February 16, 2025

Half-way through February, just past Valentine's Day.  Last week I was locked out of Google Sites for long enough to miss the blog of that week.  But now we are back in business, and ready for a short blog in the snowy and cold second week.   Yesterday the temperature was down in the teens -- Today it's a bit warmer, but with a thick blanket of snow all over.     The Thistle seedlings are still coming along, each one still having only one pair of newish leaves.   So it's still a start!

Here are a couple of kinds of Spiders from this week.  First is an Octopus Spider, a member of Genus Tmarus.  Second and third are shots of a closely related Spider, the Tuberculated Crab Spider, Tmarus angulatus.

Here are a couple of critters that still aren't identified.  We've been watching the leftmost one for some weeks now, and have decided it is still NOT a Mantis egg mass.  It is still in the same place on the west Wall, where it has been for some time now.  The second hasn't even had anyone bite on it.  

Here is a little black buggy-looking thing.  It has been out there for several weeks now.  Number two has been a mystery for some time - I last saw it on February 9.   Number 3 looks like a member of genus Drymus.

Here is a Fly, probably from genus Trichocera.  Then you see two shots of an Oak Gall Wasp, a sure sign of late Winter.   They look a bit like fat Ants, but they're really tiny Wasps.

Here is the Pond on February 14 and then February 15.  Those footprints you see at the edges are from the Black Squirrels, which are of course Eastern Gray Squirrels.  

Here is a window into the Pond, specifically into the region where the Water Lilies are crazily waiting for time to bloom.  These pictures are from February 15. The big pink leaf has remained on the plant all winter, despite warnings from the Pond Guy that one should have gotten rid of such growth months ago.  It is now showing a new leaf forming (mid-picture).  People, I have this tremendous feeling that Spring is only just a little way away!   I don't know about you, but I have had a lot of trouble with breathing outdoors on a few days when the temperature was way down there (here "way down" might mean single digits!  

After a longish period of not seeing many signs of Barklice, here are what look like Barklouse eggs, taken this week. I am looking forward eagerly to seeing some of the Barklice I've come to love.  

Well, that's about it for this week.  Let's hope that in a few more weeks we will be seeing a flower somewhere!  Meanwhile if anyone in Albion sees a flower outdoors, send it to me and I'll publish yours!  Love, Martha