Tag Archives: Eurybia divaricata

Arboretum: Encounter with a Snake

On Wednesday, I heard something rustling in the grass near the Arboretum’s hickory collection. Turned out to be this garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis), a skinny fellow who was quite afraid of me.

Garter snake looking at the camera
Garter snake

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Arboretum: Nursery Web Spider and Easter Egg Berries

I didn’t let summer’s final gasp of heat and humidity deter me from a walk in the Arboretum on Wednesday, although, after a month-long break in 90-degree heat, I felt like I was experiencing the first hot day of the season. I spotted a nursery web spider (Pisaurina mira) biding its time under a leaf. Note how it rests with its two front legs touching each other.

Nursery web spider
Nursery web spider

This spider has a dark stripe running down the middle that is bordered by a white margin, which undulates along its abdomen. Also note the white hairs along its body and the black spines on its legs.

Nursery web spider
Nursery web spider

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