Winter Afternoon Light
February 21, 2007
This time of year the late afternoon sun shines unimpeded through a leafless forest onto a vertical stream bank and backlights the current with a golden reflection …. (Canon Powershot A-80)
Trout Lilies and Ants…
February 21, 2007
University of Arkansas
Division of Agriculture
Trout lily seeds contain a structure on the outside of the seed coat called an elaiosome that
acts like catnip for various species of ants. About a third of our woodland wildflowers are
dispersed by ants.
Art Guppy, an Erythronium expert and close observer of ants, thinks that ants may not actually
get much out of the exchange when they disperse trout lily seed. He thinks the elaisome produces
a volatile pheromone that triggers something called the “dead corpse response.”
He observed that ants excitedly grab fresh trout lily seeds and carry them away. But, before they
get to their nests, they loose interest in the seed and drop it. Other ants pass by and pay it no
attention.
According to Guppy’s thinking, this chemical signal tricks the ant into moving the seed away from
the parent plant, but not to take it as far as the nest where conditions might be less favorable
for its germination and subsequent development.
By: Gerald Klingaman, retired
Extension Horticulturist – Ornamentals
Extension News – March 31, 2006
Spring Creek Nature Area
February 19, 2007
Hike with DallasOutside and an their affiliate group DFWOutdoors to see out of the way spots in Richardson, Garland, and lots of other places……..their motto is
“Getting the Heck out of Dodge, without Leaving the City!”
DallasOutside.com is the gateway for everything related to hiking in Dallas, Texas and the surrounding area. These scenes are from yesterday’s hike in Richardson…
L to R: Spring Creek, unnamed tributary, spring plants carpet the ground, toothache tree, Routh family plot..pioneers
Early Trout Lilies…
February 18, 2007
They sometimes appear in late winter when some patches of soil are warmed up before others….today a couple from Richardson spotted them as they walked their dogs along the north side of Spring Creek Forest…
Late Winter Afternoon
February 7, 2007
Spring Creek reflects the golden glow of a late afternoon sun as it shines through a leafless forest and illuminates a western streambank…the light is backcast on the surface of Spring Creek at this particular spot to create an effect that lasts only a short time. These images were shot on two separate days so color temps are not the same (Canon Powershot A-80).
