What’s going on here? I was opening the window to put a bug outside, and there was this mass of plant shreds (pic 2) in the screen channel. I thought it was just random flug and started to remove it so I could close the screen again, but it was full of insects of multiple types and sizes. They were flexible, so not long dead, or maybe not quite dead. Is this the work of a wasp or spider?
Who says I can't climb trees?!?
Adult and 3 hungry young ones!
at middle (yellow arrow); showing "adult" features, side-by-side with "juvenile" American Elm and "adult" Slippery Elm for comparison
Both subsp. americanus (native to North America) and subsp. australis (introduced to North America) are found at this site, sometimes growing intermixed. In the photos the former is indicated with an “N” and the latter with an “I”. On the date I visited this site, 16 September 2019, these are the differences I observed with living stems between the two subspecies:
•Relative stem height: subsp. americanus usually shorter, subsp. australis usually taller.
•Relative stem spacing: subsp. americanus usually more dispersed, subsp. australis usually denser (rarely solitary).
•Stem breaking: subsp. americanus fibrous and hard to break off, subsp. australis often breaks off easily.
•Stem color (lower/older internodes): subsp. americanus red and often shiny, subsp. australis yellow-green and not shiny.
•Stem texture (lower/older internodes): subsp. americanus smooth, subsp. australis minutely ridged.
•Stem & leaf sheath dots: subsp. americanus often present, subsp. australis absent.
•Leaf condition: subsp. americanus has lots of senescence, subsp. australis generally are healthy.
•Margins of upper leaves near panicle: subsp. americanus finely serrated, subsp. australis coarsely serrated.
•Sterile stems more abundant than fertile: subsp. americanus yes, subsp. australis no.
•Panicle branches for panicles of similar length: subsp. americanus fewer, subsp. australis more.
•Panicle branch spacing: subsp. americanus farther, subsp. australis closer.
•Flowering status: subsp. americanus finished flowering, subsp. australis flowering.
There probably are other characteristics I overlooked that distinguish these two subspecies from each other. Perhaps these characteristics listed above hold up at other sites in North America. I don’t use leaf color to tell them apart because although some clones of subsp. australis are strongly blue-green, some clones of that subspecies are more green or yellow-green. See this observation for an illustration: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/30610594
Observation of P. australis subsp. americanus from this location: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32878566
Observation of P. australis subsp. australis from this location: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32888630
aperture ring got nudged too wide resulting in a terrible stack. pretty insect though.
I didn't notice the dramatic lighting until rotating and cropping and laughed for a good 10 sec.
Was first noted flying over South Aberdeen, with its pointed wings, triangular tail, and graceful flight immediately noted. It then crossed Route 50, eventually perching in 4751 Arlington Blvd's snag. The bird was then clearly seen, its white primaries fully visible when departing (as the kite flew off south).