flowers

Is Spiderwort in Virginia “Virginia Spiderwort”? /  by Todd Henson

Spiderwort after the rain

Far too infrequently I stumble upon some spiderwort growing and blooming in the wild. I’ve always loved the flowers, the rich and vibrant violet-blue petals, the bright yellow anthers, the busy filaments that cluster between anther and petal and resemble blue webbing. Their color seems to stand out even in the shade, and this is a plant that can grow in both sun and shade.

Though spiderwort flowers only last a day or two they keep producing buds throughout the blooming season

In this case, though, the plants were in the yard of some friends who live in the mountains surrounded by absolutely beautiful forested creek-side scenery. And closer to the house are flowers and plants like this. To walk outside everyday during the blooming season and see a bouquet of these spiderworts? Fantastic!

A single spiderwort flower amongst many buds

As for the question in the title of this post, there are at least a couple different species of spiderwort native to Virginia (Tradescantia subaspera and Tradescantia virginiana), and I am not always the most skilled at narrowing down identification to a specific species. But I’ll answer the question of whether spiderwort in Virginia is Virginia Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) as: quite possibly, and perhaps even likely. I believe that’s the case with these flowers, though I’m not 100% certain. If you know more please comment below and let me know. And I hope you’ve enjoyed viewing these lovely flowers.

Spiderwort blues

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Six-spotted Tiger Beetle at Caledon /  by Todd Henson

The six-spotted green tiger beetle (Cicindela sexguttata). Notice the white mandibles and large eyes.

Six-spotted tiger beetles (Cicindela sexguttata) are not an uncommon sight at many of the locations I’ve photographed, and they’re easy to spot because of their flashy metallic green coloration, especially when the sun hits them. But they can sometimes be a challenge to photograph as they most often seem skittish and are very quick to skitter or fly away. Thankfully, I found a willing subject in late May of 2022 at Caledon State Park in Virginia.

Looking down on a green six-spotted tiger beetle on a sandy part of the trail

The green of the six-spotted tiger beetle stands out no matter where you find it

I’ve most often seen them in the forest skittering around on some of the paths, the forest floor, or on fallen trees. They’re not particularly large beetles, around a half inch or so in length. As you might guess when you spot their white mandibles they are a predatory species, hunting other small insects.

Saying goodbye to the six-spotted tiger beetle

You can see another example of a six-spotted tiger beetle in One Afternoon Six Critters, where this shiny green beetle was one of six creatures we found while hiking Prince William Forest Park.

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Ghost Pipes of Caledon /  by Todd Henson

Ghost pipes of Caledon

This week we get a view of a cluster of ghost pipes growing in Caledon State Park in Virginia. I photographed these in late May of 2022. Ghost pipes (Monotropa uniflora) are a very interesting plant, especially in that they don’t contain chlorophyll. Instead they pull energy through a parasitic bond to a type of fungi, which itself has a parasitic bond to other plant life, such as trees.

Even though it may not look like it, these are flowering plants producing a single flower bud atop each stem. You can see the buds in this photo. Apparently they do produce pollen and bumblebees are one of their more common pollinators, though I don’t recall seeing any around any of the plants I’ve found.

I found a similar cluster of ghost pipes during our first visit to Voorhees Nature Preserve in July of 2021.

Have you ever stumbled upon ghost pipes in any of the woods you’ve hiked?

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