Luna landing

Not only did shoppers fill their red wagons with plants at last weekend's spring Native Plant Nursery opening, but shoppers fill their camera lenses with delights. A mother with her young family in tow caught this luna moth resting on a tree trunk and shared it with the Arboretum staff.

What's the buzz?

This story has two threads: last Tuesday around noontime, the Arboretum's seasonal groundskeeper, Matt Duckworth, and a volunteer were working outside the Visitor’s Center when they heard a tremendous drone and saw a darkening sky. The swarming hive made a “beeline” for the plants laid out for the spring plant sale but only visited for a moment and moved on. Shortly after, Bob Stanley, an Arboretum docent volunteer who happened to be at the Nursery with a biology class from Chesapeake College, spotted the swarm nestled in an American chestnut on the edge of the woods. We can only assume it was the same bunch.

In drove a beekeeper who was called to capture the hive. Alton Hooper has kept his bees on the Arboretum property for almost two years. He started with one box and now has half a dozen. He shares his honey and also his love of bees by setting up an awesome display with a full-view hive during the Arboretum's fall plant sale.

He explained to those watching as he very gingerly sawed the chestnut branch that when the hive creates a new queen, the old queen and her workers move out in search of a new home. He believes that these bees were not from his hive but from the other hive on the property that has bees different from his.

We watched, standing very still, while thousands of bees flew around us. The queen made it into the box when Alton dropped in the hive, but to draw the errant bees to the box, he made a light tapping sound on the side of the box, a sound similar to one that the queen makes. The bees came crawling across the grass, over his hand, and into the entrance of the box like an army.

It was truly an amazing sight. He finished his project and left with the bees...without a single sting.

post and photos by Joanne Healey, Nursery Manager

Soup 'n Walk - March 17, 2012

Photo by Ann Rohlfing

What beautiful sunny mid-70s weather for a Soup ’n Walk on St Patrick’s Day. Some of us went on a two-hour walk and others a later one-hour walk. The longer walk gave us a chance to go along the Tuckahoe Trail to see some of our earliest blooms since this trail has some warmer spots and some different exposures. The sassafras trees as we walked past the meadow showed just a hint of their yellow color, and the shadbush (or serviceberry) along the trail likewise was almost ready to open. The blueberry next to the shadbush did have blooms but they were not full size yet.

The bridge where the spice bushes are blooming (which are lovely) is near the border of the Arboretum. There is a sign that you are now leaving the Arboretum, and we continued on the Tuckahoe Trail. We talked about the spice bush and the sassafras leaves nourishing the spice bush swallowtail caterpillars. Someone mentioned that they had read that spice bush and sassafras leaves were good for tea leaves. This bridge is where early wildflowers start.

Further down the trail, we were treated to just a few spring beauties at first and then to broad sweeps of this delicate bloom. In The Secrets of Wildflowers, Jack Sanders mentions that Indian children would dig up these precious corms and eat them like candy. However, this is not recommended since that is the only source of next year’s blooms. Someone asked to what family this wildflower, Claytonia virginica, belongs. It is in the Portulaca or purslane family. The spring beauty and many skunk cabbage plants share some of this wetland area, although the spring beauty can tolerate drier areas with dead leaves to grow among. 

When we got to the next bridge, we found that a tree had been uprooted and made crossing the bridge a slight challenge. We easily made it across and went on to see where the trail meets a small stream. Along the high bank on the other side are a number of lacy green wood ferns (spinulose?), and close to our side the first little umbrellas of mayapples poking through. Some saw frog eggs in the stream.

On our return trip, we continued to hunt for the elusive bloodroot wildflower. Finally a sharp eye spotted one and, yes, looking carefully around we saw several more. Sanguinaria canadensis is a member of the poppy family (Papaveraceae). This very fragile wildflower comes up folded in a leaf and as it opens is easily damaged and may last only a day, so we were delighted to find this treasure. The roots exude a red liquid that gives it the name and some of its earlier medicinal uses. The seeds are carried off by ants due to their sticky sweet coating and deposited in the anthills and after the ants eat the coating, spreading the bloodroot.

The long walk made us hungry, and we hurried back to the smells of hot carrot and cauliflower soup with herbs served with a pink grapefruit avocado salad, rye bread with strawberry jam, and chocolate walnut cookies for dessert. As part of the nutrition info, we discussed the advantages of eating colorful vegetables and fruits and the many phytochemicals that are included in these delicious foods. I encouraged all to take back the kitchen and teach others to cook and eat good food. Norma Jean and Lynn made the desserts. Mickey, Shirley, Zaida, Mary Jo, and Pat also helped with the setup, walks, serving, and cleanup that help make this program a success. We had over 30 paying guests and some new members. Thanks to all the staff that also helped with this event successful. 

by Julianna Pax
Arboretum docent naturalist

Fox sighting!

Children enrolled in the Arboretum's winter preschool programs recently joined Youth Program Coordinator Jenny Houghton (the tallest fox in the photo) to discover all there is to know about foxes.

Preschoolers followed a winding trail to an Arboretum fox den, made fox masks and finger puppets, and danced—what else?—the Fox Trot.

Spring preschool programs, offered in Tuesday and Thursday sessions, begin April 10. Offerings include The Incredible Egg, Garden of Giants, Compost Cake, Spring Beauties, Cloud Magic, and Talkin' About Tadpoles. Register for one program or for all six, and then join in the fun with your young adventurer!