Blog of the El Camino Real Chapter, Texas Master Naturalists, Milam County, Texas
by Carolyn Henderson
A few members of El Camino Real chapter Texas Master Naturalist presented a program on butterflies to some 4H members on Friday, June 28. The 4H program was having a summer day camp and offered the chapter the opportunity to speak with the children. Debra Sorenson, Carolyn Henderson, Liz Lewis and Pamela Neeley presented the program on helping pollinators do their thing.
by Eric Neubauer
Wolf spiders usually carry egg sacs attached to the spinnerets at the back of the abdomen. They will pull the egg sac forward under their sternum to protect it when feeling threatened so I expected to see the sac still attached to the spinnerets with silk in the ventral view. What I did find was the spinnerets in a jumble and apparently not working right. Until the spiderlings emerge and climb on her back, she won’t be able to catch prey or eat without putting the sac down. She seems prepared to do whatever is necessary.
I suspect this species spends a lot of time preying on smaller Pardosa wolf spiders on the lake shore. Without better than average photos including a ventral view, this story would never be known. As it is, we’ll never know how it ends. Or how she managed to make the egg sac in the first place.
By Eric Neubauer
I’ve been checking my local Hogna ‘incognita‘ spiders since late last
year and looking forward to the time when I can get some good
photographs of adults. They’ve already started to grow rapidly, and at
5:15 AM on June 15 I found my first sub-adult male. A few more molts and
they’ll be adults!
Look at that face!
by Carolyn Henderson
Our Vice President, Liz Lewis, achieved 250 volunteer hours this month, and the following members recertified for 2024:
Patricia Coombs presented their pins to them. Congratulations to all!
by Donna Lewis
More good stuff outside. Grab your camera and go look.
I had just put out some bird seeds for the squirrels and the Doves. I put some for them on the ground to keep them from crowding the bird feeders.
I don’t know if you are aware of it, but White-tail bunnies (cottontails) like bird seed! I was surprised also. But they do. They come every day now. I had a hard time getting a photo though, because they wanted to run if I got too close. Sometimes there is a fight between everyone wanting the seeds, including Doves, Cardinals, Blue Jays, squirrels, and many others.
Also, on our front porch is a nest full of baby Phoebes just about ready to leave the nest.
Here’s one of their parents watching them dutifully from our doggie yard.
Then while on my walk, I found a Red-eared Slider laying eggs down by our front gate.
What a Spring and Summer we are having. The rains have produced abundant field grass and insects. Eat up my friends. And please, eat all the mosquitoes you can!
Remember who’s out there.
Nature Along the El Camino Real 