Home Field and Swamp: Animals and Their Habitats

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Archived-by-Date Pages

 

March 2022

Durham, NC  3/30/22

Male American Goldfinch        

Oriental False Hawksbeard (Youngia japonica).  ID thanks to Carol Ann McCormick. Largeseed Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis macrosperma) Little Brown Jug (Hexastylis arifolia) Littleleaf Buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus) Mating march flies

 
Same arch flies, mating Mud Pennsylvania Bittercress (Cardamine pensylvatica) American Robin  

Carpet Bugle (Ajuga reptans) Buttercup Female Northern Cardinal Carolina Cranesbill (Geranium carolinium) Carolina Wren

 
Common Yellow Wood-sorrel (Oxalis stricta) Confederate Violet (Viola sororia var. priceana) Cricket frog Same cricket frog  

Durham, NC  3/29/22

 
Chipping Sparrow Common Blue Violets (Viola sororia var. sororia) Confederate Violets (Viola sororia var. priceana) Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)  

       
Maple samaras        

Durham, NC  3/27/22

Female Northern Cardinal Carolina Cherry Laurel (Prunus caroliniana) Cedar Waxwing Same Cedar Waxwing Confederate Violet (Viola sororia var. priceana)

Doves' Foot Geranium ( Doves' Foot Geranium (Geranium molle) Male Eastern Bluebird Field Madder (Sherardia arvensis) Field Pansy (Viola bicolor)

Hermit Thrush American Hophornbeam Little Brown Jug (Hexastylis arifolia) Littleleaf Buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus) Another Littleleaf Buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus)

       
Yellow-rumped Warbler        

Durham, NC  3/25/22

Aphid, with mite parasite Boxelder (Acer negundo) flowers Cabbage White Same Cabbage White Eastern Comma

Grape Hyacinth (Muscari genus) Green Six-spotted Tiger Beetle, one jaw visible Green Six-spotted Tiger Beetle Green Six-spotted Tiger Beetle Green Six-spotted Tiger Beetle

Sawfly Jumping spider Tufted Titmouse Boxelder (Acer negundo) male flowers Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)

Durham, NC  3/24/22

Bigseed Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis macrosperma) Bigseed Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis macrosperma) Buffalo Treehopper Buttercup Common Chickweed (Stellaria media)

Confederate Violet (Viola sororia var. priceana) Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) American Hophornbeam (Ostrya americana) American Hophornbeam (Ostrya americana)

Ivyleaf Speedwell (Veronica hederifolia) Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) Mystery plant

   
River Birch (Betula nigra) catkin Sticky Willy (Galium aparine) Probably Southern Sugar Maple (Acer floridanum)    

Durham, NC  3/22/22

Female Eastern Bluebird Same female Eastern Bluebird Male Eastern Bluebird Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) Honeybee

Lace bug (Leptoypha genus, probably mutica species).  ID thanks to Ken Wolgemuth. Littleleaf (or Kidneyleaf) Buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus).  Here, the kidney-shaped basal leaves are visible. Sticky Chickweed (Cerastium glomeratum) Pine Warbler Probably plum flowers

Male Red-winged Blackbird Spider Maybe a Carolina Spring Beauty Virginia Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica) Aphid

 

Same aphid Flea beetle (Crepidodera browni) Maybe a Yellow Buckeye Common Chickweed (Stellaria media) Crabapple tree?

       
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)        

Durham, NC  3/21/22

 
Carolina Cherry Laurel (Prunus caroliniana) Carolina Jessamine Common Yellow Wood Sorrel (Oxalis stricta) Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia var. sororia)  

Male Downy Woodpecker Female Eastern Bluebird Male Eastern Bluebird Field Pansy (Viola bicolor) Grape Hyacinth

 
American hophornbeam (Ostrya americana) American hophornbeam (Ostrya americana) Japanese Rose Moth Big Periwinkle (Vinca major) Red Maple (Acer rubrum) samaras  

Red Maple (Acer rubrum) samaras Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) branch Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) flowers Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) tree Southern Sugar Maple (Acer floridanum) flowers.  ID uncertain, but this is the most likely species.  Definitive ID awaits leaf examination.

 
Southern Sugar Maple (Acer floridanum) flowers UNC helicopter Winged Elm (Ulmus alata) seedhead Winged Elm (Ulmus alata) seedheads  

Durham, NC  3/20/22

Eastern Gray Squirrels courting Eastern Gray Squirrels courting   Eastern Gray Squirrels courting Eastern Gray Squirrels courting

 
Eastern Gray Squirrels courting, with grooming Eastern Gray Squirrels courting, with grooming Eastern Gray Squirrels mating Eastern Gray Squirrels mating Our local swamp  

Virginia Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica) Asian Multi-colored Ladybug Beetle Two globular springtails, a Bourletiella genus one (orange) and a Sminthurinus atrapallidus one (blue-gray) At least 12 Sminthurinus atrapallidus globular springtails Five Sminthurinus atrapallidus globular springtails and another

Three Sminthurinus atrapallidus globular springtails Two interacting Sminthurinus atrapallidus globular springtails Five Sminthurinus atrapallidus globular springtails Common Grackle Jumping spider

   
Jumping spider (Hentzia mitrata) Red-banded Hairstreak Red Maple (Acer rubrum) female flowers and the small samaras they produce    

Durham, NC  3/19/22

Two-lined Leatherwing Beetles mating Purple Dead-nettle with a duskywing Mock Strawberry (Potentilla indica) Persian Speedwell (Veronica persica) Red Maple (Acer rubrum), looking brown at a distance, but its samaras are actually red turning green.

       
One of the last Dimpled Trout Lilies (Erythronium umbilicatum)        

Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve, Southern Pines, Moore County, NC  3/18/22

Bird's Foot Violet (Viola pedata) Bird's Foot Violet (Viola pedata) Narrowleaf Blueberry (Vaccinium tenellum) flowers and buds.  ID thanks to Harry LeGrand. Ribbed Pine Borer (Rhagium inquisitor) Mystery rock

     
Springtime Darner (Basiaeschna janata) Water strider      

Durham, NC  3/17/22

Tiny Bluets (Houstonia pusilla).  ID thanks to Harry LeGrand. Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana) Carolina Chickadee Same Carolina Chickadee Same Carolina Chickadee

 
Common Vetch (Vicia sativa) Red Maple (Acer rubrum) Eastern Redbud () Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)  

Penny's Bend Nature Preserve, Durham, NC  3/16/22

Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia var. sororia) Common Vetch (Vicia sativa) Early Saxifrage (Micranthes virginiensis) Female Falcate Orangetip on a Virginia Spring Beauty Same female Falcate Orangetip

Same female Falcate Orangetip Field Pansy (Viola bicolor) Green and Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum) Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea) Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta)

Ivyleaf Speedwell (Veronica hederifolia) Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna), an introduced plant. Little Brown Jug (Hexastylis arifolia) Big Periwinkle (Vinca major) Big Periwinkle (Vinca major).  ID uncertain because leaves were obscured.

Purple Dead Nettle (Lamium purpureum) Purple Dead Nettle (Lamium purpureum) Turtle Virginia Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica) Yellow Fumewort (Corydalis flavula)

Yellow Fumewort (Corydalis flavula) Yellow Fumewort (Corydalis flavula) Yellow Fumewort (Corydalis flavula), with Ivyleaf Speedwell leaves Yellow Fumewort (Corydalis flavula)  

Durham, NC  3/15/22

   
Red-bellied Woodpecker Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) Xyelid sawfly    

Durham, NC  3/14/22

Celebrating Pi Day Antmimic jumping spider (Synemosyna formica) Asian Multi-colored Ladybug Beetle Dark-eyed Junco Downy Woodpecker

Field Pansy (Viola bicolor) Great Blue Heron Miniature roses from a neighbor's garden Tufted Titmouse Wasp

   
Sawfly (Xyela genus) Jumping spider (Hentzia mitrata) Red Maple (Acer rubrum) female flowers with small samaras    

Durham, NC  3/13/22

   
Male House Finch Eastern Phoebe Red Maple, with male flowers    

Durham, NC  3/12/22

Callery Pear Juvie Eastern Towhee Male House Finch Leatherleaf Mahonia (Berberis bealei) American Robin

     
Saucer Magnolia petals Eastern Gray Squirrel      

Durham, NC  3/11/22

Dark Fishing Spider Japanese Cherry Red Maple samaras More Red Maple samaras Red maples

   
Sawfly (Xyela genus) Elongate springtail  (Entomobrya atrocincta) Same elongate springtail  (Entomobrya atrocincta)    

Durham, NC  3/10/22

American Elm (Ulmus americana) seedheads Callery pear Female Northern Cardinal Male Northern Cardinal Juvie Carolina Wren, singing

Littleleaf Buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus) close-up (tentative ID thanks to Harry LeGrand) Kidney-leaf Buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus) close-up American Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) Pennsylvania Bittercress (Cardamine pensylvanica) Saucer Magnolia

 
Star Magnolia White-throated Sparrow Winged Elm (Ulmus alata) Winged Elm (Ulmus alata)  

Durham, NC  3/8/22

Buffalo Treehopper Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia var. sororia) Another Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia var. sororia) Common Vetch (Vicia sativa) Male Downy Woodpecker

Male Downy Woodpecker Flea beetle Ivyleaf Speedwell (Veronica hederifolia) Jumping spider (very young Paraphidippus aurantius) Pine Warbler

Red Maple (Acer rubrum) female flowers and samaras Red Maple (Acer rubrum) female flowers and samaras Red Maple (Acer rubrum) female flowers and samaras Greater Bee Fly (Bombylius major) Same Greater Bee Fly (Bombylius major)

Great Bee Fly on a Virginia Spring Beauty Dwarf spider Green lacewing larva Same green lacewing larva Same green lacewing larva

       
Japanese Mazus (Mazus pumilus)        

Durham, NC  3/7/22

Brown-headed Nuthatch Another Brown-headed Nuthatch Female Northern Cardinal Carolina Wren Same Carolina Wren, singing

Same Carolina Wren, singing Same Carolina Wren Common Chickweed (Stellaria media) Confederate Violet (Viola sororia var. priceana) Confederate Violet (Viola sororia var. priceana)

 
Crane Fly Orchid winter leaf Field Pansy (Viola bicolor) Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) Henbits and Hairy Bittercress  

 
Ivyleaf Speedwell (Veronica hederifolia) Mock Strawberry (Potentilla indica) Song Sparrow Yellow-rumped Warbler  

Durham, NC  3/6/22

Common Chickweed and Ivyleaf Speedwell Common Chickweed (Stellaria media) Common Yellow Wood-sorrel (Oxalis stricta) Mock Strawberry (Potentilla indica) Dimpled Trout Lilies (Erythronium umbilicatum)

   
Dimpled Trout Lilies (Erythronium umbilicatum) Dimpled Trout Lilies (Erythronium umbilicatum) Dimpled Trout Lilies (Erythronium umbilicatum)    

Durham, NC  3/5/22

American Elm (Ulmus americana) samaras Asian Multi-colored Ladybug Beetle Bug Male Northern Cardinal Female Eastern Bluebird

Tufted Titmouse in Winged Elm Another Tufted Titmouse in Winged Elm A third Tufted Titmouse in Winged Elm Velvet Mite Wasp nest in Red Maple

     
Yellow-rumped Warbler Another Yellow-rumped Warbler      

Flowers Field, Dorothea Dix Park, Raleigh, Wake County, NC  3/4/22

American Elm (Ulmus americana) Azure Bluet (Houstonia caerulea) Common Wood-sorrel (Oxalis cincta) Daffodils Dark-eyed Junco

Field Madder (Sherardia arvensis) Field Pansies (Viola biocolor) Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) Ivyleaf Speedwell (Veronica hederifolia) Persian Speedwell (Veronica persica)

Durham, NC  3/3/22

Male Eastern Bluebird Male Eastern Bluebird Feather Globular springtail Globular springtails (Sminthurinus atrapallidus)

 
Globular springtails Globular springtails (Sminthurinus atrapallidus) Globular springtails Globular springtails (Sminthurinus atrapallidus)  

Globular springtails (Sminthurinus atrapallidus) Ichneumon wasp Jumping spider Jumping spider (Hentzia mitrata) Mystery ladybug beetle

Eastern Phoebe Eastern Phoebe Eastern Phoebe Eastern Phoebe Eastern Phoebe

 
Dimpled Trout Lily Virginia Spring Beauty Virginia Spring Beauty Yellow-rumped Warbler  

Durham, NC  3/2/22

Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia var. sororia) Centipede China Paper Bush Common Dandelion (Taraxacum oficinale) Male Eastern Bluebird

 

Globular springtail (Sminthurinus atrapallidus) Globular springtail (Sminthurinus atrapallidus), perhaps with eggs? Ivyleaf Speedwell (Veronica hederifolia) Killdeer Springtail, Poduromorpha order

       
Virginia Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)        

Durham, NC  3/1/22

Female Downy Woodpecker Same female Downy Woodpecker Duke Hospital's helicopter Airliner Leaf beetle (Prasocuris phellandri)

 
Henbits (Lamium amplexicaule) Mallard pair Same Mallards in another pond Mock Strawberry (Potentilla indica)  

 
American Robin Dimpled Trout Lilies White-throated Sparrow Tufted Titmouse  

 

Copyright © 2022 by Dorothy E. Pugh.  All rights reserved.  Please contact for rights to use photos.

 

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