Twig Girdlers

Have you ever noticed that in the fall there are sometimes a lot of small branches on the ground?  Sometimes they almost cover a trail.  Next time you see a small branch, pick it up and see if the end looks like this:

If it looks like it was evening circled and just the middle part broke off, then it wasn't just the wind knocking branches off, it was the Tree Girdler (Oncideres cingulate). 
These little beetles are actually really cool.  They are native and common all over the eastern US.  If you can see some little grooves above the break, the Tree Girdler gnawed some gashes to lay her eggs in before chewing through most of the branch.  Its how they spread their eggs.  Once the branch falls off, the eggs will hatch and the larvae will live inside the branch until its time for them to emerge as adult beetles, the it starts all over again.  They only cut off smaller branches, so the trees are not damaged very much. 
I like to look for the mark of the Tree Girdler to make clearing off the yard or trail slightly more interesting.

Autumn Olive

There is an invasive shrub gaining ground in the US.  Its the Autumn Olive!!!!  Apparently, in England this plant barely every fruits and is used extensively in landscaping.  However, it really likes the climate in America and produces lots of fruit.  This fruit is actually edible and supposed to be tasty for humans.  Alas, they are also delicious to birds who are spreading them everywhere!

Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellate)

This main identification feature is the silvery scales.  You can rub them off with your fingernail, its some type of waxy coating.  Its on the top of the leaves and the berries, but the key is the blinding coating of silvery scales on the underside of the leaf.  Its one of the whitest leaves I have ever seen in nature.  Oh, and watch out for the thorns!

Bonus Slug Caterpillar!

I saw another Saddleback!  This guy was much bigger then the other one.  It has dark colored "antenna" things instead of green like the other one I had taken a picture of.  Somehow I think it looks more dangerous when it is bigger.

Saddleback Caterpillar (Acharia stimulea)

I think the bottom part is the front... 

Jewel Weed

Jewel weed has got to be one of the most beautiful wildflowers in the fall (and summer).  You can find them on the bank of any creek in the east 

Jewel Weed or Touch-me-not (Impatiens capensis)

They not only have an interesting flower, but also an interesting seed pod.  That's where the "Touch-me-not" name comes in.  If you lightly squeeze the seed pod, it explodes!  I recently learned that the seeds taste like walnuts. 

Seed pod before explosion

Seed pod after explosion

Not only is the flower beautiful and the seed pods explosive, but the leaves are awesome too!  I tried and tried to get a good picture of one to show how amazing they are, but none quite did it justice.  Here is the best one.

Jewel Weed Leaf

This is what the plant is named for, the underside of the leaves turn silver underwater!  Its very reflective, which is probably why my pictures don't really do it justice.  You will just have to find a Jewel Weed and try it out yourself!  The leaf is very water resistant, so water will form a film over a pocket of air, making a silver-like reflective surface. 

Jewel Weed is an amazing plant for one more reason, its supposed to help combat poison ivy rash if you rub the leaves on your skin after being exposed to poison ivy.  Just one more reason to love this beautiful/tasty/interesting plant!