I thought it was a dragonfly at first pass, but when I asked the Seek app to identify it, I learned that I had happened upon a red-footed cannibalfly, a type of robber or assassin fly. Think peregrine falcon of the insect world. It lays in wait for a large insect, grabs it in mid-air, injects a venom to paralyze it, as well as digestive enzymes, so that internal organs become a liquid that it sucks through its mouthparts. Go here and here to read about this amazing predator.
Because of their large compound eyes, they have excellent vision. Go here for a related post about compound eyes.
I rarely see grasshoppers on my hikes, so I was surprised to find these sitting along a railing at the Chattahoochee Nature Center. After research, I believe these are differential grasshoppers. Read here to learn more.
Joro spiders, an invasive species from Eastern Asia, made their appearance in Georgia in 2014. Adult females lay egg sacs containing hundreds of eggs between September and November and then die with the onset of freezing temperatures. Although the spiderlings hatch in the spring, they reach their mature size (three to four inches) by fall.
Their multi-dimensional webs weave the branches of the woodlands together.
One or more male Joro spiders may join the larger, more colorful female in her web.
Watch this humorous book full screen here. It’s a great mentor text to introduce journal writing.
I made these cards for my K and PreK scientists to sequence the Itsy-Bitsy Spider song. Such a soft introduction to the water cycle.
The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,
And the the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again
Happened upon a Southern green stink bug on a hike. Brown marmorated stink bugs are common in Georgia, but I was unfamiliar with this handsome species. Stink bugs are an invasive pest, cause severe damage to food crops, and can invade homes to keep warm during winter months. They were first observed in the United States during the 1990s. Learn more about stink bugs here. Read about the green stink bug here.
Notice how the raindrop magnifies the design on the shield. Go here for a related post.
Animals have defense mechanisms to protect themselves from predators. Go here to view this informative video full screen. What other animals excrete an odor from their bodies for protection?
Let’s explore another phenomenon. Look at the photo below and ask your children to notice and wonder. “The important thing is to never stop questioning.” Einstein
Now examine these photos, do your conclusions change?
The fall webworm, a common caterpillar in Georgia, weaved their webs around these branches. Although they will eat the foliage, the damage to the tree will be minimal because the deciduous trees will shed all their leaves soon.
In parts of the United States, silk tents made by Eastern tent caterpillars blanket the trees each spring. I recently saw them again when I was visiting my daughter in Maryland. To watch full screen, go here.
To find other posts about phenomena, go to the top right corner to search. Phenomena are great to begin a lesson or to meaningfully use extra time throughout your day.
“Vocabulary is not only a tool for communication but also a tool for comprehension and knowledge acquisition.” (Oxford Learning) Considerable research indicates a powerful correlation between the early acquisition of vocabulary and success in school.
I do love picture books, and The Keeper of Wild Words is my new favorite! The author, Brooke Smith, was inspired to write her bock when she discovered that over 100 words from the natural world, such as blackberries, minnows, and acorn, were removed from the Oxford Junior Dictionary because the publishers no longer felt the words were relevant for today’s children.
The sweet relationship between a grandmother and her granddaughter is celebrated as they search for wild words together.
Let’s help preserve these words! Go for a walk with your family or students and identify the natural things you find or create a scavenger hunt with specific living and nonliving things to identify outdoors. Take photos and assemble a book with labels.
Go here to view this delightful story about the power of words full screen.
Go here to watch a story that addresses the challenges some children encounter with reading.
Reading to your children from a very young age is an important way to introduce new vocabulary. Time for read alouds in classrooms should never be sacrificed for other activities. It is paramount that children hear the rhythm and structure of language.
Cattails bring forth childhood memories from my time in New York. I remember this perennial grass growing around ponds with red winged blackbirds perched upon them. When they went to seed, my friends and I would pull off the tuft and raise our arms in joy as it enveloped us and floated away. Magical.
Cattails grow up to ten feet tall in wetlands and reproduce rapidly. They are used in flower arrangements and the long flat leaves are woven into mats and baskets. Parts of cattails are edible. Watch the video below for more information.
Simple to draw, encourage your young artists, to include cattails in a piece of artwork.
Play the game, I Spy. Read a children’s picture book about pond animals (ducks, turtles, or frogs) and check to see if the illustrator incorporated cattails in the story.
