New Inhabitants
May 2013
This cute little mouse was found in the shed. The poor little thing got itself trapped in the bottom of a bucket. After taking advantage of the photo op, the bucket was gently tipped over and the mouse calmly walked away.
This cute little mouse was found in the shed. The poor little thing got itself trapped in the bottom of a bucket. After taking advantage of the photo op, the bucket was gently tipped over and the mouse calmly walked away.
April 2013
Mice - When Michele Banks removed the sharecrow for Mrs. Gagne's class, a little mouse ran out of it! It was most likely nesting inside during the winter. The sharecrow for Mrs. Pagel's class was also a nesting site - Melanie Hauer found BABIES inside! The babies, approx. 4 days old, have been relocated since the sharecrow was already in pieces when they were found. Please do not disturb their new home in the toad abode beneath the brush pile. Sorry toads! You'll have your abode back soon!
Sept 2012
Milkweed Bugs - Critter hunters visiting the Habitat should have an easy time finding these because they are brightly colored and only eat milkweed, including the seeds. They are harmless to humans and are welcome in the Habitat as long as they don't eat ALL the milkweed seeds. We need milkweed for feeding monarch butterflies as well! Learn more about these fun bugs, including how to raise them, at http://insected.arizona.edu/milkinfo.htm.
July 2012
This western tiger swallowtail was spotted and photographed in July 2012 by Michelle Zunich as she visited the Habitat to do some weeding. It was identified using the following website: http://www.gardenswithwings.com/identify-butterflies.html.
It's a great site to share with the kiddies!
It's a great site to share with the kiddies!
May 2012
Eastern bluebirds have chosen to nest in Habitat box #9. Hooray! Sadly, one of the three nestlings was found dead in the nest during a Habitat hike with Mrs. Cuy's class. It was buried beneath the box after the hike and three rocks mark its grave. The photo below depicts one of the two healthy nestlings. Adult bluebirds are quite shy. Walk quietly through the Habitat and you should be able to spot them. The male is fond of flying back and forth between the nest box and the evergreen trees on the hill. Please see the following link for photos of a bluebird nest as the babies grow up: http://www.sialis.org/runt.htm. Using this page and the links provided on it, can you guess how old the Habitat nestling is?
April 2012
Every cloud has a silver lining, and proof of that is in the Hilton Habitat. Last fall, muddy conditions and a large track meet combined to really tear up the ground. This killed off a lot of grass and exposed the bare rocky ground on the hill near the Habitat shed. Well, that large, bare patch has attracted a pair of killdeer to the Habitat. It's the perfect place for them to nest! Please feel free to stop by the Habitat to view these birds but avoid walking in and around their home. They lay their well-camoflagued eggs on bare ground. We wouldn't want to accidentally step on them! You should be able to view and hear them easily from the walkway.
The killdeer is a common, but fascinating, bird that lives all over the United States. They are often seen during the day as they run around on the ground in search of insects to eat. Killdeer are also very good actors! If a killdeer feels its nest is being threatened, it will pretend to be injured by stumbling along the ground and dragging one of its wings. After the potential predator is lured away from the nest, the killdeer suddenly flies off. See photos below of a killdeer putting on this famous performance.
Learn more about killdeer at http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Charadrius_vociferus/.
UPDATE! The killdeer nest was located April 17th and is now protected from the lawn mowers & foot traffic. Many thanks to Mr. Cramer for building our new "wildlife sanctuary." Hopefully there will be three fluffy chicks in the Habitat soon! See photos below.
The killdeer is a common, but fascinating, bird that lives all over the United States. They are often seen during the day as they run around on the ground in search of insects to eat. Killdeer are also very good actors! If a killdeer feels its nest is being threatened, it will pretend to be injured by stumbling along the ground and dragging one of its wings. After the potential predator is lured away from the nest, the killdeer suddenly flies off. See photos below of a killdeer putting on this famous performance.
Learn more about killdeer at http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Charadrius_vociferus/.
UPDATE! The killdeer nest was located April 17th and is now protected from the lawn mowers & foot traffic. Many thanks to Mr. Cramer for building our new "wildlife sanctuary." Hopefully there will be three fluffy chicks in the Habitat soon! See photos below.
October 2011
Garden spiders have returned to the Habitat! At least one anyway. Look for her in the iris leaves in the perennial garden and learn more about her below (post from September 2010).
September 2011
Grasshopper - September 2011
A beautiful differential grasshopper was found hanging out in the Habitat perennial garden and posed quite nicely for this photo. These grasshoppers are usually considered to be a pest since they enjoy munching on farmer's crops, but here in the Habitat we love visitors even if they do nibble on our plants. Learn more about differential grasshoppers at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_grasshopper.
A beautiful differential grasshopper was found hanging out in the Habitat perennial garden and posed quite nicely for this photo. These grasshoppers are usually considered to be a pest since they enjoy munching on farmer's crops, but here in the Habitat we love visitors even if they do nibble on our plants. Learn more about differential grasshoppers at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_grasshopper.
July 2011
Bluebirds - July 2011
Quite an interesting find was made in one of the Habitat nest boxes in July - an eastern bluebird nest ON TOP of a wren nest! For some reason the wrens must have abandoned the box prior to the bluebirds moving in. It is very exciting that bluebirds have moved in so soon after chasing all the house sparrows away! Learn more about bluebirds at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Bluebird/id
Quite an interesting find was made in one of the Habitat nest boxes in July - an eastern bluebird nest ON TOP of a wren nest! For some reason the wrens must have abandoned the box prior to the bluebirds moving in. It is very exciting that bluebirds have moved in so soon after chasing all the house sparrows away! Learn more about bluebirds at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Bluebird/id
June 2011
House Wren - June 2011
Two nest boxes in the Habitat are currently in use by house wrens. Keep your ears open for peeping baby birds if you visit in the coming weeks. Learn more about House Wrens at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/House_Wren/lifehistory.
Two nest boxes in the Habitat are currently in use by house wrens. Keep your ears open for peeping baby birds if you visit in the coming weeks. Learn more about House Wrens at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/House_Wren/lifehistory.
May 2011
Toad and Garter Snake - May 2011
Mrs. Garrison's class discovered this toad in the herb garden during a Habitat outing. More precisely, they discovered this toad, IN THE TOAD HOUSE in the herb garden. During the same visit the class discovered a large garter snake while sprucing up the snake habitat, which is the large pile of logs and branches near the wetlands area. Sadly, the snake moved too quickly through the high grass for his portrait to be taken. How wonderful that local wildlife is making use of the shelter provided for them in the Habitat!
Learn more about Ohio frogs and toads at http://ohioamphibians.com/frogs/frogspecies.html. Can you identify the species of toad found by Mrs. Garrison's class? Learn more about Ohio snakes at http://www.oplin.org/snake/id%20by%20name/byname.html.
Mrs. Garrison's class discovered this toad in the herb garden during a Habitat outing. More precisely, they discovered this toad, IN THE TOAD HOUSE in the herb garden. During the same visit the class discovered a large garter snake while sprucing up the snake habitat, which is the large pile of logs and branches near the wetlands area. Sadly, the snake moved too quickly through the high grass for his portrait to be taken. How wonderful that local wildlife is making use of the shelter provided for them in the Habitat!
Learn more about Ohio frogs and toads at http://ohioamphibians.com/frogs/frogspecies.html. Can you identify the species of toad found by Mrs. Garrison's class? Learn more about Ohio snakes at http://www.oplin.org/snake/id%20by%20name/byname.html.
April 2011
Earth Worm 4/11
Our high-school volunteers were excited to find this large earthworm while working in the perennial garden. Learn more about worms by checking out the Worm Hunt on the activities page.
Our high-school volunteers were excited to find this large earthworm while working in the perennial garden. Learn more about worms by checking out the Worm Hunt on the activities page.
Sept 2010
Black & Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope)
As of 08/10 there is a female living in the goldenrod near the common milkweed. These spiders are most commonly found in late summer/early fall.
A second garden spider was spotted in September very near to the first. Mrs. Cuy's class held a contest to name our new friends after meeting them. The winning names are Charlotte and Thunderbird.
Black and Yellow Garden Spiders are harmless to humans. Because they are large, many people fear them; however, not only are they harmless, they do a lot of good. These spiders eat large amounts of insect pests, such as flies, mosquitoes, and aphids. They may bite if harassed. Females grow to almost an inch and a half long. Males grow about ¾ inch long.
This is a common orb web spider. Orb web means it spins a web like a circle. The spider hangs with her head down in the center of her web, waiting for prey to be caught. Sometimes she hides off to the side with a thin silk thread attached to her web. When an insect hits the web, the spider feels the vibrations and comes running.
These spiders prefer sunny places with little or no wind to build their webs. They can be found on shrubs, tall plants, and flowers about 2’- 8’ from the ground. Each night, they eat the center of their web and rebuild it. The web normally remains in one location for the entire summer, but spiders can change locations usually early in the season, perhaps to find better protection or better hunting.
After mating, the female spider lays eggs on one side of the web and then covers it with a papery sac. The egg sac can be up to an inch wide. Over a thousand eggs may be inside. She often suspends the egg sac right on her web, near the center where she spends most of her time. She guards the eggs against predation as long as she is able. However, as the weather cools, she becomes more frail, and dies around the time of the first hard frost. The baby spiders hatch from their eggs in the fall, but they stay inside the sac through winter. In the spring, the young spiders leave the sac and go off on their own.
Stabilimenta are conspicuous lines or spirals of silk, included by many diurnal (active during the day) spiders at the center of their webs. It has been shown spider webs using stabilimenta catch, on average, 34% fewer insects than those without. However, webs with the easily visible markings are damaged far less frequently by birds flying through the web. It is an evolutionary tradeoff the spider can influence every time it builds a new web. The inclusion of stabilimenta is influenced by many factors, including prey density and web location.
The much smaller male Argiopes are usually found in smaller webs ancillary to the female's. They are elusive and remain inconspicuous and hidden most of the time, their chief function being fertilizing the female. They require not the huge quantity of energy the female needs for egg-laying.
Black & Yellow Garden Spiders breed once a year. The males roam in search of a female, building a small web near or actually in the female's web, then court the females by plucking strands on her web. Often, when the male approaches the female, he has a safety drop line ready, in case she attacks him. After mating, the male dies, and is sometimes then eaten by the female.
As of 08/10 there is a female living in the goldenrod near the common milkweed. These spiders are most commonly found in late summer/early fall.
A second garden spider was spotted in September very near to the first. Mrs. Cuy's class held a contest to name our new friends after meeting them. The winning names are Charlotte and Thunderbird.
Black and Yellow Garden Spiders are harmless to humans. Because they are large, many people fear them; however, not only are they harmless, they do a lot of good. These spiders eat large amounts of insect pests, such as flies, mosquitoes, and aphids. They may bite if harassed. Females grow to almost an inch and a half long. Males grow about ¾ inch long.
This is a common orb web spider. Orb web means it spins a web like a circle. The spider hangs with her head down in the center of her web, waiting for prey to be caught. Sometimes she hides off to the side with a thin silk thread attached to her web. When an insect hits the web, the spider feels the vibrations and comes running.
These spiders prefer sunny places with little or no wind to build their webs. They can be found on shrubs, tall plants, and flowers about 2’- 8’ from the ground. Each night, they eat the center of their web and rebuild it. The web normally remains in one location for the entire summer, but spiders can change locations usually early in the season, perhaps to find better protection or better hunting.
After mating, the female spider lays eggs on one side of the web and then covers it with a papery sac. The egg sac can be up to an inch wide. Over a thousand eggs may be inside. She often suspends the egg sac right on her web, near the center where she spends most of her time. She guards the eggs against predation as long as she is able. However, as the weather cools, she becomes more frail, and dies around the time of the first hard frost. The baby spiders hatch from their eggs in the fall, but they stay inside the sac through winter. In the spring, the young spiders leave the sac and go off on their own.
Stabilimenta are conspicuous lines or spirals of silk, included by many diurnal (active during the day) spiders at the center of their webs. It has been shown spider webs using stabilimenta catch, on average, 34% fewer insects than those without. However, webs with the easily visible markings are damaged far less frequently by birds flying through the web. It is an evolutionary tradeoff the spider can influence every time it builds a new web. The inclusion of stabilimenta is influenced by many factors, including prey density and web location.
The much smaller male Argiopes are usually found in smaller webs ancillary to the female's. They are elusive and remain inconspicuous and hidden most of the time, their chief function being fertilizing the female. They require not the huge quantity of energy the female needs for egg-laying.
Black & Yellow Garden Spiders breed once a year. The males roam in search of a female, building a small web near or actually in the female's web, then court the females by plucking strands on her web. Often, when the male approaches the female, he has a safety drop line ready, in case she attacks him. After mating, the male dies, and is sometimes then eaten by the female.