Poltrack Blog

I often think how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place. I took the opportunity over the last couple of days to visit friends and walk along trails that they have created on their properties. The biggest treat for me was seeing the damsel flies cavorting on rocks and plants near the Souhegan River. All these photos were taken in Smithville, New Ipswich. It only makes sense that a bus that traveled to the Burning Man Festival would end up in a field in New Ipswich. Photo taken with an infrared filter (because I can). I spent a fair amount of time at "Kelly Cove" watching Damselflies cavort in the sun.  Great signage Mary Kelly-Ciancetta I wanted to take a trail to Caribou Farm but it was too chaotic I spotted this on another trail on a friend's property, Some familiar names. I spotted lots of nice bracket fungi A A Fungus among us Gills Interesting trail marker Hiking on one of the many trails on the Dudley Property...

I've created a new page for my website featuring photos of nature. I realized that this subject forms the bulk of my photography. I've been digging through the archives and finding some interesting items such as these photos of a Parasitoid Wasp incubating a caterpillar. These photos were taken in August of 2014. Smile for the camera Excavation for the paralyzed caterpillar The camera did not bother her and she didn't bother me Eggs will be deposited inside the paralyzed caterpillar which will be buried

Years ago I planted an American High Bush Cranberry (Viburnum trilobum). It is a native plant that has white flowers in the spring, red berries in summer and  bronze foliage in the fall. Birds love the berries which apparently can be made into jams. I planted it on the edge of my yard and slowly it is being strangled by invasive Rosa multiflora and Oriental Bittersweet . It managed to survive in spite of this but is now facing a new crisis. While looking at the skeletonized leaves I discovered the larvae of the Viburnum Leaf Beetle Ugly things too small to hand pick Not much leaf left