hiking – recycled paper clips

Russula Rainbow

Russulas are notoriously hard to identify, so much so that most of the time I don’t even try. However, this year I feel like I’ve made some progress due to some colorful finds. Russula is a large genus of mushrooms, characterized by brittle gills and stems. If you bend the stipe of most mushrooms, you’llContinue reading “Russula Rainbow”

August Photo Highlights

July Photo Highlights

Above: Clymene Moth

Snow Fungus: A Tropical Edible in Indiana

I mentioned in a previous post that Snow Fungus, Tremella fuciformis, deserved its own post. Firstly because, although you wouldn’t know it from the looks of it, it is considered a choice edible, and is actually cultivated to the tune of over 100,000 metric tones a year1. Despite having little appreciable flavor, you can findContinue reading “Snow Fungus: A Tropical Edible in Indiana”

The Ohio Buckeye

The Ohio Buckeye is a distinctively Midwestern tree, so much so that “buckeye” became a kind of metonym for the region and the early Anglo-American settlers thereof. The name “buckeye” itself needs explanation. The most commonly given one is that the shiny brown fruits resemble the eyes of a buck. The Ohio Buckeye belongs toContinue reading “The Ohio Buckeye”

Mushroom Report: The Veiled Polypore

I’ve talked about “veiled” mushrooms on this blog before, but the veiled polypore, Cryptoporus volvatus, is different. Usually, a mushroom’s veil helps protect the gills while it is maturing, but then disintegrates when the mushroom is ready to spread its spores. After all, permanently enclosing your spore bearing surfaces makes no sense as it preventsContinue reading “Mushroom Report: The Veiled Polypore”

Mimic Flies and Crayfish: Recent Discoveries

Today looking at a part of the natural world I often overlook: the invertebrates. In particular, I’ve recently learned about two fairly different sets of invertebrates: mimic flies and burrowing crayfish. Mimic flies, also known as hoverflies or flower flies, are an incredible family. They are typically black and yellow, fly from flower to flowerContinue reading “Mimic Flies and Crayfish: Recent Discoveries”

Photo Highlights: Various Early April Finds

What’s Coming Up? Miscellaneous Spring Developments

Can you identify these? (Answers at the bottom) Answers Up top (1): a Trillium sp. most likely Trillium sessile or Toadshade. (2): This crustacean-esque plant is a species of Rockcress. These belong to the family Cruciferae, like many well known leafy greens. At this stage it looks a lot like some kind of lobster/crayfish/prawn. (3):Continue reading “What’s Coming Up? Miscellaneous Spring Developments”

The Fight for Indiana Wetlands

Tomorrow, SB 389 will be heard by the Indiana Senate Environmental Affairs Committee. The bill would categorically eliminate protection for state wetlands by repealing the 2003 state wetlands law. For the past 17 years, whenever a project is planned that will impact a state wetland (otherwise known as an “isolated” wetland, as opposed to aContinue reading “The Fight for Indiana Wetlands”