Saturday, July 25, 2015

Eyelash cup fungus


The very common eyelash cup fungus (Scutellinia, probably Scutellinia scutellata).  Growing on a rotten log in the woods at Cumberland Park.

Photo taken July 14, 2015.

Link to Scutellinia scutellata:

Link to Scutellinia scutellata:

Friday, July 10, 2015

Ripe gooseberries


Gooseberry bushes are common in our woodlands but I don't often see the fruit when it is ripe enough to show a dark color like this.  Usually when I see the berries they are still green.  Probably this is the common species Ribes missouriense.  I sampled the berry and it was rather tasteless.  This photo taken at Celery Bog Park, July 3, 2015.

Link to previous post on gooseberry:

Another link to Ribes missouriense:

Yellow slugs




Slugs on a fallen log at Prophet's Rock Woods.  The very damp conditions this day brought them out in the open. I've never before seen slugs of this bright yellow color.   I think these are likely a yellow form of the Arion fasciatus species-complex.

Photos taken June 30, 2015.

Link to Arion fasciatus:

Link to Arion fasciatus:

Link to the family of roundback slugs (Arionidae):

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Ebony jewelwing


Ebony jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata) perched on a leaf above the main stream through Happy Hollow Park.  These were numerous here.  Ebony jewelwing is a kind of damselfly.
Photo taken July 4, 2015.

Link to Calopteryx maculata:

Link to Calopteryx maculata:

Link to damselflies:

Hoary vervain


Hoary vervain (Verbena stricta) at Conrad Station Savanna Nature Preserve, Newton County.

This is near the old railroad tracks just off County Road 725 N, east of US 41.  The yellow flowers in the background are hairy puccoon (Lithospermum canescens).

Hoary vervain is a common plant of roadsides and old fields.

Photo taken June 23, 2015.

Link to Verbena stricta:

Link to Verbena stricta:

Link to Verbena stricta:

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Hairy puccoon


Hairy puccoon (Lithospermum canescens) at Conrad Station Savanna Nature Preserve, Newton County.  This on the County Road 725 N roadside just east of US 41.  Photo taken June 23, 2015.

Link to Lithospermum canescens:

Link to Lithospermum canescens:

Link to Lithospermum canescens:

Link to Conrad Station Savanna:

Terrestrial crayfish


Here is a crayfish crawling along the bicycle trail at Cumberland Ave. and US 231.  It was at about 4 a.m. on the morning of June 20, 2015.  About an hour earlier there was heavy rain here and my guess the crayfish felt it was wet enough to do some traveling outside of its burrow.

Link to burrowing crayfish of Indiana:

Link to Indiana crustaceans: