Hello AMC iNaturalist community! My name is Madelyn, and I started working with the Appalachian Mountain Club as part of the NPS Scientists in the Parks program. My goal is to challenge the divide between professional scientists in research environments and the ultimate consumers of scientific knowledge, the public. iNaturalist is a fantastic tool for bridging that gap and provides new answers to the questions around who and how scientific knowledge is produced.

I’ve been invested in phenology for as long as I can remember, diligently tracking the bloom of the DC cherry blossoms. Growing up around DC, the stakes of knowing the days of peak bloom were high- it was the difference between enjoying a casual walk and the finding yourself in a throng of tourists. Every year we complained that the trees bloomed earlier, and the traffic was worse. I don’t have any data about the traffic, but there has been a seven-day shift in the date of peak bloom since 1921.

Washington, DC Cherry Blossoms | Madelyn on left, friend on right

The stakes of tracking phenology along the AT corridor are less immediately obvious (Canadian mayflower blooming isn’t going to get you stuck in traffic for an hour), but much more important. As climate change continues to impact the seasonality of ecosystems along the AT, it is increasingly important to understand the influence of global warming on plant development. Thank you for your help so far, and I look forward to seeing everyone’s observations this spring!

Happy Phenology Friday! As summer wanes, observe the first taste of fall color in hobblebush leaves! Hobblebush earns its name from its tendency to trip walkers with many low hanging branches that root when they touch the ground. However, in the coming weeks, you might just be tripped up by its tremendous color as well.

From left to right: Hobblebush in flower (photo credit: Hailee Gibadlo), hobblebush berries (photo credit: Val Neuhausser), and fall colors on a hobblebush plant (photo credit: @hollyyoung).

Hobblebush provides delight in all seasons. (As long as you aren’t trying to walk through a patch of it, that is.) In the summertime, large, sterile white ‘flowers’ surround the smaller white true flowers in the center of the bunch, to attract pollinators. Later, clumps of bright red and black berries replace the pollinated flowers. And before you know it, the leaves are changing too! Leaf color ranges from yellow to red, and a wide range of color can often be seen on the same plant. Thank you for helping us study the changing of the seasons!

It is that time of year when many northbound AT thru-hikers are finishing up their 2,198.4-mile journey on Katahdin. As their treks end, however, another is beginning. Who might be starting a couple-thousand-mile journey south? Well, beyond those ambitious southbound thru-hikers, monarch butterflies have begun their migration to their overwintering sites in Mexico.

Those monarchs that will travel from the northeastern United States and Canada, must travel up to 3,000 miles before being able to settle down for the winter months. Before and during their journey, monarchs build up fat reserves by nectaring on plants such as the late-season flowers of goldenrods, bonesets, and meadowsweets.

Above from left to right: White meadowsweet (Spirea alba) (Photo credit: @lucysinclair), common boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) (photo credit: @hollyyoung), and showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) (photo credit: @chris_syrett)

Averaging anywhere from 50-100 miles in a day, these speedy travelers rely on nectar-rich habitats along the east coast to make their journey. And if that mileage is impressive to you, the longest recorded flight of a monarch in one day is 265 miles (a humble feat equaling roughly 1/9 of the Appalachian Tail).

After overwintering in the oyamel fir forests in Mexico, these intrepid travelers start the migration journey back north again in the spring. However, the brood (cohort) that flew from the Northeast only makes it a bit more north (around Texas) before reproducing and creating a new generation of travelers. By the time monarchs reach the Northeast again in the early summer, they are a few generations removed from their ancestors that made the journey southbound.

Above left to right: Monarch caterpillar (photo credit: Zoe McCormick), and monarch butterfly (photo credit: @vulture)

The monarch host plant as new generations arise is milkweed. Monarch caterpillars rely on milkweed for feeding, so encouraging planting local milkweed stands is an important part of supporting this annual journey for monarchs.

Resources:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/pollinators/Monarch_Butterfly/migration/index.shtml

https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/pollinators/Monarch_Butterfly/habitat/index.shtml

For more information on nectar plants you could plant:

https://xerces.org/monarchs/monarch-nectar-plant-guides

Bushes filled to the brim with wild blueberries are lining the trails, mushrooms prove ample to the hunger of languid slugs, and warm, stiff air will soon bring crisp autumnal hushes to mountain goers. These are the sights and feels of August.

Although for most plants and animals the rush of spring and buzz of mid-summer may make the current landscape seem slow and unchanging, the opposite is true. If you haven’t already figured it out, dynamism is nature’s agenda, and it’s our goal to track that change!

Right now, the subtle onset of fruit ripening challenges our eyes. As the forest floor stays lush with green, small bright blues and reds provide contrast.

From left to right: Bluebead lily lives up to its name (photo credit: @tashahipple), bunchberry fruits are packed together (photo credit: @andrewtchase), and painted trillium don bright red caps (photo credit: @wanderingeden)

Species that have showy (but non-edible) fruits include bluebead lily, Canadian bunchberry, and painted trillium. Be sure to look for these ripe fruits on your next hike and add your observations to our project!

Happy summer solstice and Wildlife Wednesday! The end of spring beckons the sun to stick around for a bit longer today. Lengthy, warm days mean that many insects will be spreading their wings to grace the summer skies.

One insect that is finishing up its flight period with the switch into summer is the Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail. Yes, you heard it here, there is a butterfly that exclusively calls the Appalachian Mountain range its home!

These butterflies are quite a recent discovery, only being confirmed as an official species in 2002 (Paluvaan & Wright 2002). They tend to inhabit the mid- to high-elevation areas of the Appalachians from Georgia to Pennsylvania. Also in their range is the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, and in the northern range, is the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail. After genomic analysis, the Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail was found to be a hybrid of these other two species.

From left to right: Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail (credit: @sharkfanboy), Eastern Tiger swallowtail (credit: Benji Beluga), and Canadian Tiger Swallowtail (credit: Chris Fisher)

From the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, the hybrids inherited the traits of sexual dimorphism and mimicry (Kunte et al. 2011). But hold on- what do these “traits” even mean? Well, sexual dimorphism is when there are differences in traits between males and females of a species- such as color or size. A common example of this in the animal kingdom is cardinals. In both the Appalachian and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, the males are yellow, and the females can be yellow or black. The difference in color can be accounted for by mimicry- or appearing as another species. The females are mimicking the Pipevine Swallowtail, which is poisonous to predators.

The Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail shares with the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail its preference for colder climates, which gives it the unique Appalachian Mountain habitat. Additionally, these two species only have one brood per season- which means they have one reproductive event per season (Kunte et al. 2011). This reproductive strategy is linked to shorter, cooler summer seasons in montane and higher latitude environments.

The hybrid has only been seen laying its eggs on wild black cherry (Prunus serotina). However, for nectaring it enjoys a host of mountain plants including azaleas, mountain laurels, honeysuckle, blackberry, and multiflora rose.

From left to right: wild black cherry (credit: @evangrimes), mountain laurels (credit: @lukentn), and pink azalea (credit: @wilson59604)

If you’re trying to convince your friends to hike the AT or even just a portion of it, you can entice them with the fact that the trail has its own butterfly!

Works cited and further reading:

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Papilio-appalachiensis

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Papilio-glaucus

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Papilio-canadensis

Kunte K, Shea C, Aardema ML, Scriber JM, Juenger TE, et al. (2011) Sex Chromosome Mosaicism and Hybrid Speciation among Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies. PLOS Genetics 7(9): e1002274. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1002274

Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey (June 15, 2002) 3(7): 1-20

Fungus gnats are a large family of insects that are numerous in forests. Often overlooked because of their inconspicuous stature, fungus gnats are a group in the order Diptera, or the flies. These insects are mycophagous which is Latin for “mushroom eater”. Therefore, when plants emit smells reminiscent of the decomposers, fungus gnats follow.

Photographs left to right: Leia bivittata (credit: Sequoia Janirella Wrens) and Leptomorphus subcaeruleus (credit: @sebastienbenoit)

Such is the case for our target species Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum), which attracts these flies with the fake promises of fungi. Upon receiving this phony signal, the fungus gnats will travel to the flower of the plant. The flower consists of a spadix, a long cone-like structure with reproductive organs, and the spathe, a leaf covering the spadix. Upon arrival, they will end up becoming trapped in the bottom of the spathe, the walls too slick to free themselves and boxed in by the overhanging spathe. 

Gnat survival is all dependent on one factor: the sex of the flower. In male flowers, the gnats can escape through a small hole at the bottom of the spathe, in which they will carry pollen to female flowers when they escape. In female flowers, however, there is no hole, and gnats will eventually meet their deaths.

Photographs left to right: Jack-in-the-pulpit flower, unripe fruit (credit: Claire O’ Neill), ripe fruit (@vickiebell)

 Scientists are still trying to determine the evolutionary benefit of this trap, and until they do, it will remain a mysterious and treacherous journey for fungus gnats in eastern forests. So next time you see a flowering (May-June), or fruiting (July-Semptember) Jack-in-the pulpit appreciate the complexity and mystery of it, take an observation, and consider the fungus gnats.

Sources and further reading:

Suetsugu, K., & Sato, M. (2020). It's a trap! Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 18(4), 187. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.2202

https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/arisaema_triphyllum.shtml

https://bugguide.net/node/view/12759

Happy Phenology Friday! I hope you have been enjoying the sunshine, heat, and an abundance of blooms. This week we are featuring the northern starflower (Lysimachia borealis) as this has been a recent addition to our target species list.

You can find this flower peering at you through the woody understories from late May to early June. As its name suggests, the flowers shine bright white from the forest floor, cupped by an arrangement of whorled or alternately arranged leaves. Northern starflower is proven to be a bioindicator of climate change as some scientists have used herbarium records to track its earlier flowering times with warming temperatures in the Midwest (Dangremond et al. 2022).

Photos: Whorled leaves of northern starflower and a plant with flowers (credit: @youngmaleturkey)

Be careful not to confuse the northern starflower with the similarly appearing cucumber root (Medeola virginiana), which has a similar whorled base but also includes a second tier from which flowers emerge. Of course, if you observe cucumber root you should still add your observation to our growing project!

Photo: Cucumber root with buds

Happy observing!

Sources and further reading:

https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/starflower

Dangremond, E.M., Hill, C.H., Louaibi, S. et al. Phenological responsiveness and fecundity decline near the southern range limit of Trientalis borealis (Primulaceae). Plant Ecol 223, 41–52 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-021-01190-w

Happy Phenology Friday! Enjoy May sunshine by observing trilliums. Our project focuses on two species of this showy group- the painted and red trilliums. 

Trillium contains the Latin word “tri”, which means three, reflecting this group’s characteristic three leaves and flower petals. Trilliums, however, have some revealing common names. 

Trilliums are also known as Birthroot or Birthwort because Indigenous peoples used their roots to aid in childbirth. Even some names have phenological underpinnings, such as the name Wakerobins, which originates because the trillium bloom coincides with the emergence of robins in early spring. 

Above: Painted trillium (photo by @mnld828) and red trillium (photo by: Robyn Rumney, @robynhmr)

Red trilliums (Trillium erectum)are even called Stinking Benjamins due to their foul smell that attracts fly and beetle pollinators for pollination purposes!

 Sources:
https://wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-wildflowers-painted-trillium-trillium-undulatum.html
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/trillium-erectum/common-name/stinking-benjamins

The warmth of May brings promise and seasonal residents back to eastern forests. One visitor in particular may stick out as it darts, flits, and disappears before your eyes. Being the only hummingbird that breeds in the eastern United States, it’s hard not to notice when the characteristic droning of the Ruby-throated hummingbird returns.

Our elusive Wildlife Wednesday guest this week visits from Central America, where it spends its winters, before migrating back north to grace our forests and backyards with its presence. Ruby-throated hummingbirds will feed on nectar, making them frequent garden visitors, and prefer the vibrant orange and red flowers. This preference along with their slender, long beaks, make them a perfect match with the red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), one of our target species.

Pictured left to right: Ruby throated hummingbird visits a flower (credit: Tom Mills, @tmills), red columbine flowers (credit: Matt Tomlinson, @rarecatsnake), and the ruby-throated hummingbird showing its long, slender beak (credit: @susanannb).

Ruby-throated hummingbirds collect nectar from red columbine plants, reaching for the nectar at the rounded tips of the flowers. Even with their lengthy beaks, they must stick their heads into the flower, collecting pollen. The red columbine provides an early nectar source for returning hummingbirds, and in return, is pollinated amidst the rapid succession of beating wings.

Sources:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruby-throated_Hummingbird/id
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/eastern-red-columbine-aquilegia-canadensis/

 As the early flowering plants continue their northern blooms, along the southern AT they are gearing up for next year, producing seeds that hold the next generation. While plants have evolved many ways of seed dispersal, including wind, water, and gravity, dispersal by animals remains an important evolutionary relationship.

 In eastern forests, it is estimated about 30 percent of plants are myrmecochorous which is a fancy word meaning “dispersed by ants”. The ant is an important insect to the woodland ephemerals.  

Ants are insects of the family Formicidae, and for perspective that’s a big family, containing over 12,000 species. However, one genus is said to account for three-fourths of total seed dispersal in eastern forests: Aphaenogaster spp. This genus is made up of several hard-to-distinguish species that have large, slim bodies and long legs.

Left to right: Winnow Ant (Aphaenogaster rudis) and Tawny Collared Ant (Aphaenogaster fulva) (photo credit: Cecil Smith)

What compels these ants to scatter seeds? Well, the seeds often have a fatty, nutrient-rich segment called an “elaiosome” which is from the Greek for “oil body”! In the process of collection, ants carry seeds back to their nest, and once used for their fatty treat, seeds have a new place to germinate.

So, as you continue to observe the woodland floor for life, take a moment to appreciate the rapid ebb and flow of marching ants- collecting, supporting, and connecting forest ecosystems.

From left to right: Yellow trout lily fruit (photo credit: Gary James), red trillium fruit (photo credit: @friendlyforest), and Dutchman's breeches fruit (photo credit: Jay Heiser)

 Examples of species whose seeds are spread by ants are trilliums, trout lilies, bloodroot, and dutchman's breeches.

Sources and further reading: 

 Ness, J. H., Morin, D.F., Giladi, I. Oikos. November 2009. Uncommon specialization in a mutualism between a temperate herbaceous plant guild and an ant: are Aphaenogaster ants keystone mutualists?

https://www.biologyonline.com/dictionary/elaiosome 

https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Invertebrates/Ants#:~:text=There%20are%20more%20than%2012%2C000,leaf%20litter%2C%20or%20decaying%20plants. 

https://mississippientomologicalmuseum.org.msstate.edu/Researchtaxapages/Formicidaepages/genericpages/Aphaenogaster.fulva.htm