Happy Mystery Monday! Our Garden Stewards found this caterpillar on some goldenrod in the gardens. Do you know what it is?

Last week, we asked you about the black swallowtail caterpillar. These caterpillars are often found on plants in the Umbellifer family. Other host plants for this caterpillar include carrot, dill, and parsley. The black swallowtail will stay as a caterpillar for 3 to 4 weeks, then form a chrysalis and remain in its pupal stage for about 10 to 20 days before metamorphosing into an adult.

Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy and Adkins Arboretum. Please give them here.

The Eastern Shore Permaculture Institute’s Justinian Dispenza checked in with the Spy again from where else?—on the road!

This trip, Justinian and friends are exploring the Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee, including a 6-mile hike to the 6,700 ft. summit of Mt. Mitchell, a 4+ hour climb not for the faint of heart.

Dispenza’s interest in wilderness survival and living skills gives him a unique perspective on each environment they encounter. On this outing, he discovered plants native to that area; wintergreen and wild blueberries.

Based in Galena, Dispenza is happy to share his wilderness adventures with the Spy, and we are always happy to have a few minutes of vicarious, educational exploring.

“The Eastern Shore Permaculture Institute is a resource for education and empowerment, taking back our food system. We focus on teaching courses on sustainable gardening, mushroom growing, soap making, wilderness survival and living skills, and ecologically friendly building practices.” 

This video is approximately five minutes in length. Please go here for more information about the Eastern Shore Permaculture Institute, see their Facebook page.

Happy Mystery Monday! This plant is blooming and producing seed pods that stick like velcro. It is near the goat pen, though we’ve also found it in the South Meadow. What is it?

Last week, we asked you about the common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)! Garter snakes are extremely variable in appearance but usually have 3 yellowish stripes against a dark body and a light colored belly. There are four subspecies in the eastern U.S, but only one in the mid-Atlantic: the eastern garter snake (Thamnophis s. sirtalis). They are active during the day, but may forage at night in the summer. They prefer open, grassy areas, but are also found in the wood and near streams and swamps.

Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy and Adkins Arboretum. Please give them here.

Happy Mystery Monday! We got a close-up of an ethereal critter this morning, do you know what it is?