Leah Justice, 2021 – The sun was just setting, and I was going out for an evening walk in the neighborhood. But wait, what was that unusual noise I heard emanating from the bushes? It was a strange chirping, twittering sound.
Flora and Fauna
2022 October – Jean Suplick | Mycology 101
Charlise Hill-Larson, 2019 Jean Suplick has been a Texas Master Naturalist, Blackland Prairie Chapter since 2017. Her inveterate inquisitiveness about all things wild led to a journey of exploration into our local mushrooms. Join us as she shares how she traveled that path and what she learned along the way, including what kind of mushrooms to expect in our area and when, what to know about mushroom identification, tools for the field, and helpful resources.
Citizen Science in your community? You Betcha!
Georgette Guernsey, 2004 I have explored the Prosper Butterfly Garden in Whitley Place subdivision once a week since March. Below is a checklist of the plants I have identified during these visits. All have been confirmed by either iNaturalist, botany monitors or “Shinner’s and Mahler’s Flora of North Central Texas” by Diggs, Lipscomb, Reed, O’Kennon. The plants for the most part are described as growing in clay or calcareous soils that have been disturbed or overgrazed.
Annual Sunflower
Sally Evans, 2006; Founder & Emeritus
The annual sunflower plant (Helianthus annuus) was one of the most plentiful and versatile plants the Indians had available. It was convertible into a dye, a liniment, a medicine, a coffee, and a delectable food. By boiling the crushed seeds, an oil could be skimmed off and used for cooking or as a hair dressing, whatever the need at the time. Nature provides many teas, but few coffees. Delicious coffee was made by roasting and boiling the seeds as we roast and boil the coffee bean. Black and purple dyes were also derived from the seeds.
New plant at Wylie Prairie
Dave Powell, 2007 While I was gathering grass seed at Wylie on Thursday I came across a new plant for the area. Yes the grass seed is starting to get… Read More →
August in Cicadia
Greg Tonian, 2017
The neighborhood is abuzz.
A hot, sultry breeze,
Envelops the trees.
Brown, papier mache creatures climb out of the loam,
Clinging to brick and branch with tiny hooks,
Soon to cleave asunder,
Extruding,
winged phantasms.
I find these abandoned climbing nymph husks,
And the fanciful flying creatures that they set free
Scattered on the concrete byways of Cicadia.
“Sweet dreams and” Flying “machines in pieces on the ground” (James Taylor),
I think to myself.
Here’s a Chance to Learn All About Mothing
Charlise Hill-Larson, 2019
Join us on Saturday July 17th, 8:30pm, at the Spring Creek Forest Preserve, 1770 Holford Road, Garland, Texas. Join Sam Kieschnick as he kicks off the event for North Texas. Our July AT Speaker, Kimberlie Sasan, will also be there. The event is coordinated with National Moth Week which celebrates the beauty, lifecycles and habitats of moths. This event has been approved for 1 hour of AT and is hosted by the Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest and the Garland Parks and Recreation Department.
What we have seen
Dave Powell, 2007 My three spiny Fence Lizards are here as is my Anole however I have noticed the insect population is down. I attributed it to the freeze which might have killed a lot of insect larva that was getting close to maturity, the rain does not seem to cause the same thing. Maybe someone else can give definitive answer.