What is it Wednesday: September 1, 2021

 

Can you identify what's in this photo?

 

 

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

 

 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

 

 

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

 after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 

on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

we will be reposting old editions,

creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on

September 1, 2021. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

 

 

This is honeycomb from one of Lutherlyn’s bee hives. 

The cells we see here are called brood cells – many of them have larva in them. Some of the larva are big and fill the entire cell. Some hatched very recently and are still very small, looking like just a light-colored squiggle at the bottom of the cell. Some of the cells have been capped with wax by the bees in the hive so the larva can begin to pupate, and will soon turn into bees.

Seeing brood cells in a hive is an indicator that there is an active queen present – she has been laying eggs and producing more bees for the hive. The next month or so of late summer is a really important time of year for bees to establish a strong healthy hive and lots of honey going into the winter. We’re so grateful to have honey bee hives at Lutherlyn – thank you to beekeeper Pastor Nathaneil Christman for getting these hives established this summer!

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!

What is it Wednesday: October 7, 2020

Can you identify what's in this photo?

 

 

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

 

 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

 

 

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

 after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 

on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

we will be reposting old editions,

creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on

October 7, 2020. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

 

 

This is the nest of a leaf-cutter bee. 

Leaf-cutters are solitary bees, slightly smaller than honey bees, and similar in appearance but a bit darker.

Female leaf-cutter bees construct nests by cutting small circular pieces from the edges of leaves, which they stick together into a tube inside a hollow spot, usually in rotting wood or other narrow spaces. Each “cell” of the tube contains one egg, and pollen and nectar. Each nest may contain a dozen cells, and each female bee may create several nests, laying up to 40 eggs. When the egg hatches, the larva feeds on the pollen and nectar. The larva will eventually spin a cocoon and pupate inside the cell. The adult bee emerges from the cocoon and overwinters  inside the cell, then in the spring chews its way through the leaves and emerges to mate and begin the cycle again. (You can see the small holes left behind by the emerging adults in this old nest we found.) 

Leaf-cutter bees are good pollinators. Females collect pollen on many small hairs on the underside of their abdomens. This makes it easy for the pollen from one plant to brush off as a bee visits another plant, helpfully spreading pollen from plant to pant. There are native as well introduced species of leaf-cutter bees throughout North America. Leaf-cutter bees rarely sting, only when handled, and their sting is mild.

You can identify the presence of leaf-cutters near you by spotting the circular or half-circle holes left behind in the edges of leaves. Lots of other leaf-eating insects leave holes in the edges of leaves (caterpillars, beetles, katydids, walkingsticks, etc.). The holes left behind by leaf-cutter bees are very smooth and circular, while those left behind by other insects are more ragged and irregular. 

circular holes left behind by leaf-cutter bees, in redbud tree leaves

You may also find evidence of the leaf-cutter bees by finding their nests left behind in narrow gaps and holes in wood dead trees or man-made structures.  

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!

What is it Wednesday archive: September 19, 2018

Can you identify what's in this photo?

 

 

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

 

 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

 

 

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

 after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 

on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

we will be reposting old editions,

creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on

September 19, 2018. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

This is the larva of a firefly. 

We see firefly larvae fairly often this time of year, along the edges of dirt roads and in the grass. They don't flash brightly like the adults, but they do have a gentle glow, that occasionally fades slowly on and off. They are sometimes called glowworms. The ability of an animal or plant to create light is called bioluminesence. 

Firefly larva are ferocious eaters, devouring small soft-bodied animals like worms and slugs. They overwinter just under the soil or leaves, pupate in the late spring, then emerge as adults in early summer.

Many people have never seen a firefly larva, but you might spot one on a LEEP night hike – we love leading night hikes at summer camp, school field trips, and retreats. 

2020 Update: compare this larva to the ladybug larva posted on June 17, 2020. What is similar? What is different? Do you think you would confuse one for the other if you found one in real life? Why are why not?

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!

What is it Wednesday: September 16, 2020

 

Can you identify what's in this photo?

 

 

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

 

 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

 

 

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

 after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 

on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

we will be reposting old editions,

creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on

September 16, 2020. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

This big beauty is an imperial moth. They are the largest moth in Pennsylvania. 

The adults emerge in late summer – just in time to blend in with falling mottled-yellow leaves. Unlike many other moths and butterflies, imperial moths do not have a distinct pattern, but a general color scheme (yellow and purplish brown) with many variations. This may make it harder for predators to learn to identify them, enhancing their camouflage.

 

This particular moth was left by a visitor in our “Discovery Zone.” This is a display in the Discovery Room of our Environmental Education center where people can add their own interesting nature finds from their visit at Lutherlyn. Thank you to whoever left us this beautiful specimen!

What is it Wednesday: September 9, 2020 (and September 18, 2019)

 Can you identify what's in this photo?

 

 

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

 

 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

 

 

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

 after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 

on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

we will be reposting old editions,

creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on

September 9, 2020. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

 

 

 This insect is a northern walkingstick. 

We had a similar-looking What is it Wednesday feature almost exactly a year ago that never made it onto the blog – but that insect was a thread-legged bug, often mistaken for a walkingstick. 

Today's feature is the real walkingstick. A walkingstick is larger and thicker than a thread-legged bug, and though they look alike they are not related.

I forgot to include a size reference in the walkingstick photo, but went back and measured the small tree it is on – the tree is about 2 inches in diameter, which makes the walkingstick about 4 inches long head to tail, not including antennae. The thread-legged bug looks to be about 2 inches long, based on how much space it takes up on my hand. These are about the maximum size for both these insects.

   

Another major difference between the two is that walkingsticks are herbivores who eat mostly the leaves of plants, while thread-legged bugs are members of the assassin bug family and are carnivores who eat other insects.

Both insects, however, make use of their long spindly body and limbs to camouflage themselves on tree branches. While both extend their front legs in a way that sometimes makes it difficult to recognize them as legs, the thread-legged bug uses the legs to grasp in a way that walkingsticks rarely do.

Keep an eye on the small details of the world around you, and you may be lucky enough to spot a fascinating camouflaged critter!

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!

What is it Wednesday: September 2, 2020

 

Can you identify what's in this photo?

 

 

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

 

 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

 

 

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

 after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 

on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

we will be reposting old editions,

creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on

September 2, 2020. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

 

 

This creature is not a monkey or a slug, but a strange-looking caterpillar known as a monkey slug. It will become an adult hag moth.

The monkey slug is related to the saddleback caterpillar (the most fiercely-stinging caterpillar of our area) and other “slug moth” caterpillars. Their legs are tiny, and their pro-legs merely suction cups. Instead of walking, the slug moth caterpillars glide, using a kind of liquefied silk as a lubricant.

The monkey slug caterpillar, with its hairy “arms” (which are simply protrusions and can fall off without harming the caterpillar), closely resembles the cast-off skins of tarantulas. The adult female hag moths look a lot like bees; and the adult males mimic wasps. This creature is a master of mimicry at all stages!

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!

What is it Wednesday archive: August 8, 2018

Can you identify what's in this photo?

 

 

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

 

 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

 

 

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

 after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 

on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

we will be reposting old editions,

creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on

August 8, 2018. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

These are the eggs of a squash bug, on the bottom of a zucchini leaf.

Squash bug is a pest of zucchini, butternut, pattypan, cucumber, and other plants in the squash family. 

The Lutherlyn gardens at Terra Dei use no chemicals as pesticides or fertilizers, so often we try to control pests by hand. When we find squash bug eggs, we squash ‘em! 

Birds, frogs, toads, snakes, and some insects also help us control pest populations by eating animals that could be pests. We have added many features around Terra Dei to provide habitat for these helpful predators. This allows us to supplement the dining hall salad bar with fresh, organic, very local veggies!

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!

What is it Wednesday archive: sometime in 2017?

What is it Wednesday

Can you identify what's in this photo?

 

 

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

 

 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

 

 

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

 after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 

on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

we will be reposting old editions,

creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday

sometime in 2017 - probably August. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

tomato hornworm with parasites

This is a tomato hornworm caterpillar, covered with parasitic wasp pupae! 

Tomato hornworms are a terrible garden pest that can grow to 4-5 inches long and decimate a tomato patch, leaving large round gouges in the tomatoes they have eaten. If you find a tomato hornworm in your garden, kill it! 

But if you find a tomato hornworm in your garden that has white ovals on its back, keep it. Those ovals are the pupae of a parasitic wasp which kills tomato hornworms. Keeping them helps the wasp population, which controls the tomato hornworm population. 

The wasp lays its eggs under the skin of the tomato hornworm. When the larvae hatch, they begin to eat the insides of the caterpillar. The protective case of the pupae stick out of the skin of the caterpillar, and those are the white ovals we see. By the time the wasps emerge as adults, the tomato hornworm is dead or near death. This means the tomato hornworm won't itself go through metamorphosis, become and adult moth, and lay eggs to create more tomato hornworms.  

Allowing the animals that naturally co-exist in your garden to help control your pests is a part of "integrated pest management", or IPM. IPM is an approach to controlling pests that uses as many natural controls as possible, and chemical pesticides as little as possible or not at all. This sometimes involves encouraging predators which will help control pests, by creating habitat for them in or near the garden. Sometimes all it takes is recognizing a beneficial insect (in this case, the parasitic wasp) and not killing it. 

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!

What is it Wednesday: July 8, 2020

Can you identify what's in this photo?

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

 after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 

on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

we will be reposting old editions,

creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on

July 8, 2020. 

And the answer is....

This is the nymph of Reduvius personatus, commonly known as a masked hunter. This insect is a type of assassin bug, a member of the hemoptera family, or “true bugs.”

The nymph (immature insect) of the masked hunter adds dust and other particles to sticky hairs on its body, creating a layer of camouflage. It has one layer of fine particles close to its body, and coarser particles on longer hairs that create an outer layer. This effectively hides it from both predators and prey.

Masked hunters and other assassin bugs eat other insects (including bedbugs)! This makes them good garden helpers to have around, as they can help control the population of pest insects. Some of them can also bite humans and their bite can be painful, so it’s best to enjoy looking at them without touching, but like most insects only bite when harmed or threatened.

One type of assassin bug, known as the kissing bug, has gotten “internet famous” in recent years for its potential to carry Chagas disease. Kissing bugs are mainly found in Mexico and Central and South America, sometimes in southern U.S. states, and rarely in Pennsylvania. There are very few instances of people being infected with Chagas disease in the U.S. The common types of assassin bugs we find in Pennsylvania are not kissing bugs (though they may have a somewhat similar appearance) and do not carry Chagas disease.

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!

What is it Wednesday: June 17, 2020

Can you identify what's in this photo?

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

 after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 

on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

we will be reposting old editions,

creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on

June 17, 2020. 

And the answer is....

This is the larva of a ladybug. 

Like ladybug adults, the larvae live on leaves and eat smaller insects like aphids. After living and growing for 20-30 days and molting about 4 times as it gets larger, the larva attaches to the underside of a leaf and transforms into a pupa. The pupa looks a bit like a soft-bodied cross between the adult and larva stages. Inside the outer skin of the pupa, the ladybug is undergoing a major transformation, and after a few days to two weeks, the adult ladybug emerges.

Because ladybugs are such voracious eaters of pests like aphids and mites they are a great friend to have in the garden! If you see a ladybug, at any stage of its lifecycle, let it live, so it can continue to keep those pest populations under control.

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!