23 August 2025
This week somebody ate crow close to the Cathedral of Studying. I often discover pigeon feathers however yesterday I discovered a pile of crow feathers below a tree close to Heinz Chapel. Who would have perched in a tree to eat crow? My guess is a red-tailed hawk. The peregrines desire to eat excessive up on the Cathedral after they’re this near dwelling.
In different information, late summer season flowers are blooming and late summer season bugs are busy.
These attractive flowers are the rationale why Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) was imported as a decorative plant. (Hmmm, the scientific title has modified?)
Up shut Indian tobacco (Lobelia inflata) exhibits tiny dots on the sides of its leaves, under.
Wikipedia explains: The plant known as Indian tobacco as a result of Native People chewed and smoked the leaves and used it for respiratory and muscle problems, as a purgative, and as a ceremonial medication. Its purgative property gave it a second title: puke weed. “Consuming lobelia causes antagonistic results, which can embrace sweating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, fast heartbeat, psychological confusion, convulsions, hypothermia, coma, or presumably loss of life. The basis is poisonous and might be deadly if eaten.”
Ragweed (Ambrosia sp) was on the brink of bloom this week. Quickly it’s going to open and scatter its copious pollen on the wind. Possibly it has already however my nostril by no means tells me. I’m not allergic to ragweed, however don’t get me close to hay.
Spittle bugs are very busy these days. Why was this yellow jacket sipping from the spittle? Or was she sipping plant juices? Or was she consuming the bugs?
In summer season 2023 when Pittsburgh had a noticed lanternfly plague, this constructing was among the finest locations to seek out an infestation. Again then it was creepy what number of lanternflies crawled up the muse. This 12 months the quantity is low. Solely 8 on this photograph. Click on right here to see them circled.
