Journal for March 14, 2010

Spring has really sprung now.

Today the temperature got to almost 65 degrees.  And it was sunny, for the first time in about 2 weeks.  Mike did a nice post with comparison photos from yesterday and today – the snow is disappearing fast.

I saw my first butterflies of the season.

Compton Tortoiseshell

Mourning Cloak

and about a dozen Infant Moths

The snow is nearly gone except on the north-facing hillsides.  When the snow melts, there are patches of white mold on the dead leaves.  It’s interesting to look at closely – from a distance it looks like spider webbing.

But looking closer, it has a beautiful lacy pattern.

There have been lots of caterpillars wandering across the paths and the road in the last few weeks.  The most common have been Ctenucha Moth caterpillars. I collected a few to keep in a jar, to watch them transform into adults.

When they’re startled, they curl up into a spiral.

There were also several Woolly Bear caterpillars – known as Isabella Tiger Moths when they’re adults.

This is a view from the Big View Prairie bench – from yesterday.  I’m sure there’s even less snow today, after 60 degree temperatures.

I walked up Sumac Prairie – I always check there for the first flowers.  No flowers out yet, but there are tiny plants starting to grow in the warm sun.  These are Common Whitlow Grass – a tiny annual in the mustard family that’s one of the first plants to bloom on our prairie remnants. Each plant is only a few millimeters across.  In a few weeks they’ll each have a long stalk with a few small white four-petaled flowers.

I did find some flowers blooming today – near the old farm house.  The remains of the lawn still has some garden plants left, and the crocuses were out.