Submission (#1500) Approved

CW: snake!

Groundhogs are commonly called “Woodchucks.” They are native to the eastern United States and are a member of the marmot family. They are intelligent and form social patterns and behaviors among individuals. Their scientific name is Marmota monax. This one was hiding in some shrubs behind a house and I barely snapped a pic before he scurried off.

Fall Webworm Caterpillars are the larval stage of the common webworm moth. The caterpillars form web like nests in hardwood trees primarily in the late summer and fall months. Their nests may annoy people simply its webbed appearance, but typically do not harm a healthy tree. The adult moths are white in color. Their scientific name is Hyphantria cunea. I found this one on my partner’s truck tire. He was safely moved to a nearby bush! I realized later there were webs in the nearby trees!

The Northern Ringneck Snake is a small species of snake native to North America. They are slender snakes that can grow up to about 2 feet in length and typically eat small insects like earthworms, slugs, and frogs. Their scientific name is Diadophis punctatus edwardsii and it is a subspecies. This one was hiding (with 5 of its friends) in the bottom door seal between the basement and the backyard of a home I was viewing! I wish I had gotten a better picture but I didn’t know what kind of snakes these were until afterwards. As soon as we opened the door, they all started coming inside at our feet so we sorta NOPED. They were definitely ringneck snakes and all had that characteristic white ring around their necks. This type of snake also loves to hide- these just didn’t choose the best place to stay undisturbed!

The Statira suplhur is a medium sized yellow butterfly native to North America. They flutter faster than I can take a picture of them! Females are typically paler in color than males, so I think the one I saw was a male. They feed on the nectar of flowers, and seem to prefer red or orange colors. Their migratory pattern extends from the northern United States down to the Amazon. Their scientific name is Aphrissa statira.

The white Beautyberry is a deciduous shrub that is native to the southeastern United States. Beautyberry bushes usually have light purple colored flowers that grow in compact bunches, but white is a common variation. The small berries the shrub produces are edible, but should only be eaten in small amounts when raw. They can be cooked into jams and jellies. Its scientific name is Callicarpa dichotoma f. Albifructa.