 Ruby-throated hummingbirds    Hummingbird clearwing sphinx moth  Tiger swallowtail, silver-spotted skipper and bee  Monarch butterfly | For the past few days, a flurry of tiny wings has plagued my hummingbird feeders. Over the years, late July and early August have always seen a boom in the hummingbird population around my home. The yearly uptick in these small angry birds is most likely due to their breeding and the hatching of smaller angry birds. Ruby-throated hummingbirds typically lay two eggs and can have up to two broods per season, according to internet research. The numbers do add up. Our record for the most hummingbirds at a feeder at one time was at least a dozen. This year so far, we have counted five at a feeder. However, I had spaced my feeders apart. It had become nearly impossible to get a good count. Nonetheless, I deduced that this was a good year for hummingbirds. Another visitor to the yard that can sometimes be mistaken for a hummingbird was a sphinx moth. I have seen one or two of these neat little creatures so far this year. It was a hummingbird clearwing. Other years I have had higher numbers of the clearwings and few different types of sphinx moths visiting. This year seemed to be a good year for various swallowtails. I have seen a decent number of both tiger and spicebush swallowtails. One boon that aided the butterfly boom was that milkweed had begun growing near the neighbor’s pond. There were a few days that the blossoms were bursting with butterflies. In late July, I saw my first monarch sighting of the year. I desperately hoped that it would be a good year for monarchs. While I wished for more butterflies, I did not want any more deer flies. Unfortunately for the deer and those who also traverse the woodlands, this year was booming with deer flies. Several photos on the trail cameras showed deer covered in insects. The cameras were able to pick up more than just bugs. |
There was some new blood in the form of fawns that increased the neighborhood deer population by at least two or three.
Undoubtedly, they too will have to suffer due to the higher number of deer flies.
Undoubtedly, they too will have to suffer due to the higher number of deer flies.
While flies can be pests, they do serve as a meal for other creatures like spiders and birds.
Six-spotted fishing spider
| I was able to land a photo of a large fishing spider at the neighbor’s pond. It was a six-spotted fishing spider. Females are larger than the males and can reach up to 2.4 inches long including their legs. While fishing spiders mostly prey on aquatic insects, I’m sure they wouldn’t hesitate to snack on a deer fly if given the opportunity. Meanwhile for the dogs, swimming was a bust. The lack of recent rainfall had made the water stop flowing into and out of the neighbor’s pond. There was some algae growth that had me concerned. |  Possible algae bloom  |
| Cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae) are microscopic bacteria found in freshwater lakes, streams, ponds and brackish water ecosystems, according to an article on the Pet Poison Helpline website. They can produce toxins (such as microcystins and anatoxins) that affect people, livestock and pets that swim in and drink from the algae-contaminated water. … Algal concentrations vary throughout the year but are most abundant during periods of hot weather in mid- to late-summer months and are most likely to be found in nutrient-rich water,” the post continued. The article went on to say that not all algae blooms produce toxins. Testing would need to be done. “Thus, all blooms should be considered potentially toxic,” the post warned. Sadie, Gus and Clem were reduced to wallowing in a couple of inches of water upstream where the water was still flowing. There was no doubt that the lack of rainfall in June and July caused problems for more than just swimming canines. The U.S. Drought Monitor map released Aug. 1 showed an increase in areas dealing with drought. All of Venango County was listed in the abnormally dry category. The southwestern parts of the state were in moderate to severe drought. However, the cut off for the precipitation data was at 8 am. Tuesday, July 30. Much of Tuesday’s rain amounts may not have been included in the data. A quick check of National Weather Service data showed a precipitation deficit for June and July. According to the service, July is supposed to be Franklin highest month for precipitation during the year with a normal 5.32 inches. With .45 inches from rains the previous week and an additional .31 inches from this past Tuesday, Franklin finished out July 2024 with only 2.43 inches of rain. June 2024 ended with 2.66 inches of rain with the normal number being 4.86 inches. However, with the help of some spring rains, Franklin was still ahead in terms of year-to-date accumulation, according to the weather service. .According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, “spring and early summer rainfall completely alleviated drought concerns across the Midwest … However, the reprieve was short-lived as extreme heat and below-normal rainfall drove the expansion of drought in Ohio and Kentucky over the last 5 weeks.” An article by Ian Livingston about the drought in the east was posted on msn.com. “A 'flash' drought — described as such because of its rapid onset — developed over large parts of the eastern United States during June and persisted through July. In early June, only South Florida was experiencing drought, but it has since expanded to cover a zone from Ohio to Georgia and several surrounding states,” Livingston wrote. “In recent weeks, parts of North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee have seen more regular rainfall, easing the drought. Still, rain remained spotty overall in July, which is typically one of the wettest months of the year, so a lot more precipitation is needed for a larger area to see significant improvement,” Livingston continued. Some relief may be on the horizon. The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center’s 8-to-14-day outlook issued through Aug. 15 called for slightly above average chance of precipitation. The 3-to-4-week outlook showed above average chances for precipitation. |   Dewberry  Red-spotted purple butterfly  Spicebush swallowtail   Sunflower  Calla lily  Calla lily |
The prediction center also posted a graphic on drought status that provided some hopeful information. Most areas of Pennsylvania currently listed in drought status were in the category to potentially have the drought status removed. Further south into the Virginias in areas that were listed in severe to moderate drought, it was predicted that the drought would remain, but that conditions would improve.
Cone flowers
While the rain may return, it didn’t seem like the warm weather was going anywhere fast.
“Cooler weather may not arrive until November, as the nation battles an oppressive record-toppling heatwave,” said an article on msn.com.
The climate prediction center’s 3-to-4-week outlook called for above average temperatures, as well.
“Cooler weather may not arrive until November, as the nation battles an oppressive record-toppling heatwave,” said an article on msn.com.
The climate prediction center’s 3-to-4-week outlook called for above average temperatures, as well.
Begonia
 Turk's cap lily  Purple milkwort | The hot dry weather had an impact on my flowers and vegetables this year. It was safe to say that this year’s sweet pepper harvest will be a bust. I couldn’t get them to thrive no matter what I tried. To make matters worse, the plants were then eaten by the deer. My beans and potatoes were chewed upon as well. The only thing booming in the vegetable garden weren’t vegetables at all. Surprisingly, the sunflowers that I planted grew and filled their row quite nicely. They seemed a little shorter than years before. I surmised this could be due to the weather or just the variety of seeds I had chosen. |
In the flower garden, my calla lilies were doing better than they had in other years. This was the first time in two years that the yellow one flowered. The cone flowers were thriving as well. Two begonia plants that I wasn’t sure were going to survive surprised me. They appeared dead when I put them in the basement for the winter. This summer they were bursting with blooms.
This year however will be a bust for photos of Turk’s cap lilies. Photos on Facebook from earlier years showed robust orange blooms. There were at least three to five blossoms on each plant. This year I only saw one tiny one that was growing by my house. The others had been chopped off when the electric company cleared their right-of-way. They will grow back, but there was a lack of photo opportunities for the year.
Ghost pipes
Growing in a safe place away from the electric company’s right-of-way, was some milkwort. The tiny purple flower appeared to be weathering the weather and putting out more blooms than I had seen before.
According to a post on paenflowered.org, field milkwort blooms from June to October.
“On close examination the individual flowers are fairly complex in structure. Two large sepals, three small sepals and three small petals combine to form a tubular flower with wings,” the post said.
The post added that the plant’s common name comes from the old belief that eating this herb would increase milk production in cows or for nursing mothers.
When crushed, the root gives off a wintergreen odor. It is sometimes called purple milkwort, blood milkwort or candy root, the post continued.
According to a post on paenflowered.org, field milkwort blooms from June to October.
“On close examination the individual flowers are fairly complex in structure. Two large sepals, three small sepals and three small petals combine to form a tubular flower with wings,” the post said.
The post added that the plant’s common name comes from the old belief that eating this herb would increase milk production in cows or for nursing mothers.
When crushed, the root gives off a wintergreen odor. It is sometimes called purple milkwort, blood milkwort or candy root, the post continued.
Jack-o-lantern mushrooms
| In the woods, a plant without Chlorophyll appeared to be trying to beat the heat and dryness. Ghost pipes or monotropa uniflora were seen in numbers comparable to years before. However, after breaking the surface the plants quickly dried out and didn’t seem to have the longevity that they had had before. In an article posted on usda.gov about the plant, author Chantelle DeLay answered the question of how the plants survive without chlorophyll.“Ghost pipe saps nutrients and carbohydrates from tree roots through an intermediate source, myccorhizal fungi in the genera Russula and Lactarius,” DeLay explained. While the plant’s numbers were strong, they only lasted a day or two until the heat baked the life out of them. Meanwhile this year brought feast or famine from some other fungi. I felt like I was seeing Jack-o-lantern mushrooms popping up everywhere. |  Jack-o-lantern mushrooms  Jack-o-lantern mushrooms  Chicken of the woods |
They were thriving when other mushrooms like chanterelles were affected by the dryness.
I found one very large grouping of the “jacks”. They had grown completely around a large dead tree.
The mushrooms are reportedly bioluminescent. I had a crazy idea to take the dogs and a tripod out after dark and try to get a photo.
Along with one slightly irritated husband, we made the ten-minute walk to a couple patches of the orange mushrooms. We saw nothing. Disappointed, we trekked back home.
I wondered why we didn’t seem to see anything. A little searching on the internet helped me understand.
“The jack-o'-lantern mushroom is orange. Its bioluminescence, a blue-green color, can be observed in fresh specimens in low light conditions once the eye becomes dark-adapted. The whole mushroom does not glow—only the gills do…”, said a post on Forest Wildlife.
I found one very large grouping of the “jacks”. They had grown completely around a large dead tree.
The mushrooms are reportedly bioluminescent. I had a crazy idea to take the dogs and a tripod out after dark and try to get a photo.
Along with one slightly irritated husband, we made the ten-minute walk to a couple patches of the orange mushrooms. We saw nothing. Disappointed, we trekked back home.
I wondered why we didn’t seem to see anything. A little searching on the internet helped me understand.
“The jack-o'-lantern mushroom is orange. Its bioluminescence, a blue-green color, can be observed in fresh specimens in low light conditions once the eye becomes dark-adapted. The whole mushroom does not glow—only the gills do…”, said a post on Forest Wildlife.
Queen Anne's lace
“The light produced is a pale greenish yellow, similar to a firefly’s glow, but the glow is easy to miss except on a very dark night with little other light interference,” the post added.
I surmised that I didn’t let my eyes adjust and was possibly viewing the mushrooms from an angle that their gills were not visible.
The post also went on to explain why the mushrooms glow.
It stated that “the mushrooms glow to attract insects, which in turn act as ‘pollinators’ to help spread the mushroom spores. This phenomenon is known as foxfire.”
However, even the “jacks” were affected by the dry weather. While their numbers boomed, the dry heat severely impacted their longevity.
I surmised that I didn’t let my eyes adjust and was possibly viewing the mushrooms from an angle that their gills were not visible.
The post also went on to explain why the mushrooms glow.
It stated that “the mushrooms glow to attract insects, which in turn act as ‘pollinators’ to help spread the mushroom spores. This phenomenon is known as foxfire.”
However, even the “jacks” were affected by the dry weather. While their numbers boomed, the dry heat severely impacted their longevity.
I was able to find some chicken of the woods or sulfur shelf mushrooms. They were not as plentiful as in other years.
Unlike the toxic jack-o-lantern the chicken of the woods is edible by most people. However, some people could have adverse reactions to the fungus.
Unlike the toxic jack-o-lantern the chicken of the woods is edible by most people. However, some people could have adverse reactions to the fungus.
Some things like the "jacks" have thrived in this current weather. Other things are just trying to survive this current weather. I wondered if the region and other areas would receive enough rain to end the "flash drought" conditions. I hoped that the dogs could return to swimming in a pond with flowing water. I questioned if the warm weather continuing into the fall meant that my pepper plants might have a second chance at life.
That's just the nature of things 'round here.
That's just the nature of things 'round here.
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