life around us that you share with your photos.
Thank you Judy. I’m glad I have a zoom lens when I meet up with a snapper so I don’t have to get too close. They are fast and their necks are a lot longer than they look.
I know what you mean about pollen on your screens. It gets on absolutely everything!
I loved the abstract designs you found and photographed.
Thank you Susan. I liked them too.