Prairie Notes #176 - A Spider's Tale
Prairie Notes are monthly photo/journal observations from Tandy Hills Natural Area by Founder/Director, Don Young. They include field reports, flora and fauna sightings, and more, mixed with a scoop of dry humor and a bit of philosophy.
They are available free to all who get on the FOTHNA email list.
A Spider's Tale
Prairie Notes #176
August 1, 2021
01) A Spider's Tale
02) Field Report - July
03) New Species - July
04) Vandalism Report - July
05) PrairieSky / StarParty - August
06) Fireworks On the Prairie
07) Tandy Hills from Above
08) Prairie Proverb - E.B. White
01) A Spider's Tale
It was one of those hauntingly still July evenings. Perfect for a summer saunter at Tandy Hills. The sun was reaching for the horizon and I was scanning the landscape for something interesting when a vivid, lime green "something" caught my eye. Illumintaed by a ray of sun, it glowed like a tiny emerald in the blandness of mid-summer.
I was hiking around that afternoon looking for bugs and bees on Eryngo plants (Eryngium leavenworthii). This time of year, Eryngo plants are two or three feet tall and still green, before their distinctive, leaves and fuzzy pineapple-lookig flowers turn purple. Despite the sharp, spiky leaves, they are a magnet for all kinds of critters. (See, Prairie Notes #165: A Sleepin' Bee Done Told Me)
Back to the green "something" that caught my eye: It was itself caught on the spiky tines that define Eryngo. Looking closer, it appeared to be a dead Green Lynx Spider that had been ripped apart. It was not visibly moving, I noted. I snapped a few pics and moved on to other observations in the neighborhood.
Back home, I posted my photos of the green "something" online. Minutes later a spider expert wrote that, the spider was not dead but molting. I have to admit I didn't know spiders shed their skins or to be more precise, their exoskeletons. I just happened catch it mid-molt or, "changing clothes", as one expert wrote. While molting, spiders do not move which explains why I thought it was roadkill. Talk about a lucky shot!
Green Lynx Spiders are a personal critter favorite. The first time I saw one was on a purple Eryngo plant where they contrast beautifully. Their long thin legs are spike-studded and sprinkled with black spots, each ending in three claws. The tapered abdomens are decorated with chevrons. They have eight eyes and can spit venom from their fangs. Diets consist of just about any insect that enters their orbit. They are fast runners who pounce like a cat on their prey. When love is in the air they do it literally in mid-air, hanging from strands of silk!
The result of these trysts is an egg sac full of tiny spiderlings, which I was also once lucky to observe being vigorously guarded by the female. (See photos below)
DY
02) Field Report - July
There is something about hot summer evenings that seems to sharpen the senses when observing the intricate and often spellbinding world of Tandy Hills. As you saunter down the trail surrounded by prairie grass your mind eventually stops chattering. In the heat, stillness and the light of early evening a calm awareness washes over you. It's moments like these when you witness mystical events like, the molting of a spider. Or a butterfly flitting erratically through a field of Gay Feather. Or a pair of cawing Crows that invert before your eyes. Afterwards, if you are lucky, a cooling breeze and a stunning sunset will greet you as you top the hill by the street. It happened to me a few times in July.
03) New Species - July
There were 18 new species added in July, bringing the new count to 1538. Most were observed and recorded by, Bob O’Kennon and Sam Kieschnick. See a few notables below and the Tandy Hills iNat Project Page HERE: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/tandy-hills-natural-area-stratford-...
> > > Before you go... Every time Sam Kieschnick comes to Tandy Hills with his black-lights and his knowledge, the species count goes up, especially with insects. In July alone, Sam discovered at least 11 new species. He does this nearly every month. His work here helps, Friends of Tandy Hills, in our ongoing habitat restoration efforts of this vital prairie and woodland in the heart of Fort Worth.
In honor of Sam, Friends of Tandy Hills recently made a supporting donation to his pet cause, iNaturalist. You, too, can help support iNat with a donation HERE.
04) Vandalism Report - July
The carnage continued in July with balloon releases, 4-wheeler damage and too many rowdy folks on July 4th.
05) PrairieSky / StarParty - August
About 30 visitors and 8 astronomers attended the July party. The next star party is Saturday, August 14. Pam Kloepfer of FW Astronomical Society offers the following sky report:
"At long last, Jupiter and Saturn will be visible as the evenings unfold and progress during the month of August! Jupiter has 79 moons, but only four will be visible in varying positions around the giant planet. Two dark belts can also be seen across its face with a telescope. Saturn will be showing off its rings through any eyepiece. The Scorpion will continue trekking across the southern sky, with Sagittarius close on its heels. Look for the Teapot asterism - a grouping of stars that resembles a teapot. This area of the sky is loaded with beautiful gems best seen under dark skies and a telescope; however, Messier objects M6 and M7 are beautiful open star clusters that can be observed with binoculars under the right sky conditions. The Perseids Meteor shower is one of the best of the year and will peak August 11-13. The best time to catch these flying space rocks is after midnight. They originate from the Swift-Tuttle comet and come from the direction of the constellation Perseus. The Moon will be close to First Quarter on the night of August 14."
See the rings of Saturn through telescopes on August 14 at Prairie/Sky Star/Party. (Hubble telescope photo, 2020)
06) Fireworks On the Prairie
Who needs noisy fireworks on Independednce Day when you can see fireworks quietly exploding at your feet at Tandy Hills? Sing along with me now: "O beautiful for Tandy Hills...."
07) Tandy Hills From Above
Travis Mann, is a 17 year old photographer who visited Tandy Hills in July and took this interesting aerial photo of the complicated north end trail. Check out his blog to see other amazing photos.
By the way, work on the new and improved Tandy Hills trail system begins in September.
08) Prairie Proverb - E.B. White
“Is there anything in the universe more beautiful and protective than the simple complexity of a spider’s web?”
Prairie Notes© is the official newsletter of Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. All content by Don Young except where otherwise noted.
