Hey all people! I hope this submit finds you all doing properly. It has been scorching this earlier week. It is 99° F as I am starting to jot down this submit. There could also be rain inside the forecast for subsequent week so hopefully, the temps will cool off a bit.

I had an fascinating stroll inside the hayfield on June 26, merely a couple of days sooner than the hay was decrease. It was type of troublesome to walk inside the tall grass, nonetheless I was on a mission and wished to get to the once more of the farm.

Auricularia americana (Jelly Tree Ear) on 6-26-22, #896-10.

I made my strategy by the use of the bushes in an house north of the rooster residence to get to the pasture. I ran all through a couple of Auricularia americana (Jelly Tree Ear) on a limb that had fallen. I’ve seen these sooner than they usually‘re very weird and type of slimy.

I did a bit learning on the MushroomExpert.Com and found a variety of points… There are a variety of species of jelly fungi (even in several genera) that differ significantly in traits. The issue is “this species is NOT actually Auricularia americana… Auricularia americana grows on conifers, NOT deciduous bushes… You probably can click on on on the hyperlink above to get the complete story.

Apparently, it was simply recently discovered there are a variety of genetically distinct species of Auricularia within the USA nonetheless there was a snag in naming them. As with completely different crops, there are strict pointers that apply when naming new species. New species of fungi ought to be registered on-line and given an identifier amount. When submitting their publication regarding the new species, they didn’t embody the identifier amount, so their publication was invalid…

Hmmm… That was in 2015, seven years previously. Did they resubmit the publication as soon as extra with the right numbers? It’s like watching a sequence on TV and being left hanging in the long term!!!

Asclepias syriaca (Widespread Milkweed) on 6-26-22, #896-5.

By 2:32, I had made my choice to a pleasing group of Asclepias syriaca (Widespread Milkweed). There are lots of them proper right here on the farm, as I’ve possibly talked about sooner than, and are laborious to miss on account of their peak.

Asclepias syriaca (Widespread Milkweed) on 6-26-22, #896-7.

There could also be always A LOT of train on milkweed. Not solely on their flowers nonetheless usually on their leaves as properly. Milkweed crops serve our ecosystem pretty properly. Additional about these little black bugs farther down…

Tetraopes tetrophthalmus (Crimson Milkweed Beetle) on 6-26-22, #896-28.

Ummm… I was taking photos of the flowers, minding my very personal enterprise, when a pair of Tetraopes tetrophthalmus (Crimson Milkweed Beetle) appeared. She started to blush and he said, “Do you ideas?” I’m undecided if he was talking to me or the alternative bug…

Tetraopes tetrophthalmus (Crimson Milkweed Beetle) on 6-26-22, #896-29.

I moved to a definite plant and positioned one different one. I was attempting to get good photos of its once more, nonetheless these guys switch reasonably quickly. I did some learning on a variety of internet sites about this critter and found it’s vitally fascinating. Fascinating data embody:

The genus and species names indicate “four-eyes” on account of their antennas actually separate their eyes, giving them 4 eyes in its place of two.

Tetraopes tetrophthalmus prefers Asclepias syriaca (Widespread Milkweed) over completely different milkweed species. Totally different members of the genus are moreover normally host-specific and like completely different milkweed species.

Grownup Crimson Milkweed Beetles feed on the plant’s leaves, buds, and flowers. When feeding on the leaves, they decrease a slit inside the veins and feed on the sap as a result of it runs out of the decrease. They need to wipe their mouths on the leaves so their mouth gained’t get gummed up… The toxins from the sap is absorbed into the beetles, which moreover makes them toxic to predators. I be taught the place the toxins give the beetles their color, which is a warning to predators that they are distasteful and toxic.

Females lay clutches of reddish eggs in direction of the underside of the crops and the larvae burrow into the soil and feed on the roots. Perhaps counting on when the eggs are laid, some information says they hibernate inside the cells they make throughout the roots.

In the event that they’re startled, they make a shrill noise nonetheless they purr when interacting with completely different beetles… Hmmm…

Crimson Milkweed Beetles solely dwell for one month…

Chauliognathus marginatus (Margined Leatherwing Beetle) on 6-26-22, #896-11.

Then I ran into a extremely busy Chauliognathus marginatus (Margined Leatherwing Beetle) which didn’t want to stand nonetheless each. One different frequent title is Margined Soldier Beetle. To its correct, hiding, is one different a sort of small black bugs… These bugs are useful pollinators and they also feed on nectar, pollen, and small bugs resembling aphids. Their larvae are moreover vicious predators. The coloration of the adults is type of variable. These are a farmer’s and gardener’s buddies, so must you see them in large numbers in your flowers, don’t concern. They’ve their very personal mission they usually will not hurt your crops.

Oebalus pugnax (Rice Stink Bug) on 6-26-22, #896-19.

Then, I ran this Oebalus pugnax (Rice Stink Bug)… I’ve acknowledged a variety of species of stink bugs proper right here on the farm that look associated, nonetheless this one was fully completely different. This bug IS NOT a pal, significantly for farmers who develop rice, sorghum, wheat, and plenty of others. They feed on wild grasses after which migrate to fields to do their hurt. They feed on the endosperm of the seed leaving an empty shell or shriveled kernels.

Adults overwinter near the underside in grass then lay their eggs in clusters of 10-30 in double rows on the leaves or seed heads of grasses. The nymphs molt 5 events to develop into adults in 18-50 days, counting on temperature. They’ll produce 2 to 5 generations per 12 months…

Tragia betonicifolia (Betony-Leaf Noseburn) on 6-26-22, #896-30.

I moved on a bit northeast from the milkweed and stumbled all through one different plant I hadn’t seen sooner than. I took pretty a variety of photos and uploaded the one above on iNaturalist to get an thought. Its excessive suggestion was Tragia urticifolia (Nettleleaf Noseburn), the second was Tragia ramosa (Desert Noseburn), the third was Rhynchosida physocalyx (Beaked Sida), then they went downhill after that. The first was a danger nonetheless not the alternative two.

I checked on the Missouri Crops site and it wasn’t on the itemizing nonetheless three completely different species had been. The one one I seen that appeared shut (from the photographs) was Tragia betonicifolia (Betony-Leaf Noseburn). On the bottom of the net web page it says T. urticifolia fastidiously resembles the species nonetheless isn’t current in Missouri. I checked the maps on Crops of the World On-line, Flora of North America, USDA Crops Database, and BONAP and all agreed T. urticifolia isn’t in Missouri. Successfully, one would have been ample nonetheless I wanted to try. 🙂 The maps do current Tragia betonicifolia is in Missouri nonetheless not in Pettis County the place I dwell. Nonetheless, the species has been current in Henry County which is all through the street, and Johnson County which is only a few miles away. What variety of events has that occurred? Too many to rely… Even the tree frogs that like my residence are a species not current in Pettis County nonetheless they’re in Henry, like 100′ away. 🙂

Regardless that I had my doubts the species was Tragia urticifolia, I went ahead and submitted the commentary as such with seven photos. The additional detailed photos you possibly can have the upper significantly if you find yourself uncertain… Oddly, no one agreed or really helpful a definite ID even after a month (after I’m scripting this). I decided I’d return and do further exploring… There have been solely two observations of Tragia urticifolia posted in Missouri and one was mine. Nonetheless, there have been seven for T. betonicifolia and three had been from botanists. SO, I despatched them a message along with a hyperlink to my commentary. One replied the next day and said “…I hate basing IDs on geography alone, so I keyed it out to substantiate the ID. Your plant is T. betonicifolia. They’re troublesome to distinguish from photos (keying requires an angle of the flowers that reveals the suitable character), so it doesn’t shock me that iNat’s algorithm had problem with it.” I can undoubtedly understand that… Out of 909 observations (402 fully completely different species) I’ve submitted to iNaturalist, they’ve solely been a bit off a variety of events. I really feel that is pretty darn good!

Tragia betonicifolia (Betony-Leaf Noseburn) on 6-26-22, #896-34.

Tragia species are monoecious and produce separate staminate (male) and pistillate (female) flowers on the an identical plant nonetheless in an odd type of strategy. Not like members of the Asteraceae, as an illustration, which produce feminine and male flowers on the an identical flower. They produce a single pistillate flower on the bottom of the inflorescence (floral stem), then a raceme of as a lot as 30 staminate flowers. Compared with completely different photos I’ve seen on-line, the inflorescence inside the above {photograph} is, ummm, significantly temporary and apparently, the pistillate flower has already been fertilized…

Tragia betonicifolia (Betony-Leaf Noseburn) on 6-26-22, #896-36.

The above {photograph} was taken of a definite inflorescence the place you probably can see the fuzzy fruit that has started to develop from the ovary of the pistillate flower. Above the fruit, you probably can see the stays of some staminate flowers. There have been further staminate flowers on the excessive of the inflorescence nonetheless these photos had been all blurry… By the purpose I went by the use of the photographs, the hayfield was decrease along with this plant… GEEZ! You acknowledge what they’re saying? “He who hesitates…” The ovaries have three large carpels…

OH, I greater not neglect to say that Tragia species are members of the spurge family Euphorbiaceae. They’re coated with STINGING hairs that are said to set off intense ache. One site said as lots ache as you probably can ever have. After I be taught that, I was reminded of my kidney stones…

should you want to be taught further about this species, the Missouri Crops site has some good photos with technical descriptions. The Arkansas Native Plant Society moreover has good photos and a great deal of very good information.

Shifting correct alongside…

Apocynum cannabinum (Hemp Dogbane) on 6-26-22, #896-1.

I ran all through a good-sized colony of Apocynum cannabinum (Hemp Dogbane), which is beginning to be an outdated story. I first acknowledged this species from a single plant I found inside the south side of the precept hayfield in 2020. Since then, they’ve unfold reminiscent of you wouldn’t contemplate! In 2021, I found one alongside the road in entrance of the yard so I let it develop… After the hay was decrease inside the south hayfield in 2021, a HUGE patch received right here up in direction of the doorway. This 12 months, the one plant alongside the road in entrance of the yard turned a HUGE colony… GEEZ!!! I really feel this species may probably be significantly invasive…

Apocynum cannabinum (Hemp Dogbane) flowers on 6-26-22, #896-4.

They produce LOTS of flowers. Ummm… There are these darn black bugs AGAIN… Maybe we should at all times have a extra in-depth look…

Corimelaena pulicaria (Black Bug) on 6-26-22, #896-13.

Successfully, I took a variety of photos to get an excellent one… I uploaded the photographs on iNaturalist and they also listed a variety of options of species seen shut by. At first, I assumed that they had been presumably Sehirus cinctus (White-Margined Burrower Bug), so I chosen that title on the itemizing and went with it hoping any individual would have an thought. The color appeared associated, nonetheless so did the alternative options. Inside no time, a member really helpful the genus Corimelaena, a member of the family Thyreocoridae (Ebony Bugs)… So I checked the genus out and positioned a site that listed a variety of species and what crops they most popular. Low and behold, it said Corimelaena pulicaria feeds on Apocynum cannabinum (amongst completely different crops). So, I went with that species and altered the title on the commentary. Regardless that iNaturalist gives the frequent title Black Bug, many internet sites don’t even give an ordinary title. There are numerous species of “Black”, “Ebony”, and “Negro” bugs in a variety of genera that look exactly alike to me… I didn’t actually really feel like catching one this and that half with a magnifying glass… Attempting as soon as extra, they might probably be Corimelaena obscura… I really feel I am going to stop fascinated about it for now and easily comply with Corimelaena pulicaria or probably only a few type of a Thyreocoridae. Successfully, since I can’t pronounce that each, how about solely a black bug… 

I went on the once more of the pond AGAIN to confirm on the Calico and Ontario Asters which primarily appeared the an identical as they did a month earlier solely a bit taller… Nothing thrilling to report.

Elephantopus carolinianus (Leafy Elephant’s Foot) on 6-26-22, #896-18.

I walked over to the place the Elephantopus carolinianus (Leafy Elephant’s Foot) are rising and they also had been wanting GREAT! I don’t be mindful if I mentioned it sooner than, nonetheless there are two small colonies. One behind the pond and one beneath the persimmon tree. The crops beneath the persimmon tree are lots less complicated to get to.

Diospyros virginiana (American Persimmon) on 6-26-22, #896-17.

The persimmons are coming alongside correctly…

Time has constructive flown by The next submit will seemingly be roughly up to date.

Until then, be safe and maintain constructive. On a regular basis be grateful and try and GET DIRTY.