Inky cap mushrooms in mulch at Cathedral of Learning, 30 Sep 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
4 October 2025
This week started with two signs of fall in Pittsburgh: Inky cap mushrooms melting into “ink” and a spider web beaded with fog.
Spider web in fog, Schenley Park, 28 Sep 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
On Wednesday my husband and I traveled to Cape Cod for a family visit and a day-trip yesterday to Nantucket. The weather is gorgeous but has recently kept migrating birds away from the coast. Birding is quiet here compared to reports from friends in Pittsburgh.
View of Nantucket harbor, 3 Oct 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Cape Cod’s sandy soil and saltwater attracts plants we don’t have in western PA. My Picture This app said this is coastal sweetpepperbush (Clethra alnifolia). The shape of the fruits gives the plant its name though there is nothing peppery about it.
Costal sweetpepperbush, Bell’s Neck, Cape Cod, 2 Oct 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Yesterday a two-headed bee flew by and landed on the gravel where it was easy to figure out it was two bees conjoined: a future queen and a male. The queen is so large and strong that she can fly while he’s attached. The second photo looks fuzzy because they are vibrating.
Bumblebees mating, Nantucket town, 3 Oct 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)Bumblebees mating, Nantucket town, 3 Oct 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
At home in Pittsburgh it feels like summer. Here on the Cape, surrounded by water, all the buildings have the heat on because the nights are cold.
Bumblebee on bluebeard, 23 Sept 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
27 September 2025
Good morning.
Sunrise in Pittsburgh on 27 September 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
After it rained on Monday I took a walk just before another rainstorm pelted the neighborhood. All the plants had been washed clean and a garden of bluebeard (Caryopteris sp.) was swarming with bumble and honey bees. Bluebeard is native to Asia but the bees don’t care.
Bees on bluebeard, 23 Sept 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Three days earlier, while birding in Frick Park, I noticed the amazing spikes standing up from the leaflet axils on Japanese angelica (Aralia elata).
Spines on Japanese angelica leaves, Frick Park, 20 Sept 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
A closer look revealed that all the leaf veins had spikes down to the tiniest detail.
Closeup of spines on Japanese angelica leaves, Frick Park, 20 Sept 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
How did I know this is the invasive alien Japanese angelica (Aralia elata) instead of the native devil’s walking stick (Aralia spinosa)? I didn’t, but it was a good assumption because of the plant’s location and the fact that even botanists were fooled by Aralia elata for a while.
See the range maps and how to tell the difference in the article below. Good luck!
Gabrielle Marsden releases a zebra swallowtail at Schenley Park, 31 August 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
6 September 2025
This week I couldn’t help but notice the landscape looks very dry and plants are wilting.
Unwatered grass is brown in the drought, 2 September 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)Orange jewelweed at Schenley Park is wilting in the drought, 31 August 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
And now it’s official. Pennsylvania is in a moderate drought in Elk, Cameron, northwest Clearfield, western Allegheny, Beaver and Greene counties. Notice the pink arrows I added to this map from U.S. Drought Monitor at UNL.
Gabrielle Marsden (@gobbism on Instagram) raises many kinds of butterflies, especially zebra swallowtails. She brought three adults to Schenley Park to release during the Botanical Society walk last Sunday. (See top photo) The butterflies’ host plant, the pawpaw tree, grows in Schenley.
Zebra swallowtails ready for release, 31 August 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Botanical Society of Western Pennsylvania walks focus on plants but the outings do not ignore the rest of nature. Bugs are often associated with specific plants so when we found cool bugs we took a look … and found a planthopper. He was easy to see because his bright green disguise doesn’t work in a drought.
Planthopper is too gren for the drought.
We also found the remnants of a scissor-grinder cicada who left his exoskeleton behind on a leaf.
Scissor-grinder cicada exoskeleton, Schenley Park, 31 Aug 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Sometimes the bugs found us. Steve Tirone had to stop in his tracks to avoid hurting the katydid on his shoe.
Katydid on Steve’s shoe, Schenley Park, 31 Aug 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
p.s. I forgot to tell you what we saw on the Schenley Park outing last Sunday, 31 August.
Schenley Park outing, 31 August 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
The birds were quiet and generally hard to find. We saw only 15 species. Best Birds were two immature red-tailed hawks that chased each other.
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 75 on Flagstaff Hill Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 3 Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 2 Immature hawks lazily chasing each other up the creek Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 3 Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 2 Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 6 Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) 1 Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 8 Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) 1 European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 20 American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 25 House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 16 American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 3 Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 4 Adult & fledgling were not the color we expected. Both had a rumpled appearance as if they got dirty somehow. Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 4
Right now adult spotted lanternflies are flying to find each other and their host plant, Ailanthus, to mate, lay eggs and die. In Pittsburgh we had a major invasion in 2023 from mid August to mid September but they’re not so bad this year, as expected based on their initial North American invasion in Eastern Pennsylvania. There is more to learn from that initial invasion including lists of their top bird and insect predators.
#1 Bird: Chickens! Backyard chickens eat a lot more than grain and are known to gobble up spotted lanternfly nymphs when they find them. The nymph phase ran from June to late July in Pittsburgh this year.
Wild Birds: Plenty of birds have figured out that spotted lanternflies are good to eat including visiting warblers. The top predators, however, are resident birds and one migratory species that leaves for the winter, shown in the slideshow below. All of them catch both nymphs and adults: Northern cardinals, gray catbirds, blue jays and tufted titmice.
We then tested 10 commercially available or easily field-collected generalist predators to determine if these potential biological control agents could reduce L. delicatula populations. Spined soldier bugs (Podisus maculiventris), Carolina mantids (Stagmomantis carolina), and Chinese mantids (Tenodera sinensis) were the most effective at reducing prey populations, indicating they have promise as effective natural control agents.
Spined soldier bugs (Podisus maculiventris) are native insects that resemble brown marmorated stink bugs from Asia, except that these eat insects not plants. They’re called soldiers because they gather in groups to attack and kill their prey. Awesome!
Here’s an adult. Notice the resemblance to the stink bug.
The next most effective insect predator of spotted lanternflies is the Chinese praying mantis (Tenodera sinensis) which naturally recognizes their fellow Asian insect food.
What moth? Frick, 28 August 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
30 August 2025
This was certainly the week for insects, especially on Thursday when cold temperatures made them sluggish. Here are a few that I’ve seen this week, some of which I cannot identify.
At top, what moth is this at Frick Park on Thursday? Google Lens gives so many answers that I am not sure which one to pick.
Below, not-a-moth this is an end-banded netwing beetle (Calopteron terminale). Most, but not all photos, show a black band in the middle too.
End-banded netwing beetle, Frick, 28 August 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
An old spider web is draped like a curtain on a twig and stinging nettle in Frick Park.
Spiderweb on stinging nettle, Frick, 28 August 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
When I got back to my car there was a weevil on the window (yes, my car is dirty). I don’t know what species.
A weevil but which one? Frick, 28 August 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Aphids have been sucking the juices out of Schenley Park’s false sunflowers for about a month now. Our abnormally dry weather makes the plants less juicy.
Aphids on false sunflower, Schenley, 29 August 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Reminder! I’ll be leading an outing at Schenley Park tomorrow, 31 August, starting from the Schenley Park Visitors Center at 8:30am. More info here.
Can you see the hawk? We’ll look for him tomorrow. He was watching near Panther Hollow Lake yesterday.
Peregrine falcon, “Luna,” can’t believe there’s a bug on her foot, 20 Aug 2025, Rocky River, Ohio (photo by Chris Saladin)
22 August 2025
I don’t know about you, but I haven’t seen a plague of spotted lanternflies in Allegheny County this year. At this time in August 2023 they were everywhere, but not now. At least, not yet.
Spotted lanternflies in the City of Pittsburgh, 21 August 2023 (photo by Kate St. John)
The plague has moved northwest. Spotted lanternflies are overwhelming the Cleveland area right now — so much so that they even climbed up a peregrine’s foot while she was minding her own business in Rocky River. (picture at top; yellow circle around the bug)
Chris Saladin captured photos of the bugs crowding “Luna” as she perched on a lightpost. When she opened her wings to fly there was one on her wing! Ewwww.
Peregrine with spotted lanternfly on her wingtip, 20 Aug 2025, Rocky River, Ohio (photo by Chris Saladin)
Luna went airborne and so did the bugs.
Bird and bugs fly at the same time, 20 Aug 2025, Rocky River, Ohio (photo by Chris Saladin)
These are probably the First Ever photos of the simultaneous flight of peregrine falcon and spotted lanternflies.
Peregrine escapes the lanternflies, 20 Aug 2025, Rocky River, Ohio (photo by Chris Saladin)
Fortunately, in the year after a spotted lanternfly plague their population tapers considerably. There’s hope for summer 2026 in Rocky River.
Spider wasp and wolf spider, Frick Park, 14 August 2025 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)
19 August 2025
Last Thursday Charity Kheshgi and I were on a narrow trail at Frick Park when we had to stop because a big black wasp was flying back and forth over the trail, sometimes landing and wiggling her antennae on the ground, then flying again in front of us. Charity got a photo of her on the ground. Why won’t she leave?
While we waited I googled “black wasp with yellow antennae, orange-tipped wings” and found out she was a spider wasp, probably Entypus unifasciatus pictured below. She was doing something really creepy and we shouldn’t get too close.
“Female spider wasps [E. unifasciatus] hunt for wolf spiders to provision their nests, which they often create in pre-existing cavities or burrows.” — paraphrased from Missouri Dept of Conservation.
Wolf spiders fight the attacking wasp but she flies up to avoid his reach, then stings him and injects her paralyzing venom.
Because of camouflage it took us a while to realize that this wasp had a victim. She turned the paralyzed spider to make sure he was immobile, then grabbed him with her jaws, dragged him backwards down the trail and disappeared into the weeds where she’d established a burrow.
Spider wasp and wolf spider, Frick Park, 14 August 2025 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)
This photo by Lafe on Flickr shows a spider wasp dragging a wolf spider across his lawn.
At this point the wolf spider is alive but cannot move. Inside her nest …
At the end of [her] burrow is a deep cell or chamber carved out in advance by the female. While depositing the spider there, she lays a fertilized egg [on its body]. Once her egg hatches, the larva begins eating the spider while it is alive, but still paralyzed. Once the larva grows large enough, it pupates in this cell over the winter, and emerges as a winged adult in the early summer. …
Because females lay many eggs in a season, they must collect multiple spiders as food stores. This usually means that their appearance is a bit haggard and worn out by the end of summer thanks to many victorious battles.
Ironweed at Frick Park, 14 August 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
16 August 2025
There were so many things to see this week that it was hard to choose my favorites.
Tall ironweed, above, was halfway gone to seed at Frick Park but was gorgeous despite the spent flowers.
Two rare-to-Pittsburgh bird species showed up at the mouth of Flaugherty Run. I stopped by to see the sanderling (Calidris alba) on Sunday but missed 15 avocets (Recurvirostra americana) on Tuesday because I did not go see them immediately. Avocets in Pittsburgh are a One Day Wonder; they never stay more than a few hours.
Sanderling at Flaugherty Run along the Ohio River, 10 August 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
At Schenley Park on Wednesday I encountered six deer: one buck, 3 does and 2 “teenage” fawns. One of the does was closely associated with the buck and stayed with him when he crossed the valley. Here they are eating.
Buck at Schenley Park, 13 Aug 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)Doe at Schenley Park paired with the buck, 13 Aug 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
On Thursday at Frick Park the field of wild senna was humming with at least 100 bumblebees. It was awesome to see so many in one place. (I counted!)
Three bumblebees on wild senna, Frick Park, 14 Aug 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
Venus and Jupiter spent the week in conjunction and trading places. The process began with Venus on the right, then Jupiter ultimately moved above her as seen in this day-by-day slideshow.
Jupiter, Venus, 10 Aug 2025
Jupiter, Venus, 11 Aug 2025
Jupiter, Venus, 12 Aug 2025
Jupiter, Venus, 13 Aug 2025
Jupiter, Venus, 14 Aug 2025
Jupiter, Venus, 15 Aug 2025
It’s unusual to have clear skies night after night in Pittsburgh but we’re in an almost-drought so we have no clouds and no rain — except for a thunderstorm on Wednesday. Despite that precipitation, dry conditions continue in the city.
Drooping poison ivy in our abnormally dry weather, Schenley Park, 13 August 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
The U.S. Drought Monitor now acknowledges we are Abnormally Dry as of 12 August.
Zabulon skipper on my hand, Frick Park, 7 Aug 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
9 August 2025
Such a variety of insects this week! Thursday was especially good for bugs during a short walk from the Hutchinson ball field to Commercial Street in Frick Park. When we weren’t swatting mosquitos I found five other “bugs.” Here are my best guesses at their identity. As always, please leave a comment if I got it wrong.
Above, a zabulon skipper (Poanes zabulon) flew up and perched on my right hand. I’m pretty confident with this identification because “zabs” are the only skipper species that ever lands on me. Click here to see one on my left thumb on 12 Aug 2021. This week’s photo was quite a challenge because I had to take the closeup with my left hand.
Below: I think this is a little wood satyr butterfly (Megisto cymela) perched on Viburnum plicatum. If the dorsal view is key to its identity … well, alas, I never saw its back.
(I think this is a …) Little wood satyr butterfly, Frick Park, 7 Aug 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
I know this gray bug is a planthopper but I don’t know what species. Google Lens identified it as a citrus flatid planthopper (Metcalfa pruinosa).
Citrus flatid planthopper, Frick Park, 7 Aug 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
This stag beetle (family Lucanidae), though impressive in size, was nearly dead.
Staghorn beetle, injured female, Frick Park, 7 Aug 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
We saw exposed branches and chomped leaves on a young northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) and found out why when we looked under the leaves.
Catalpa whose leaves have been devoured by catalpa worm, Frick Park, 7 Aug 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
The tree was infested with catalpa worms, the larval stage of the catapla sphinx moth (Ceratomia catalpae). The “horn” is actually its tail end trying to masquerade as a head.
Catalpa worm, larva of catalpa sphinx moth, Frick Park, 7 Aug 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)
When the caterpillar grows up it will look like this.
Meanwhile listen for the daytime drone of cicadas. Even if you don’t see them you can often identify them by sound. My guess at Frick Park on Thursday was lyric cicada because their sound is a puttering drone.
I wish there was a Merlin sound ID app for insects.
Today a quiz that you face every day during Bug Season: Is this a Moth or a Butterfly?
These 11 photographs are moths and butterflies from Wikimedia Commons. The experts among you will be able to identify the species, but not all of them because some are from other continents and some have no location description. If you click on the caption links you’ll see the original photo with description … BUT … some of the descriptions are mislabeled.
Clues to help you:
Antennae: Feathery (moths) vs Knobs (butterflies) … and then there are skippers
Flying: Night (moths) vs Day (butterflies): But there are exceptions. However some of the photo backgrounds give a clue.
Wing Position At Rest –> see this photo … And then there are skippers.
