Finally, frogs!

This year has been slow for herps of any type. We have not had any lasting significant rainfall, which must have kept many herpetofauna species underground or close to water sources.

Yesterday afternoon produced warm temperatures and a good soaking rain which lasted through the night. Early this morning I had these three visitors to the yard. The frog in the top image is a spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer), followed by a young bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana), and a juvenile wood frog (Rana sylvatica). There was also a second wood frog plus a tiny American toad (Bufo americanus). No salamanders though.

Heat wave underwings

July 21-24 New Hampshire experienced a heat wave complete with oppressive humidity. The sultry summer nights brought out a wonderful variety of insects including three species of Catocala (underwing) moths.

The moth on the top is an Epione underwing (Catocala epione) and is the largest of the three with a wingspan of 5 cm. The moth on the bottom left is called girlfriend underwing (Catocala amica) with a wingspan of about 2.3 cm. The moth on the bottom right is a gloomy underwing (Catocala andromedae) with a wingspan of 3.8 cm. Wingspan measurements are as the moths are shown.

Peahens out for a stroll

Something you don't see every day. A pair of peahens strolling down the street. I guess they got away from someone's yard. I hope the owners got them back before the birds got hurt or worse.
They sure are adorable!

Raymond, NH. July 24, 2011.

Luna moth caterpillar

Here in southern New Hampshire we have been experiencing a heat wave with yesterdays temperature reaching about 102 degrees F.

Yesterday afternoon I spotted a large green caterpillar in the driveway and found it was dead. The caterpillar was that of a Luna moth (Actias luna).

I am not sure what the cause of death was but the prolegs were blackened and appeared damaged. My guess is the caterpillar was parasitized by some other insect possibly a parasitoid wasp. The caterpillar seems to have fallen from a shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) which grows beside the driveway.