The milkweed leaves are swarming with little critters these days, more than you humans probably realize. Squint real close at those orange dots between the ladybugs…
See those aphids?
A wasp. And of course, you humans love to see these fellows–
Monarch caterpillars.
Folks, no squirrel in his right mind is going out in this kind of rain…and if we do, it’s to grab an acorn and head back to the ol’ leaf nest.
So how about a glimpse of our lovely local pond before it began raining?
Maybe that will relax a few of you human readers as we buck up for more rain.
The berries of American Pokeweed, Phytolacca americana, are poisonous. And oh-so tempting to you humans, especially when they are in full ripeness –and at their most toxic!–this time of year.
The plant is big and weedy and produces many berries. No wonder it can take over a farmer’s field!
Yet there are birds who will eat them with no harmful effects, like the Northern Cardinal, Northern Mockingbird, Gray catbird and Brown Thrasher.
Hey there!
We should be seeing more of these around with these rainy days in fall.
Have a great week!
Hey there,
Nutmeg advised you human readers to leave your flower seedbeds for the birds, but here’s a plant you should clean up.
Know what it is and why?
Make your guesses and I’ll return later with the answers.
~~~
Hmm, here’s a vine you humans ought to become more familiar with–because it’s terribly invasive! You’ll want to get rid of Mile-a-Minute Weed the second you see it.
The triangular leaves and barbed stems are a great way to identify it, even if you don’t notice that the vine is growing 6 inches a day. Yes, it can take over quickly, and we squirrels beg you to keep this from happening! We like our native foods better, though some deer, chipmunks, mice and birds will eat them. Of course, that’s another way the Mile-a-Minute Weed is spreading.
Did you notice some of the leaves have holes in them? That’s because some great humans have released a weevil that eats Mile-a-Minute Weed leaves, then lays its eggs in the stems. The larvae eat the plant from the inside. Read more about Mile-a-Minute Weed and this weevil on this New York Invasive Species Information bulletin.
No, we didn’t see it happen, but Hickory and I ran across this doozy of a scar in a tree’s bark.
Hope it heals over!
Don’t!
You may see a mess, but but birds see this.
Seeds! Food, glorious food!
Maybe they haven’t gotten around to picking them out, but they will if you let the flower stalks stand.
It’s the first day of fall! Yes, fall equinox, today, at 10:21 is the official time for you humans. We squirrels know you’re thinking this:
Leaves.
But Ol’ Wally here wants you to know we squirrels are thinking this:
Happy acorn season!
Hey there!
This little statue nearly camouflages in the garden, but we spotted the little hummer!
Hope you humans have a great week!
Hey there!
It’s fall, and plants are doing what they do…
And idea what this is from?
Post your guesses in the comments and I’ll check back later!
~~~
These are the seedpods of a common wildflower that grows throughout North America. After we did some research, we squirrels can guess why you humans might avoid this rather invasive plant–its scientific name, Apocynum, means ‘Away dog’! Indian Hemp or Dogbane, Apocynum cannabinum, is poisonous to dogs and livestock if ingested. We squirrels are staying away from it and suggest you humans do the same.
The leaves are opposite and simple little lobes, the flowers are whitish-green (not the purple flowers in the background!) and attract butterflies in late summer. We thought we might have photos of the tiny blossoms, but we don’t so perhaps you’d like to see them on this Primitive Ways website, which also shows how you can gather the stalks and make cord from them.
