Pure Green Sweat Bee.
Photo by John Denice
Nine nature enthusiasts joined walk leaders Kevin and John Denice at JK Black Oak on Sunday, October 6 as part of the month-long Walk for Wildlife. It was a beautiful day and there were so many species for the Walk for Wildlife participants to see and record including birds, trees, butterflies and other insects, plants and fungi. The group took a short loop trail (just over a mile in length) on the property going through the fields and then into the woods. We went by the LeSabre vernal pool (which had a little water in it from the recent rains) and then past the deer enclosures back to the parking area.
We saw many butterflies: Variegated Fritillary, Pearl Crescent, Cabbage White, Common Buckeye, Eastern Tailed-blue and Red Admiral. We saw some very interesting insects such as Pure Green Sweat Bees, Seven-spotted and Asian lady beetles, a Ringed Assassin Bug, American Nursery Web Spider and multiple crab spiders. The numerous fungi included Milk-white Toothed Polypore, crowded parchment, and Black Knot. For birds we had robins, goldfinches, Gray Catbirds, Turkey Vultures, Red-shouldered Hawks and a Northern Harrier. Plants included natives, nonnatives and invasives: Wineberry, Common Milkweed, Giant Foxtail, Coralberry, Common Yarrow and American Burnweed. You can see these species in the Walk for Wildlife 2024: LWC project.