Nymphal instars 1-5 plus an Adult male.
Two images of the male secondary sexual character; the accessory genitalic process. It is always located on the right side of the 3rd abdominal tergite (i.e. dorsal side).
for comparison see:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/155474572
and
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/155474216
and
Vial 119 - lotic-erosional habitat in a fairly small and fairly swift stream... mostly sand and gravel and small stone substrate
In Lyon's brook downstream from the Ruggles Pond dam perhaps 100-150'? A small but swift brook, kick-net collected, in a calmer part of the stream adjacent to the bank, sandy-rocky substrate.
Vial 113 - lotic-erosional habitat in a fairly small and fairly swift stream... mostly sand and gravel and small stone substrate
Suture from procoxal cavity to lateral margin distinct.
Alongside the road, this is the only bloom like this I saw. But didn’t really scour the area, either. Could be more…
Collected 6/10/19 for a closer look at the seeds. Original observation here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/26934660
These are all images of the same individual at different life stages. It was caught as a larva september 8th, pupated september 14th, and eclosed on september 18th. Found in a tire in a heavily wooded area primaily of decidious trees
Feeding on a calling gray treefrog. These frog-biting midges seemed to cause slight discomfort to the frog as he kept flicking his leg to try and dislodge them. He was unsuccessful.
Ranch
Seasonal Wetland
See detailed discussion re differences in leaves of T. cuneifolia vs. T platycarpa as shown here.
Also, I am posting my detailed description of differences in other aspects of these two species, with emphasis on trichomes.
Finally, I am also posting here my data on the comparative height of these two species.
This single plant was the target of our quest today. And finding it was extremely...EXTREMELY surprising. This plant (i.e. a stem from apparently the same underground rhizome) was first discovered in March 1984 by me. At the time, I tentatively identified it as Trillium gracile, a species of southeast Texas and eastward. The ID has been debated and the remarkable occurrence of the plant at this location is very curious (long story). I had rechecked this plant probably 15 years ago and it was still present, and now--some 35 years after its first discovery, it is still putting up a flower in a lonely attempt to propagate. (There is, and has always only been, just the one plant here.) All of us, including eminent botanist Bill Carr (4th image) and Dr. George Yatskievych (U.T. Herbarium, 5th image, kneeling to photograph the plant) were just floored that we could refind the plant.
The plant is found in a mesic shaded canyon head at a permanent spring. The plant is in moist silty loam at the base of a bluff adjacent to the springhead pool, with abundant leaf litter, under mature oak-ash-elm-juniper woodland. Aside from a wealth of recent invasives (Japanese Honeysuckle, Glossy Privet, etc.), the site includes several relictual species of very local occurrence in Travis County, including:
-- Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
-- Cross Vine (Bignonia capreolata)
-- Bristly Greenbrier (Smilax tamnoides [= S. hispida])
-- Eastern Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
The 6 plants we found in the area were just 7-9 cm tall. Larger leaves were 7-10 mm long. I've never seen S. campestris examples so small, so wonder if there was influence from another Sabatia species. Those strongly winged calyx tubes and leaves with rounded bases clasping do confirm this is predominantly Sabatia campestris.
Atta texana nest of a population at the eastern range limit of this species in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana. Sandy soil. Mounds of Atta texana in this population are very large/old, and a retired local resident told me that texana colonies were abundant in the area as far back as the resident could remember. This is another population of Atta texana that is thriving at the range limit, like populations that I know in northern Louisiana and northern Texas.
I believe this is the first report of Atta texana for Evangeline Parish. I post this observation to help define the range limits of Atta texana.
observation UGM201105-04
elevation 39 meter
Multiple mounds seen extending in a line in either direction. Numerous mounds in area.
white morphs (?) very common here
Lady Beetle on the nose of a northern elephant seal