someday
a new day will dawn
where our paradigm
will shift
towards seeing ourselves
once again
as part of nature
an umbilical bond
connecting us
to the earth
to the sun
to the moon
to the stars
shimmering
within
our hearts
to be in awe
of the mystery
of the gift
of life
Antennae
I was photographing the leaves of this moss when this tiny insect landed in the frame to have its picture taken. I was immediately struck by the size and shape of its antennae. Insect antennae come in many shapes and sizes. The antennae on this insect have fine branches giving it a featherlike appearance and its form is aptly named plumose.
The primary function of insect antennae is a sense of smell. They are usually covered with receptors that can detect odor molecules in the air. Besides receiving molecules drifting through the air, insects pick up information by touching or feeling their environment. Antennae are also sensitive to detecting the vibrations of sound waves.
Given the size of this insect’s antennae in relation to its body size, I would guess that this is how it receives most of its information to navigate through its surroundings. It’s amazing!
Time
A bountiful rain fell across the valley saturating the landscape and swelling the Willamette river. The weather passed and the sun came and went through the clouds drifting at the the tail of the storm. I wandered along the shores of the receding river to explore what was left behind in its wake. I sat on the bank listening to the water ripple over the rocks in the crisp morning air. I looked down and saw glimmers of gold reflecting in the sunlight on an old tarnished chalice sitting on a mound of colorful jewels. It was a magical goblet spilling forth the mystery and beauty of nature.
Caddis Fly Larvae & Pacific Chorus Frog Eggs
I sat by the small pool in the parking lot that has all of the Pacific Chorus Frog (also known as the Pacific Treefrog) egg masses to see if more had hatched. While sitting there I noticed that some of the caddisfly larvae were climbing on the egg masses. I looked up to see if they eat the frog eggs. Both the Oregon and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said that Pacific Treefrog eggs are preyed upon by caddisfly larvae. I only saw them crawling around on the outside and they did not appear to pierce through the egg mass. It did look like they were pulling on the surface and maybe eating bits off the outside. This one climbed around on the egg mass for about 10 minutes or so and then moved on. There are quite a few caddisfly larvae roaming around the pool but I found only one more caddisfly larva that was investigating an egg mass. It also did not chew into the inside of the egg mass.
There are 1,000 species of caddisflies in North America! They can be herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. I am not sure of this particular species, but maybe this one doesn’t eat frog eggs. The herbivores eat various types of detritus, including bits of leaves, algae, and miscellaneous organic matter. I’ll continue watching them and see what I observe and in the meantime, maybe I can figure out which species of caddisfly this is.
Pacific Chorus Frog Tadpoles
I went to count the egg masses of the Pacific Chorus Frog in the small pool at the parking lot yesterday and counted over 200. Afterwards, I decided to sit by the side of the pool, soak up the sun, and look around in the water. I saw this greenish blob that had a hole in it. I wondered if some of the frogs had hatched and maybe that it was an old egg mass. I took a piece of grass stalk and twirled around in the water. As I swung around in the water, it bumped some debris and a small tadpole came swimming out from underneath! It was so small and when it came to rest, well camouflaged. When I slightly lifted debris to look at snails and caddisfly larvae, another tadpole swam out. I counted maybe 6 or 7 tadpoles in the time I sat there. A couple of the egg masses were shaking slightly and I could see the light reflecting off the tadpole’s bellies inside. They were starting to wiggle and work their way out. So around March first on a sunny afternoon with the temperature reaching 60 degrees, they started hatching. Sweeeeeet!
Decaying Cottonwood
I saw this decaying cottonwood lying on the ground with frosty creatures adorning its body, Shizophyllum fungus. I went over to take a closer look and became absorbed in their color, form, and texture. They drooped like evergreen boughs covered in snow. Underneath was a surprising contrast of wavy, brown gills that looked woody and dry. My imagination shifted from a tree bough to snow piled up on a porch roof.
As I knelt there, I noticed that there was a miniature, red and pink insect crawling around on the fungus. I don’t know if it was an adult or a larval stage. The occasional spider wandered by investigating this fleecy, white landscape.
As I looked down the tree I noticed that the fungus was generally fruiting out of the sides and the top was mostly bare. At that moment, I started looking at other parts of the tree and became fascinated by its color, form, and texture. The bark was a cool and gray, like the color of a stone. Parts of the bark were cracking in black, squiggly lines. Rings formed where limbs attached to the trunk, giving the appearance that it had once been molten. Other parts of the bark were mottled with yellows and reds, the texture was pocked or flaky. In some places, the linear fibers of the bark were revealed. Pale blue-green and vibrant yellow-orange lichens were scattered across the tree’s body.
This tree had taken on a whole new life full of wonder and beauty. I walked away with a fresh awareness of the world around me.
Fir Tree Moss
The Fir Tree Moss (Dendroalsia abietinum) can be found clinging to the trunks of Oregon White Oaks throughout the arboretum. At the moment, they are lush and green from the rain. Mosses lack roots, so they depend on the rain to shower them with water so they can photosynthesize, reproduce, and grow. The Pacific Northwest (PNW) wet weather is the perfect climate for mosses. In Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast, Pojar and MacKinnon say there are about 700 species of mosses in this area. That said, the summers here in the Willamette Valley are hot and dry. The whole summer might only see a couple of small rainfalls. So what does that mean for all the mosses growing here that need to be bathed in water to carry out photosynthesis and grow? They have a miraculous ability to adjust their physiological processes according to environmental moisture levels. This is called poikilohydry. They are happily photosynthesizing if the environment is wet during the fall, winter, and spring. When the rain temporarily halts for the summer, the mosses contentedly dry up and go dormant, patiently waiting for the rain to return.
Each source that I read mentioned the characteristic of this species to bend downward and curl inward when it is dry. Pojar and MacKinnon label it with the common name Plume Moss which I like.
Water Slater
The water level in the wetlands dropped significantly in January due to the lack of rainfall. This made wading around surveying for amphibian egg masses easier. The shallow water also made observing other creatures inhabiting this ecosystem more accessible. I didn’t find amphibian egg masses in this area, but I came across this creature crawling around. When I first saw it, I thought it looked like a roly-poly. I gently nudged it with my finger to see if it would roll into a ball to protect itself. It briefly stopped to investigate my finger and then continued on its way. I watched it as it moved among the decaying leaves covering the bottom of the pool. I gently turned over leaves and found more of them. The sun came out and reached through the leafless, winter canopy. It illuminated this small pool revealing a beautiful pattern and color across this animal’s body. I loved the stillness of the water and the textures and colors of the underwater landscape. It was peaceful watching this animal shuffle about in its home.
Apeiron
On a winter’s night, I quietly stand and look into the deep blue above. The star constellation Orion rises in the evening sky, not hesitating or fearful. A belt of three stars cinching its torso inward, forming an hourglass. However, the granules falling through its solar plexus represent the immeasurable. Its presence is a reminder of the mysteriousness of life—an incomprehensible expanse birthing creativity, imagination, wonder, beauty, and awe.
Coast Redwood Releasing Pollen
Coast redwoods are planted around Eugene, and a small grove was planted at Mt. Pisgah when the arboretum was created. Redwoods are wind-pollinated, and the male cones release pollen in winter or early spring. Check out this slow-motion video of the pollen cloud released from the male cones. They are like piñatas breaking open sprinkling a golden treasure out into the world.
I hope you are enjoying the cold, sunny weather.
Fairy Shrimp
Last weekend while looking for amphibian egg masses in the wetlands, we found an abundance of water springtails. This past weekend we were looking for egg masses again and it still seems a little early because we didn’t find any. Not to worry because we saw a fascinating creature called a fairy shrimp.
These translucent crustaceans are related to lobsters and crabs. One of the first things I noticed is that they swim upside down! They have 11 pairs of legs waving back and forth toward the surface and I was hoping for others to join this one to perform a lovely, synchronized swimming display. Next time I will try playing some music to inspire them.
In addition to propulsion and dance routines, their legs somehow function as gills allowing them to absorb oxygen in the water and breathe! That’s not all. Their magical legs also help to filter food from the water or scrape food from surfaces.
They live in temporary habitats that only fill with water for part of the year called vernal pools. Since their aquatic habitat is a seasonal or ephemeral arrangement, they have a short life span.
So, they are among the first eggs to hatch out in early spring or late winter. This ensures they can complete their lifecycle and lay their eggs before the habitat dries up. The shrimp in the photo is a female and you can see the brood pouch which holds eggs, located directly behind the legs. The fairy shrimp eggs are called cysts. It’s okay if the pool dries up because the eggs can survive, sometimes years, until the rain returns. They can even survive freezing winter temperatures. In addition, I found a page on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) website that says the cysts can withstand being ingested by animals! Even more fascinating, the cysts can be “then deposited in new habitats when the animal urinates (USFWS).” Wow! The bottom line is that “fairy” signifies that these are magical creatures.
How else do fairy shrimp cysts get dispersed through the landscape? The USFWS writes, “Aquatic birds are the most likely agents of dispersal of vernal pool fairy shrimp. Large mammals are also known to act as distributors by wallowing in dirt, getting cysts caught in their fur and transporting the cysts to another wallow.”
Being adapted to surviving the temporal nature of vernal pools has another advantage. These pools are generally not connected to permanent streams or lakes that could allow in predatory fish. The water here in the wetlands does drop significantly because there is only an occasional rain shower during the summer months here in the Willamette Valley. There is always a little water at the Adkinson Bridge, which supports small fish, bullfrogs, turtles, and other animals that could potentially prey upon fairy shrimp. I think the water disappears, and the land dries out in the upper part of the wetlands where the fairy shrimp were found.
That said, fairy shrimp are a part of the food chain. We flushed out some wood ducks when wading back into the upper part of the wetlands, and I’m sure they found a few fairy shrimp to nibble on.
Oregon is home to 14 species of fairy shrimp. This one has blue tips on its tail. Check out the short video below to watch them swim. Nature is an inexhaustible source of wonder. I look forward to seeing you out there.
Resource
Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp (Branchinecta Lynchi) | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. https://www.fws.gov/species/vernal-pool-fairy-shrimp-branchinecta-lynchi. Accessed 26 Jan. 2025.
Oregon Ash Tree Sprouts
The other day I noticed this Oregon ash tree. It had mostly fallen over last year in the ice storm and was blocking part of the road through the arboretum. The company that helped clean up cut off the part obstructing the road and left the rest. Last year the tree sent out a massive amount of sprouts, which I want to try and count, I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Oregon ash is unbelievably vigorous at sending out new growth if it is cut back or damaged in a storm. This one reminded me of a spiky caterpillar. I can’t imagine what this tree will look like in 50 years with all of these new limbs and assuredly more storm damage to come during that time. This tree has evolved a tenacious spirit for survival. In writing that last sentence I thought of the emerald ash borer that is on its way. This amazing tree is going to suffer some losses when it arrives. I hope and feel that some of them will endure and reestablish a healthy population in the ecosystem.
Water Springtails
While looking for frog eggs with the habitat committee, I noticed all these tiny specs floating on the water. They were unidentifiable as you looked at them on the surface. You could only observe that they ever so slightly jumped around as you waded through them. They were sprinkled everywhere on the surface but also formed dense rafts as they congregated on blades of grass on top of the water. I put my macro lens on my phone camera to get a closer look at this mystery and hopefully figure out what they were. The first photo is the fixed 10x lens, and in the second photo, I zoomed to 2x on my phone. The photos revealed a wrinkled, gray creature with pink legs! Based on how they hopped in every direction, someone in the group wondered if they were a species of springtails. I submitted the photo to iNaturalist and it suggested that they were water springtails (Poduridae). Looking up photos, I found them to closely match Podura aquatica.
In my research, I found out that they eat decaying organic material, so it makes sense that they were hanging out of these blades of grass. So they are one of the many necessary decomposers that help break down vegetation to return nutrients to the environment and keep the water clean. I hope that their presence indicates a healthy, thriving wetlands ecosystem.
It was fascinating to see so many, and I wondered what prompted them to want to hatch out in great numbers now.
I also discovered that springtails are not insects. Biologists have classified them as part of the class Collembola, not Insecta. They are both hexapods (6 legs), but the key difference that prompted this distinction is springtails have internal mouthparts, unlike insects which have external mouthparts. I am still researching this, but I thought I would pass it along for your curiosity.
Pacific Treefrog Eggs
On Sunday, members of the habitat committee at the arboretum went looking for amphibian egg masses. We waded around in the wetlands for a couple of hours and weren’t able to find any out there yet. The water level is fairly high at the moment from all of the recent rain, so we weren’t able to survey all of the locations that we wanted. Also, there are heaps of fallen tree limbs clogging the area from last year’s ice storm. That said, we were able to find egg masses of the Pacific Treefrog in the shallow pools around the parking lot. It will be interesting to see how viable these eggs are this early in the year and when they might hatch during the cold, winter weather. As friendly reminder to help protect these creatures, please remember to keep your dogs and children out of the shallow pools found throughout the arboretum like around the parking lot and the area known as The Seeps along the road that goes above the wetlands. Thank you. As the evening approached, the males started vocalizing their beautiful choral croaks, music to my ears. Spring is on its way!
Revealed in the Mist
The days have been thick with fog. The air has been saturated with tiny droplets of water. It gives me the feeling that I am on a trek on a high mountain top up in the clouds. I hear high-pitched notes of golden-crowned kinglets ringing through the mist as I walk down the path. My visual awareness is drawn nearer to me. I tune into the shaggy moss carpeting the trees. They are in love with the moisture that is bathing the landscape. To my wonderment, spider webs beaded with water are magically revealed. They are stretched across the moss like tiny tarps or strung up like hammocks. I looked closely to find the spiders and I couldn’t find them. They were tucked away spinning dreams in the tranquility of winter’s green.
Mosses Love Water
In Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book Gathering Moss, she has a fascinating chapter about moss’s affinity for water. They lack roots to absorb water, so they have developed strategies to collect and retain water mostly from the rain but you will also find an abundance of moss in “spray zones of waterfalls and cliffs seeping with spring water.”
The shape of the leaves is important in the process of gathering water and holding onto it. Robin writes, “The microscopic surface of the leaf is sculpted to attract and hold a thin film of water. The leaves may be pleated into minute accordion folds that trap water in the crevices, undulations in the leaf creating a microtopography of rolling hills and water-filled valleys.”
While looking around at the arboretum, I came across this moss with wavy leaves that look like small rolling hills that run perpendicular to the length of the leaf. I am sure the accordion folds that Robin talks about can only be seen under a microscope, but I feel this moss achieves the same idea with larger undulations of its leaf structure.
Resource
Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses. 1st ed, Oregon State University Press, 2003.
Winter Buds
In the winter, there is so much to explore. Now is an excellent time to look at all of the overwintering buds of trees and shrubs. They come in many different shapes, sizes, colors, and textures. If you are allergic to poison oak, it would be good to be familiar with how it looks because you can still get a rash from it in the winter. The winter buds of the cascara tree are not covered by scales, the tiny brown leaves are visible on the stem. I didn’t include the incense cedar because it doesn’t form overwintering buds, the shoot tips stop growing in the fall and resume growth again in the spring (Tollefson, Jennifer E.). Have fun checking out their diversity and see how many you can identify. Happy New Year!
Reference
Tollefson, Jennifer E. 2008. Calocedrus decurrens. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.usda.gov /database/feis/plants/tree/caldec/all.html [2025, January 1].
Black Round Millipede
Millipedes are arthropods that spend their lives in moist soils and decaying matter. They are mostly decomposers of organic material although some articles on the internet mention that some scavenge dead animals and a few are predators. For this reason, they are important in helping break down matter so the nutrients can be recycled back into the ecosystem.
They have segmented bodies with 2 pairs of legs per body segment except for their first four and last. Millipede means a “thousand feet,” but most species have fewer than one hundred. Until recently, the greatest number of legs found on a millipede was 750. In 2020 scientists discovered a millipede deep in the soil in western Australia—Eumillipes persephone has 330 segments and 1306 legs!
If they feel threatened they will form a coil shape with their bodies using their exoskeleton to protect their softer underside. Also, they release a substance that can irritate the skin which is also foul-smelling and distasteful to predators.
Last fall they executed a controlled burn in the South Meadow at the arboretum to remove thick mats of grass and invasive plants. The intention was to open the landscape to native plants, such as tarweed, to sprout and grow. I was fascinated and heartbroken to find that the landscape contained many millipedes that unfortunately didn’t survive the fire.
They are beautiful, mostly hidden creatures I love finding and watching move across the ground. Thank you millipedes!
Northern Pygmy Owl
I had been wandering around for a while on Saturday afternoon, and I thought the birding had been pretty quiet. The weather was cool and a little rainy off and on. Thus, I found myself exploring the world of mosses which abound throughout the arboretum. This had me moving at a snail’s pace, which allowed me to be more tuned into my awareness and to make greater observations.
I was on the meadow’s edge near the White Oak Pavilion when a chickadee grabbed my attention. Its vocalizations seemed more intense as it broke the quietness of the late afternoon. As I watched and listened, I thought the notes had a different rhythm. Also, they were being repeated fairly continuously. Then a song sparrow popped up on top of some snowberry beside me and was calling. As I gazed forward out into the meadow, I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. As I looked over there, I saw a small bird fly out of the grass and land on the lower branch of an oak. I looked through my binoculars to see that it was a northern pygmy owl with a rodent in its talons! That chickadee had seen it and I think the song sparrow knew from the chickadee’s alarm calls that there was a predator. The song sparrow was on the ground along the bank of the river and I don’t think it could have seen that owl.
As I watched the owl, I was surprised at how much it constantly whipped its head around looking in every direction. It stayed there for about 10 minutes and then, to my surprise, it flew closer to me. As it took off to fly, its body dipped down in the air from the rodent’s weight and it went to the first branch it could land on. It stayed there for a few minutes and then took another short flight to a limb in the next tree. From here it started to tear apart its prey. After about another 10 minutes it hopped down to sit on a clump of lung lichen seen in the first photograph.
Unfortunately, I had somewhere to be and I was already running late. I wanted to stay and watch it eat. I didn’t think it could eat that whole rodent in one sitting. I wonder where it went for the night to stash the rodent to eat later. The Northern Pygmy Owl hunts mostly by day, so I assume it finds somewhere like a tree cavity to rest at night.
In the second photograph, you can see the dark patches on the back of its neck that look like eyespots. This is such an amazing creature and I am thankful that I got to see it. Nature is an inexhaustible source of wonder. I look forward to seeing you out there.
Douglas-fir Needles and Bud
It was foggy and quiet out at the arboretum today. Walking along the upper meadow, I was struck by the majesty of the Douglas-fir trees shrouded in a white mist. Their needles and the overwintering buds are so beautiful.
The pointed buds are a rich amber color with overlapping resinous scales. They really stand out against the complementary green of the needles.
The needles are .5-1.5 inches long with a blunt tip. They are green above with two white stripes on the underside. The needles are noticeably lighter underneath when you flip the branch over. Their arrangement can vary from nearly flat-lying to radiating uniformly around the twig.
This is probably the most common tree in Oregon because it was planted throughout the state for the economic value of its timber. For me, I like to revisit things in nature that I pass by everyday and renew my wonder. There is always something new to see and experience.
