Trail Journal

                             Trail Journal Issue 15

Thanks to the cold and frost occurring, it has killed the kudzu and ragweed! I looked forward to the rich smell of burning oak and hickory from my fireplace during those cold snaps.

I guess you suppose it’s time to relax and forget about nature for now, right? Nothing could be further from the truth. We had a wonderful and much needed rain and it seemed to “wake up” some interesting little treasures.  I first thought this was the Carolina Wolf Spider (Hogna carolinensis) the largest wolf spider in the U.S. It is also our state spider! It isn’t. This is Hogna georgicola. I searched all the literature and internet for a common name but found none. It is a member of the wolf spider family, however. This .75 to 1 inch ground dweller feeds on any suitability sized insect. They make good pets but may live only 2 or 3 years. While they are not dangerous to people, those folks who may be allergic to the venom should use extra care around them. By the way, spiders are measured by body length. It’s the length of a wolf spider’s legs that really makes this particular spider impressive.

I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to eat a persimmon before, but I know it’s an experience you would never forget! Persimmon Trees (Diospyros virginiana) are medium sized trees, 40 to 70 feet, with a deep, furrowed, cubed-shaped bark. One of these trees can be found on Granite Done trail about 20-30 yards from the parking lot.  I have never seen fruit on this tree, so it is probably a male persimmon tree.   I usually see the one-inch fruits on the smaller, 10 to 15 foot trees. Because the wood is able to withstand great shock it was valuable for the making of golf club heads and shuttles on textile looms. Like Dogwood, it has little commercial value today. Any animal that has the least interest in fruit or plant material as food loves persimmons. Raccoons, birds, rodents, bears, and anything else that can reach them will eat them, people included! But, you better be patient! Conventional wisdom says they are only fit to eat after the first frost. It better be a hard frost. I’ve had them after the first hard freeze and the tannin in them almost gave my lips a permanent pucker. They were an important food source for Native Americans.

Bagworms are the caterpillar or larval stage of the rarely seen Evergreen Bagworm Moth (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis). In this area they are found most commonly on red cedars and junipers. An elongated sack, somewhat swollen in the center, is covered with sticks, twigs, and other handy, nearby material, and held in place with silk. Housed within are the moth's eggs laid by the female from the previous season. There they will over winter, hatching in May. The larvae will venture out to consume leaves or needles on nearby trees or scrubs. The caterpillar will construct a “bag” around its lower body, expanding it as it grows. Finally, it will seal itself inside to complete its metamorphosis into an adult. Males will emerge and seek females. The female, remaining in the bag, will release a pheromone that will attract a mate. After mating the flightless female will lay hundreds of eggs in the bag and then drop to the ground to die. While some infestations of these caterpillars can defoliate trees and scrubs, I've never seen any problems caused by them.

Come see us at the Hill House, new home of the Foundation and your developing nature center. And get out there and enjoy your trails. They’ve never been better! 

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