Animal – Page 30 – Sharon Friends of Conservation

Variable Dancer damselfly – 6/20/11

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/20/11 Observation Time: 5:05 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Variable Dancer damselfly Scientific Name: Argia fumipennis Comments: Note the forked shoulder stripe, overall violet, with blue at the end of the abdomen. The last photo is a female. More Information: Wisonsin Odonata Survey

Unicorn Caterpillar – 9/2/08

Observer: Amy Waters Observation Date: 9/2/08 Observation Location: Common Name: Unicorn Caterpillar Scientific Name: Schizura unicornis Comments: This Unicorn Caterpillar may have crawled off a blueberry bush. It also likes hickory, birch, maple, cherry, oak, sweet pepperbush, witch hazel, and many more woody shrubs and trees. Its range is from Canada to Florida and Texas. It will turn into a moth. Its family is Prominents […]

Two-striped Grasshopper – 8/11/13

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/11/13 Observation Time: 4:45 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Two-striped Grasshopper Scientific Name: Melanoplus bivittatus Comments: This grasshopper is named for the two stripes that run down its back. It is a common agricultural pest. More Information: Wikipedia

Turquoise Bluet damselfly – 6/19/13

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/19/13 Observation Time: 2:40 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Turquoise Bluet damselfly Scientific Name: Enallagma divagans More Photos: The Hibbits Network

Turquoise Bluet damselfly – 6/2/11

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/2/11 Observation Time: 2:20 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Turquoise Bluet damselfly Scientific Name: Enallagma divagans Comments: The final two shots are of a mating pair. More Information: BugGuide.net

Turkey Vulture – 4/11/11

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/11/11 Observation Time: 6:10 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Common Name: Turkey Vulture Scientific Name: Cathartes aura Comments: Turkey vultures are gliders. They ride thermal updrafts, so they rarely need to flap their wings. More Information: All About Birds

Turkey Vulture – 7/28/09

Observer: Rick Dumont Observation Date: 7/28/09 Observation Time: 2:00 p.m. Observation Location: Belcher Street Common Name: Turkey Vulture Scientific Name: Cathartes aura Comments: A bad smell invaded my yard during a rainy, humid spell. The buzzard must have been attracted to it. The smell went away shortly after the buzzard did. More Information: All About Birds

Tree Swallow – 5/12/11

Observer: Kurt Buermann Observation Date: 5/12/11 Observation Time: 1:30 p.m. Observation Location: Laveview Street meadow Common Name: Tree swallow Scientific Name: Tachycineta bicolor Comments: Very commonly nests near bluebirds. Tree swallows may defend bluebirds against other tree swallow if they occupy adjacent nesting boxes. More Information: All About Birds.org

Tree Cricket – 9/26/12

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 9/26/12 Observation Time: 1:35 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road (bridge near soccer fields) Common Name: Tree Cricket Scientific Name: Oecanthus spp. Comments: The tree cricket is also known as poor man’s thermometer. It is because if you count the number of chirps in 15 seconds and add 37 you get the temperature close to the Fahrenheit temperature outdoors. More Information: Wikipedia

American Toad – 6/17/13

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/17/13 Observation Time: 4:15 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: American Toad Scientific Name: Anaxyrus americanus More Information: Wikipedia Baby toad nearby:

American Toad – 7/16/10

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/16/10 Observation Time: 9:55 a.m. Observation Location: near Gavins Pond Common Name: American Toad (juvenile) Scientific Name: Anaxyrus americanus Comments: Note toe of shoe in photo to get an idea of the small size of this toad. More Information: Wikipedia

American Toad – 9/14/09

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 9/13/09 Observation Time: 2:30 p.m. Observation Location: Bay Circuit Trail near Gorwin Drive Common Name: American Toad Scientific Name: Anaxyrus americanus Comments: Notice how well this toad is camouflaged. More Information: Animal Diversity Web

Thread-Waisted Wasp – 7/16/11

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/16/11 Observation Time: 4:45 p.m. Observation Location: near Gavins Pond Common Name: Thread-waisted wasp Scientific Name: Ammophila procera Comments: This large solitary wasp (over an inch long) has an interesting life cycle, which is shown in this Vimeo video. More Information: insectidentification.org

Tent Caterpillar – 6/4/11

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/4/11 Observation Time: 3:50 p.m. Observation Location: conservation land near Billings Street Common Name: Tent Caterpillar Scientific Name: Malacosoma americanum Comments: The moths oviposit almost exclusively on trees in the plant family Rosaceae, particularly cherry (Prunus) and apple (Malus). The adult moth lays her eggs in a single batch in late spring or early summer. An egg mass contains about 200 to 300 […]

Mute Swan – 10/21/14

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 10/21/14 Observation Time: 5:10 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Common Name: Mute Swan Scientific Name: Cygnus olor Comments: Swans are powerful birds that will attack humans if they feel threatened. Don’t allow your children to approach them. More Information: All About Birds

Summer Fishfly – 7/19/13

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/19/13 Observation Time: 10:00 p.m. Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Road Common Name: Summer Fishfly Scientific Name: Chauliodes pectinicornis Comments: This large (1.5″) flying insect got into our house. When it landed on my pants, I walked outside and took this photo. It has an interesting life cycle. More Information: University of Wisconsin BioWeb

Eastern Gray Squirrel (black melanistic) – 6/13/13

Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 6/13/13 Observation Time: 9:00 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: Eastern Gray Squirrel (black melanistic) Scientific Name: Sciurus carolinensis Comments: A member of the black melanistic sub-group of the eastern gray squirrel. More Information: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Spined Soldier Bug (nymph) – 7/4/13

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/4/13 Observation Time: 8:45 a.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Spined Soldier Bug (nymph) Scientific Name: Podisus maculiventris Comments: Spined soldier bugs are small predatory stink bugs. They molt several times before reaching maturity. Each phase is referred to as an instar. This one was in the third “instar”. More Information: University of Florida

Spangled Skimmer dragonfly (male) – 6/17/13

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/17/13 Observation Time: 4:00 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Spangled Skimmer dragonfly (male) Scientific Name: Libellula cyanea Comments: Males of this species are blue, while females are brown. Both have striking white and black stigmas on their wings. No other dragonfly in the Northeast has white stigmas on its wings. Males are territorial. More Information: Dragonflies and Damselflies of NJ

Spangled Skimmer dragonfly (female) – 5/19/12

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/19/12 Observation Time: 5:40 p.m. Observation Location: dirt road leading to Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Spangled skimmer dragonfly (female) Scientific Name: Libellula cyanea Comments: This photo is a female. Male spangled skimmers are slate blue. Hence the species name “cyanea” which refers to its cyan (blue) coloration. Identifying dragonflies and damselflies is fun. Get a copy of A Field Guide to the Dragonflies and […]

Snow Goose – 12/12/08

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 12/12/08 Observation Time: 10:00 a.m. Observation Location: Ward’s field near Heights Elementary School Common Name: Snow Goose Scientific Name: Chen caerulescens Comments: There was a flock of about 10 snow geese in Ward’s field. They were all white except for black wing tips. More Information: Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds”

Snow Bunting – 12/26/08

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 12/26/08 Observation Time: 1:00 p.m. Observation Location: Dirt road by soccer field near Gavins Pond Common Name: Snow Bunting Scientific Name: Plectrophenax nivalis Comments: Flock of around a dozen birds was gleaning seeds on the dirt road. More Information: Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds”

Garden Snail – 6/4/09

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/4/09 Observation Time: 10:00 a.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road, back yard garden Common Name: Garden Snail Scientific Name: Helix aspersa Comments: This is the same species eaten in France as “escargot.” See http://www.esquire.com/style/answer-fella/escargot-0808 More Information: ARKive

Smeared Dagger Moth Caterpillar – 9/7/13

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 9/7/13 Observation Time: 3:20 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Smeared Dagger Moth caterpillar Scientific Name: Acronicta oblinita Comments: For pictures of the adult moth, see: http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Acronicta+oblinita&guide=Moth&cl=US/GA/Clarke More Information: Butterflies and Moths of North America

Small Cabbage White butterfly – 6/25/11

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/25/11 Observation Time: 3:00 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond near soccer fields Common Name: Small Cabbage White butterfly Scientific Name: Pieris rapae Comments: The top photo shows a copulating pair. The male has a single black wing spot. The female has two black wing spots, and slightly yellower wings. More Information: Wikipedia

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