• looked at several pictures of butterflies and drew attention to how their wings were similar;
• used pattern blocks to have her build butterflies symmetrically (I would make one side and have her copy it to the other and also just let her do this on her own); AND
• I printed out a simple outline picture of a butterfly (off the internet) and, ahead of time, I colored half of it using crayons, and then had her use the same crayons to copy what I had done.

I think she did a great job!  Now on to deciduous trees!

For instance below you will see a picture I took at our last Nature Club meeting.  Notice the tiny red and black bugs.

But especially notice below the bugs, the silver metallic spiky round objects.  Let me zoom in…

I was very intrigued by what these were so I sent the photo in to an Entomologist at the University of Kentucky and received the following response:

Hello Melissa,

The silver things are eggs and the bugs have hatched from them.  They should be some sort of stick bug.

Cheers,
Bill

I suppose the eggs are protected/guarded by those spikes on them.  Whether or not they are just “for show” or could actually do damage to a predator, I don’t know.  But they are intimidating at least.

And then there’s the fake stinger on the end of this Snowberry Clearwing Moth Caterpillar.  It is just a harmless hair, but predators don’t know that.  In fact, at first, I was a bit concerned about it!  I guess I would be looked upon as a predator!

Other defense mechanisms include camouflage, yucky smell (think skunk), poison glands (toad, etc.), bright colors (associated with being poisonous, frogs, etc.), protective shells (as in turtles), prickly spikes (hedgehogs, porcupines), and SO many more!

Today we took a nature walk at a local park to hunt for early signs of spring. If you’d like to read more about that and see all our photos, head over to my post at Shining Dawn Books! But I just had to share this photo here of a beautiful Snowdrop flower we found. And if you look close you’ll see the rear-end of a little honeybee sticking out of the bottom. Now that’s a sure sign of Spring!

]]> http://inthesparrowsnest.com/2010/03/a-snowdrop-for-a-honeybee/feed/ 3 http://inthesparrowsnest.com/2009/08/admiring-the-lovely-luna-moth/ http://inthesparrowsnest.com/2009/08/admiring-the-lovely-luna-moth/#comments Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:23:37 +0000 Melissa http://inthesparrowsnest.com/?p=629 It is only by chance that you may come across an opportunity to observe one of the more beautiful moths in creation. Hiding behind the shadows of nightime, they are only coming awake as we are going to sleep. But as chance has it, or Divine intention, you can observe such beauty as is found in the Luna Moth.

It was my son who found her. She appears to have a slightly bad wing which is hindering her flight or perhaps she would have never found herself hiding out in a low lying bush. But that is where he found her. We have put her in our butterfly observatory and have taken many photographs and have learned much about her. Such as the fact that as an adult they only live seven days, solely to mate. What a short time to have such beauty gracing this earth.

We let her fly about us in the house for the short distances that she could and it was like watching a graceful ballerina dancing slowly to a peaceful lullaby. Her wings flowed up and down slowly and softly. Her wings are smooth and have four simple eye spots which have the neatest markings. Do you see the irridescent blue streak on the bottom spots?

It seems she is wearing a puffy white fur coat with brown trimmings along its top edges. Her antennae are soft and thin which is what told us she’s a “she” and not a “he”.

We will observe her just until nightfall and see if we can place her in our Black Walnut tree out back, which is where they lay their eggs and where the caterpillars mature. I recommend the website I linked above; there is some great information about these winged beauties. Oh my, she’s so stunning!

The bumble was holding on to the "style" part of the flower and hanging out until the rain stopped. My Dad said that he has seen them do this many times when it was raining.

When I zoomed in I could see the little particles of pollen on his body. Evidently the rain had interupted his work in the pollination process. I think that flower made a perfect umbrella for a bumblebee.

Also, along the trail we came upon the biggest bunch of Spotted Jewelweed I’ve ever seen. The morning light was filtering through the woods just perfectly, making the dew drops sparkle and the fire orange color of the flower really showed.

And last but not least is another "new to me" wildflower, the Swamp Milkweed, found right down next to the creek.

First there was recently a report on Good Morning America on how scientists are starting to look more at ants to learn about improving our traffic systems. Seems ants really know how to cooperate and work together to make things go smoothly and efficiently. Well, our Lord and Creator tells us to “go to the ant,” I think that means there’s much to learn from them!

Here is a link to the video clip (of course any major news station has to throw in a “millions of years” reference, so I conveniently don’t listen to that part!):

What Ants Can Teach Us About Commuting

Secondly, a friend commented to inform me of a cloud photo that was taken by a woman in Iowa that has scientists stumped to label it. Seems we could have a new cloud type to add to the charts eventually; something that hasn’t been proposed since 1951. Any news about changes in clouds really makes my ears perk up and listen (Revelation 1:6-8). Below is the photo of the clouds that she took and here is a link to the article:  Has Iowa Woman Spotted New Cloud Type?

Ever since the last emergence of the Brood X 17-Year Periodical Cicadas in 2004, Alex has been simply enthralled with them!  When I told him that they would not return for another 17 years, he nearly cried!  But he was relieved when he learned that the Dog-Day Cicadas visit us yearly.  However, he complains that they are a lot harder to catch than the numerous Periodical Cicadas.

Alex loves catching the cicadas, it has become a challenge he has put forth for himself, even hanging a graph on the wall where he keeps track of the amount he catches!  Before this morning, his cicada catching tally was at 6 for this summer, but on our Nature walk today he didn’t have any trouble at all catching his seventh.  He found him laying on the ground and it didn’t fly away.  Upon a quick inspection he announced that it had a damaged wing.  It was true, the poor thing was unable to fly.  We came to the conclusion that it could have been a bird that had injured him.  Alex was so sweet, he just kept saying, “Oh, poor little guy.”

We took this opportunity to study and observe him well.  And Alex was kind enough to give us a little information about his cicada in this video.  Before you watch it, I must explain the ending a bit.  Along with the cicadas, we’ve also been having lots of other buzzing insects flying around our back yard, including some really large horsefly looking ones, that will buzz right by your face.  Alex, oddly enough is terrified of these things and runs to the house at the sight/sound of them!  So prepare to giggle too!  Also, take note of the amazing cicada sound in the background!

We know he is a male by the round eardrums located towards the bottom of his abdomen.

After having this up close view of one today, it inspired Alex is do a Nature journal entry on the life cycle of the cicada.  His new cicada friend stayed right near him the whole time.

Also, we were fortunate enough to find a cicada nymph shell on the ground.  Do you see the slit where the cicada emerged from?

Alex doesn’t really like to read, unless of course it’s about something he’s very interested in…like….cicadas!

Here are two excellent books that have great information about cicadas.  We especially recommend Cicada Sing-Song, by Densey Clyne.  Alex has worn this book out reading it!  This book gave me a whole new appreciation for these odd-looking, BUT fascinating creatures.

Here are some great websites:

Cicada Life Cycle

Cicada Videos

Cicada FAQ

Cicada Coloring Sheet

Today we had a very special nature blessing…an up close and personal interaction with a Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly!  Alex brought him to me, and I quickly realized that he seemed to have an injured wing and wasn’t going to fly off.  Which meant we were going to get an amazing opportunity to observe him closely.  I was able to get several super photos!  I’m guessing that he was a male because the females are supposed to be darker, but I’m not sure.  Notice his beautiful leopard and tiger like spots and stripes?

We put him on one of our potted plants on our deck and he took right to the Marigold flower.  And then we got to see the most amazing thing!  He reached out his proboscis and took a nice long drink of nectar from the Marigold!  I felt so fortunate to get a photo of this!  Can you see the proboscis sticking into the center of the flower?  Doesn’t his warm colors look so beautiful on that Marigold?!  And notice the little tiny fuzzy hairs on his back?  Click on the image below to enlarge.

And here was what we thought was the most beautiful thing about him…notice those spots on the undersides of his wings that appear white in the photo?  They are actually metallic silver…simply radiant in the sunlight!  If I didn’t know better, I would have thought he was putting on a show for us!  He was so calm acting, not the slightest bit intimated or nervous acting.  Almost like he knew we were friends.

He was so friendly, it was like he was hugging my fingers!  How sweet!  See his cute little antennae and cool looking eyes?  I’m sensing a unit study coming on for us, we want to know more!

And guess what?  Right after taking all these photos, we discussed how if he was injured we would have to try and take care of him.  As soon as those words rolled off our tongues, he took flight and flew away beautifully!

Hmmm, just maybe he was staying because he wanted to?  Thank you Lord for our beautiful, and very sweet, visitor today!

“How many are your works, O LORD!  In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.”

~ Psalm 104:24