Poison Ivy-Leaves of three, let it be!

Wonderful to be outdoors in the summertime, going for a hike in the wetlands, on the greenway or even strolling in your backyard. One of the hazzards you may encounter is Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) . Fifty percent of the population is allergic to this plant. Contact with the sap causes painful, irritating rash in those who are sensitive. All parts of the plant contain the oily mixture and even brushing against the plant can release the sap which binds with the skin and produces the rash. Washing soon after contact can help avoid the rash. But, avoiding contact with the plant is the best approach. Learning to recognize this plant is important. The picture above is Poison Ivy in it's trailing form.

It also can form a vine up a tree easily recognized because it has a very hairy vine. Even in winter when the leaves have been shed you should look for the hairy vine on the trees and avoid them if you are sensitive.

Another plant sometimes mistaken for Poison Ivy is Virginia Creeper. Notice in the picture above that it has five leaves in a cluster instead of three. And the vine is not hairy.

Blackberries have three leaf clusters as well, but they have briars. Briars are painful if you get snared by them but don't cause a rash like Poison Ivy.

So, even though it's hot outdoors, if you plan to go hiking in places with a lot of undergrowth you should wear long pants, shoes and socks and even a light weight long sleeved shirt to be on the safe side. When you get home take a shower, not a bath, to remove any traces of the Poison Ivy sap. You should also wash the clothes you wore in hot water with detergent.

Now, get outside and enjoy yourself!

Inchworms!

Today's post is about inchworms. I'm a little late posting this but I've been waiting and watching for the cicadas who are much nosier than inchworms. And since the cicadas haven't shown up at my house yet I thought I'd write about inchworms. Seems like we've had an unusually large crop of inchworms this year. A couple of weeks ago I'd find them indoors after I went for a walk, crawling up my legs or on my neck. A little creepy. This picture is not very clear- I'll try to get a better one.

Inchworms are the larva of the geometer moth. They are named because of the way they travel that suggests measuring inch by inch. They draw the hind quarters forward while holding on with their front legs. They can stand erect if disturbed. I see them as they drop down on a single thread from a tree or someplace above where I stand. The destructive ones are also called cankerworms.

The maple tree down by the pond has had a visit from the inchworms or maybe the cankerworms. It had put out leaves but then the leaves were completely stripped off. The leaves are starting to come back now so I guess it survived the attack of the inchworms.

My car sits under a maple tree and besides the drop of first the blossoms and then the seeds onto the car it also got the droppings of the inchworms that were eating the leaves of the tree and the droppings of the birds that were eating the inchworms. Seems like the goldfinches in particular loved to eat those little inchworms.

These things have unfolded in the past month and I think it's pretty much calmed down now. But it was very lively in the treetops for awhile.

Maybe you'll like this song: Inchworm song.