Happy Mystery Monday and Happy 2023! Do you know your tree bark? What stately native tree grows along many of the trails at Adkins Arboretum?

Last week, we asked you about the swamp sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius) seeds! Swamp sunflowers fill our Parking Lot Alive! gardens with golden hues in the fall, but they continue to offer great structure and interest in winter! These plants are hardy and versatile, growing well in wet and dry conditions. They spread easily by seed and are an important food source for a variety of birds, bees, butterflies, and other insects.
#adkinsarboretum #mysterymonday #doyouknowyourseedpods #doyouknowyourbark #mysterytree #nativeplants #winterinterest

Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.

Happy Mystery Monday! We can’t believe this is our last mystery for 2022! Do you know your seed pods? This plant is prominent in our Parking Lot Alive! gardens and provides beautiful winter interest.

Last week, we asked you about the American amber jelly fungus (Exidia crenata). This super fun fungus is also known as amber jelly roll (sounds like a holiday treat!). This jelly fungus is, well, jelly-like. It thrives in cool and humid weather and can often be found in the winter, especially after a chilly rain. This fungus has little dark wart-like structures on the fruiting bodies, which usually grow on fallen dead sticks and branches.

Thanks for following us this year — we look forward to seeing you in 2023!
#adkinsarboretum #mysterymonday #mysteryfungus #winterinterest #doyouknowyourseedpods

Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.

Happy Mystery Monday! These late autumn rainy days have made some fungi really happy! What fungus did we find?

Last week, we asked you about the false milkweed bug (Lygaeus turcicus). At first glance, this bug looks very similar to the large (Oncopeltus fasciatus) and small milkweed bugs (Lygaeus kalmii), as well as the box elder bug (Boisea trivittata). Fortunately, if you have time in the field or a good picture to work from, there are a few distinguishing features you can look for to identify the bug! Generally speaking, the milkweed bugs will be on milkweeds and other perennials such as asters. The false milkweed bug has what appears to be an overlapping “V” shape on its back. It is often found on oxeye sunflower and has been known to snack on the seeds. The large milkweed bug has a thick horizontal black band across its back and the small milkweed bug has a black heart shape on its back. The box elder bug is predominantly black, with some orange outlining and can be found on box elder, as well as maples and ash trees. It can take practice, but when you learn to look closer, there is so much more to see!
#adkinsarboretum #mysterymonday #mysterybug #mysterfungus #falsemilkweedbug #bugsarecool #learntolookcloser #autumnatthearboretum

Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.

Happy Mystery Monday! What insect did we find in the parking lot gardens? We often see them in the summer, but this one sticks around in the winter too!

Last week, we asked you about the eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana). Eastern red cedar is a native evergreen that is considered a pioneer species since it is one of the first woody plants to establish itself in a grassland or meadow. Most pioneer species have a shorter life span, but eastern red cedar proves to be an exception and can potentially live up to 850 years old! Eastern red cedars are amazing trees that offer food and shelter to many birds, mammals, and insects (including the imperial moth)! #adkinsarboretum #mysterymonday #autumnatthearboretum #mysterybug #mysterytree #parkinglotalive

Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.

Happy Mystery Monday! What evergreen trees are abundant in Nancy’s Meadow? These trees are some of the first trees to grow in a successional meadow.

Last week, we asked you about the seed chaff of the sweetgum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua). Many of us know the sweet gum seed pod well. This spiky ball can be a welcome sight, a food source for birds, or a frustrating bane for those who prefer to walk sans shoes in the fall. These seed pods have beaked compartments that hold a seed and sand-like material known as the chaff. The seed is a relatively large winged seed, accompanied by the chaff that is thought to help with seed dispersal. These tan specks that we found on the trail aren’t the seeds, but certainly is an indication of how many seeds have been dispersed from these spiky pods. Sweetgum trees are important native trees that offer a variety of food to birds and insects and give us beautiful leaf color in the fall.
#adkinsaboretum #mysterymonday #sweetgumtree #nativetree #mysterytree #successionalmeadow

Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.

Happy Mystery Monday! We hope you had a chance this weekend to get outside! We noticed lots of these little tan specks on the trails — almost like nature’s confetti. Do you know what they are?

Last week, we asked you about the American bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) (Photo credit: Kellen McCluskey). This bird has caused quite a flurry of excitement at the Arboretum and amongst the local birding community. These birds are not often found out in the open, but perhaps this one feels well camouflaged in the wintery wetland. This bittern has taken up at least a temporary residence at the Arboretum wetland and has been enjoying the abundance of tadpoles. The American bittern relies on wetland habitats for nesting and wintering, which is just one more reason why wetlands are so important! #americanbittern #adkinsarboretum #mysterymonday #mysterybird #mysteryspecks #autumnatthearboretum

Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.

Happy Mystery Monday!! This week, we have an exciting new bird….and it’s not a turkey! This bird has taken up temporary residence at the Arboretum wetland and has gotten a lot of attention amongst the birding community. Do you know what it is?

Photo credit: Kellen McCluskey

Last week, we asked you about ground pine (Dendrolycopodium obscurum). It may look like it is related to a tree, but it is a club moss native to the eastern United States and parts of Canada! It grows in the understory of mixed deciduous and coniferous forests and needs loamy and non-compacted soils to thrive. Historically, this plant has been overharvested for holiday decorations (and flash powder, of all things!) and given its slow growth rate, prolific populations can be hard to find. So, if you come across some ground pine in the forest, admire it from the trail in its current state and leave it be for someone else to enjoy.
#adkinsarboretum #mysterymonday #mysterybird #groundpine #clubmoss #mysterymoss

Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.

Happy Mystery Monday! What native plant grows in colonies on the forest floor? It may look like a tree, but is it?

Last week, we asked you about nodding lady’s tresses (Spiranthes cernua). This plant is a native orchid and joins 13 other native orchid species reported in Caroline County, Maryland. The genus name Spiranthes comes from the Greek word for coil (speira) and flower (anthos). You may note that this species has slightly nodding flowers in a spiral. Typically this species grows in wet meadows and in mossy areas along ponds and seeps. Interestingly, we found this stand in a relatively dry meadow area.
#adkinsarboretum #mysterymonday #nativeorchid #noddingladystresses #mysteryplant #autumnatthearboretum

Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.