Opportunistic Pests

There is so much about this natural world that surrounds us that we simply know nothing about.  My introduction to Tent Caterpillars happened as an elementary school student when the class was taken outside for a nature walk.  A male high school student was in charge of our experience.  At one point he snapped off a small branch and burned both the tent caterpillars and their nest.  He described this action as necessary since left unchecked the caterpillars would destroy the tree.  Many decades later finds me knowing nothing more about these creatures than I did on that day.

The young trees at the edge of the forest are covered with white webs that look rather sharp in the low light of morning.  The good news is that the older trees in the woods seem to be free of the pests.  I can neither explain  nor guess as to why that is the case.

A closer look reveals the damage done to the host trees.  We will look here in the spring to see if these trees manage any leaf growth after this experience.  There was simply nothing that I could do to end the  huge infestation.

This Black Walnut was a splendid gift from a special person.  Mrs. Grays worked with me for many years helping our students learn much more than simply math.  She also contributed plants in support of my attempts to reintroduce native plants here.  The Tent Caterpillar infestation is thinner here and we expect that this tree will return next year.  The lesson taught here is that trees planted are for the next generation to hold this land.  We are finally seeing nuts but the question of how to harvest them remains unanswered.  Harvesting timber may be two generation away.  In any event, that is a good looking tree and always reminds me of its source.

This view from our living room window captures the presence of what could be considered pests.  The deer eat many plants some of which will not return.  The turkeys eat insects in the grass and that action does not rise to the level of harmful behavior.  Their dust baths in our cleared and cultivated soil is another matter.  We are seeing wild life daily in numbers never before seen here.  Perhaps the loss of the coyotes is responsible for this.

The twin fawns mother has dropped twins here for a number of years.  Her rearing of her young is so skilled that we frequently see last year's twins stopping by for a visit.