Please send in your photos!
Today’s batch is quite diverse in content, and comes from reader Leo Glenn, whose notes are indented. You can enlarge the photos by clicking on them.
I haven’t been able to take many photos lately, and my archive is fairly disorganized, so here is a somewhat random collection of photos. The only thing tying them together, really, is that they were all taken within walking distance of my house in western Pennsylvania. I’ve also included a “macro” photo that you could use as a “What am I?” quiz, if you so desire. The subsequent photo is the reveal. [JAC: I’ll put it below the fold.]
American giant millipede (Narceus americanus), a relatively common sight on my daily dog walk:
Gray treefrog (Dryophytes versicolor), so named because they can change color from gray to green or brown. Far more often heard than seen, this one was down near the ground and politely lingered long enough for me to take its picture:
Another organism with the species name versicolor, the Turkey Tail mushroom (Trametes versicolor)
Yellow morel (Morchella esculenta), from my secret morel patch:
Crown-tipped coral fungus (Artomyces pyxidatus):
Our mulberry tree had a bumper crop this year, which attracted many bird species, including this Black-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus), seen here, though, on a neighboring red maple (Acer rubrum).
Red-headed bush cricket, also known as a Handsome trig (Phyllopalpus pulchellus):
Pennsylvania leatherwing, also called a goldenrod soldier beetle (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus):
And a photo from this past winter. Even the Eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) were social distancing:
Finally, here’s the photo for the “What am I?” quiz:
To see the reveal, click “read more”:
And here’s the reveal. It’s a close up of a woolly mammoth bone, from Siberia. Not sure of the Latin name. According to Wikipedia, it’s Mammuthus primigenius, but I’m unsure of the age of this particular fossil, or whether there were multiple species, subspecies, etc.
Morels. Best tasting mushrooms you can get. However you must know how to cook them.
Wonderful photos!
Absolutely – and great variety, too (the socially distanced squirrels made me laugh). Thanks, Leo!
I loved these photos!
Very good! I guessed the mystery was spongy bone, and was right enough.
Bravo! I I figured you would probably get it right, or close.
The American giant millipede! Wow! Was it like that when you saw it, or did it do this as a defensive move? (Or was it just showing off?) Most impressive!
That is a defensive posture. I find them almost daily, crossing the road, and relocate them to save them from passing cars.
Thanks, everyone!