Fish Fry, Leatherwings, and Beauty Bushes
My Nature Journal Summary
| Date | September 03, 2022 |
| Time | 10:40AM EDT |
| Temperature | 85ยฐF / 29ยฐC |
| Weather | Broken clouds |
| Wind | 7mph, 130ยฐ SE to NW |
| Humidity | 55% |
| Habitat | Lakeside nature trail |
| Animals Encountered | Pennsylvania Leatherwing soldier beetle (Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus) Spider Fish fry |
My Nature Journal Photos
Pennsylvania Leatherwing Beetle (Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus)
This vivid yellow and black beetle Pennsylvania Leatherwing is part of the Soldier Beetle family Cantharidae. Beetles in this family look a lot like fireflies but don’t produce light and their heads aren’t hidden by pronotums.
Adults such as this one eat pollen and nectar. They also eat small insects (Milne and Milne 1980), but I’ve never seen one away from these yellow wildflowers.
Fish Fry
I’m not sure what species of fish these fry were but I enjoyed spotting them. They schooled in a shallow pool protected by several rocks. It was tough to photograph through the water, despite its clarity, but I like how their eyes and side stripes gleam.
Spider
This spider was tiny. I’ve no idea what species it was, or even what family it belonged to, because it kept itself on the opposite side of the plant stem as it picked it way down. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that such a minute creature can be a predator but that’s the way it is with spiders. Every species is carnivorous and equipped with venomous fangs.
Some creatures just live life on a much smaller scale than we humans are used to.
Whitestar Vine Ipomoea lacunosa
Whitestar vines belong to the Morning Glory family Convolvulaceae. They bloom in my area from summer through fall in sunny areas along roads, streams, and lakeshores.
Many morning glory species are extremely invasive. Whitestar is no exception, but it isn’t as aggressive as some.
Beauty Bush Callicarpa americana
Beauty Bushes are common in my area. They bloom for months from April through October and set fruit in an unusual way. The berries grow in clusters about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) wide; each cluster is spaced at regular intervals along the bush’s stems.
These striking plants really stand out from the crowd.
