Red Fox

  This year on the farm has proven to be quite interesting where wildlife is concerned. My husband and I have been seeing an adult Red Fox roaming around our farm for many weeks now. Because of the frequency in which we've been seeing her we figured the fox was a female and probably had babies somewhere on our farm. One day about 2 weeks ago Joey rounded the corner of one of our sheds and she was sitting beside a hole that leads under the shed. She began yipping and barking at him. I figured by the description of her behavior those babies were under the shed. Exactly one week later Joey and I were on the four-wheeler and drove around the same shed and one of the babies was outside. It was trying with great effort to drag a rather large rabbit, that it's mother killed for it back under the shed. After much tugging and pulling he finally managed to get it back inside.

  I tried for the last two weeks to get pictures of the babies all to no avail. Then today my husband was spraying weeds in one of our lots when he spotted three fox kits running around and playing. He called me and told me to come down to the lot if I wanted pictures. I quietly approached this drainage tube and sat patiently waiting. After about an hour two kits ran out, spotted me and took off under the shed.. I knew there was at least one more so I continued to wait. 15 minutes more went by when a little face peeked out. Within a few more minutes another little face peeked out. There are a total of four kits.

  The one of the left in this picture seems to be the dominant sibling. He was larger than the other three and more confident. The little one on the right was very submissive to him, and seemed to look up to him for security. It was very cute to watch them interact.

  Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)  are apex predators. They are the most widely spread of all fox species. As their name suggests they are predominantly reddish is color. There are some variations in color occurring in some specimens. They may be gray or even silver. These lighter colored foxes are often called "Silver Fox". Closely related to dogs, they have learned to adapt quite well to human encroachment. This ability to co-exist with humans has led to them being a highly successful predator that is very plentiful in almost all of its range. They are even able to co-inhabit areas where other more specific species of fix live such as the Arctic Fox.

  Red Foxes can be found throughout almost all of North America, and are considered native to forested areas, but are introduced in more temperate regions. Many Red Fox were imported into the United States to create a fox hunting population, many of these imported species most likely crossbred with the native red fox to create a hybrid. This hybrid red fox could be the red fox many of us see.

Red Fox are the largest of the "true foxes" and can weigh up to 17 pounds. The fox which live in northern regions tend to be much larger than the ones found in more temperate time zones. Probably the most recognized feature of the Red Fox is their bushy tail. It is typically tipped with white and almost half as long as its body length. They will use this large fuzzy tail to wrap around themselves in the winter to help keep them warm. They have very large ears, which gives them excellent hearing. When I do trail hikes with small children we use our "fox ears" to hear things better. I have the kids hold their hands in front of them so that all their fingers are touching, then we place them behind our ears and push our ears forward. This funnels sounds into our ears and makes sounds appear louder. This is similar to the way foxes hear, they funnel sounds into those really large ears.

Although they are predators, they will feed on a variety of foods. This includes berries, fruit and even sunflower seeds. So while they are classified as carnivores, they are more accurately omnivores. When hunting their favorites are mice, voles, rabbits, birds and eggs. They have even been known to take down deer fawns. Watching them hunt is very humorous, it looks as if they are playing with their upcoming meal. They will stalk their prey, then leap high into the air and pounce the unsuspecting victim. They are capable of hearing mice scurrying around in the tall grass from a great distance. Fox have small stomachs for their overall size and cannot consume large portions at a single feeding. They will store leftover food in caches to consume later.

 

  Many people have long held the belief that Red Fox and Coyotes will not co-exist in the same territory. Red Fox do tend to live outside the perimeters of the coyotes home range. In reality most coyotes will ignore the red fox. In fact there are documentations of the red fox and the coyotes feeding together. There are definitely cases where the fox and coyote are aggressive to each other, these aggressions are usually initiated by the coyote. The only time the fox would be the aggressor would be if the coyotes approached her young. Here on our farm we have a family of coyotes living in a ditch on our property and we also have this family of fox. They seem to co-exist peacefully.

Typically fox are loners and only pair up in the winter. Their territories may be as large as 19 square miles. Several dens will be located within their ranges, and they will utilize these dens as hideouts. A larger den will be used during the winters, and for a birthing chamber. They will mark their territory using scent glands located underneath their tail. The scent given off by this gland is very much like the scent from a skunk. They are not capable of spraying their scent like a skunk though. We humans can smell the scent if we are within a few feet of where the fox sprays. Mated pairs will raise 4 to 6 young each year. When the young reach 8 months of age they are capable of being on their own, and usually leave the den to begin life as a full fledged adult fox.

I feel very fortunate to have this family of fox living on our farm and I hope to see them much more in the future. I'm sure they will help control and overpopulation of rabbits that tend to eat our garden veggies.

Mayapple

 This pretty little pink flower is the bloom of the Mayapple. They grow throughout Eastern North America in wooded areas. This one was photographed in St. Joseph on the walking trail  at my work. While hiking with a group of children I discovered them in bloom. I've hiked this trail for 6 years, in all seasons and this is the first time I was lucky enough to see the blooms. Shows that being in the right place at the right time is what making discoveries is all about. After doing some research I discovered that this pink bloom is rare for Mayapples, they usually have a white to off-white bloom. I am excited that I was able to see pink ones!

  This plant goes by many different names, and it probably depends upon where you live as to what you call it. Some of the more common names are Hogapple, Indian Apple, Umbrella Plant (from the shape of the leaves), Wild Mandrake, Wild Lemon (from the taste of the fruit), and Devil's Apple.
Once established they seem to be prolific. The woods at work are abundant with them, I usually pick one to show the kids up close and then ask them to image that it is natures own umbrella. Think of all the little critters that might find shelter under it's leaves during heavy rains...i.e. mice, insects, etc. They just laugh at the absurdity of the picture they get in their minds. Personally I like the notion that little creatures "might" hunker down under the leaves of this unique plant and wait out a spring storm.

Although the "apple" on this plant is edible it is reported to taste rather bitter. Raccoons seem fond of it and are sometimes seen sampling the berry....which is where this plant derives another common name of "raccoon berry". The root of the plant is poisonous  and can cause inflammation of the skin and eyes. Shawnee Indians would boil the root to make a strong laxative. There are two medications on the market today, one called podophyllin that is used as a strong cathartic, the other is peltatine that is being used as an experimental drug to treat some cancers.

Rumor has it that any woman who pulls up the root of this plant will soon become pregnant. I say leave it be!

Jack-In-The-Pulpit

  This unusual flower is called Jack-In-The-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum). They are a wildflower native to Missouri as well the rest of the Midwest and Eastern United States.. You will find them in deciduous hardwood forests growing in moist soil in the undergrowth. They are capable of reaching heights of up to 2 feet, but typically will be 8-12 inches. They are considered poisonous to livestock, which will graze on them if it is the only greens available to them. If you own cattle, sheep or horses that are allowed to graze in timbered areas that feature these flowers, it might be best to not let them graze in these areas until the plants are no longer present. Digging up the plants when they are found can help reduce their numbers if you are concerned for livestock. Otherwise these plants are beautiful and certainly very interesting to look at. The one pictured here was photographed today on a woodland trail behind my office at work. I found 5 total in the woods all within a few feet of each other. Their blooming time is limited to spring here in NW Missouri. In some areas they are capable of blooming throughout the summer. In the fall, bright red berries become evident.

 These plants are perennial and will return year after year. They grow from an underground corm, that resembles a turnip. Long shoots will break through the ground and three leaves will form behind the peculiar bloom-like structure. They will range in color from purple, green and greenish-white. These flowers are easily grown in shade garden and make an interesting addition to your perennial shade garden. The flowers are sure to illicit many comments.

This plant goes by many names, and depending upon where you live can be called, Bog onion, Devil's ear, Marsh turnip, Brown dragon, Indian turnip,Plant of peace and Memory root. Much myth surrounds this interesting plant.....The Meskwaki indians would float the inner seed of this plant around in a cup of water. This was done to decide the fate of sick individuals. If the seed floated and rotated clockwise four times the patient could expect to recover from whatever illness was plaguing them. If the seed sank before completing four rotations it meant the patient would surely perish. The seeds were also ground up and placed in meat. The meat was left outside for the Sioux Indians (the enemy of the Meskwaki indians) to find. Believe it or not the Sioux indians would pick up the tainted meat and consume it, learning too late their mistake when they fell ill and died. They fell for this trick not once, not twice, but over and over again. Apparently never learning the cause of the illness and death of their tribe members. It was discovered if the root was left to dry for up to 6 months it could be ground into a powder and used to make bread. Apparently drying the root releases the toxins and makes it safe for consumption that causes illness or death. A poultice was made from the root and used to treat sores, and even snake bites.Early settlers adopted this practice from the Native Americans. There are many other lores attributed to this plant. Some stated the plant grew at the base of the cross at calvary, and the red streaks are from the fallen blood. Still another lore says that bears which were in hibernation for forty days could eat this plant and and fully recover from their long hibernation.

The design of the plant is very important for protection. The spathe which covers the “pitcher” of the plant protects the flower that is hidden inside at the base of the spadix. This prevents the tube from filling up with rainwater, which would wash away the pollen. Insects, especially gnats, are drawn into the spathe by a fungal smell emitted by the plant. They are attracted to the color of the pollen which covers the floor of the chamber. Because the tube is slippery, insects have a hard time leaving. There is a small flap formed by the leaves that smaller insects can fit through to complete pollination. Larger insects, including flies, however get stuck and often end their life in the base of the plant. Though the shape and design of the plant mimics that of a pitcher-plant, Jack-in-the-Pulpit is not carnivorous. The plant is also able to change sex. Most plants are males that become female in favorable conditions. Because the responsibilities of the female plant (seed production) require strength, plants may never become male or revert back if conditions suddenly change.

Sources: http://www.stolaf.edu/academics/naturallands/woodlands/ephemerals/jack-in-the-pulpit.html

Sand Cherry

This beautiful pink flower is the bloom of the Sandy Cherry tree. This unique tree can also be cultivated as a shrub. While not native to Missouri, with beautiful red leaves and gorgeous pink blooms they make a stunning addition to your landscape. Bees are attracted to the highly fragrant blooms. The smell coming from the flowers on this tree is almost intoxicating in their intensity. They grow to be approximately 10 feet tall, and are hardly from zones 2-8. Grow them in full to part sun locations, otherwise if grown in the shade their foliage will change from purple-red to yellow-green. They seem to be tolerant of a wide variety of soil conditions, but prefer well drained soil best. They are prone to various diseases and have a life expectancy of approximately 10 to 15 years.
Japanese beetles are VERY fond of the purple leaf sand cherry, unfortunately. Other pests include peachtree borer, scale, fall webworm, aphids, mealy bugs,and tent caterpillars. Diseases include honey fungus, verticillium wilt, black knot, cankers, powdery mildew, leaf spot, bacterial leaf scorch, and frost cracks.
Over all I would recommend this pretty little tree to your yard. They provide beautiful color and fragrant blooms.

Daffodil

 Second blooming flower of spring. My daffodils finally opened and showed their lovely yellow flowers. Such vibrant color sure puts a smile on my face after such a long cold, harsh winter.

Yellow Crocus

I was beginning to think that nothing would begin blooming. I usually have crocus blooming by the end of February or the first of March. I just discovered these blooms 2 nights ago....so all I can say is....Better late than never.

Winters final fury....?

Friday dawned bright and sunny with a forecast for 50 degrees. I spotted two Turkey Vultures soaring on the thermals and a painted turtle sunning himself on a log in the pond at my office. These two sights created in me an overwhelming sense of contentment....Spring was near. My excitement was short lived however, with the voice of the weatherman blaring on the radio "100% chance of Snow, accumulations up to 5 inches!"

NO! Say it isn't so! NO MORE SNOW! I simply cannot take it, not another day! 

Unfortunately for me the weatherman was right, Friday night the snow began to fall, and it continued to fall all day Saturday, with gusty winds up to 25 MPH. It was a frigid, miserable day, this first day of Spring! What is the old saying about March roaring in like a lion and leaving like a lamb, or is that the other way around? 

All told this latest snow storm dumped 5 more inches of snow on us. Sunday the temperatures reached the 40's and melted the snow, on the already water-logged soil here in NW Missouri. The ground here just can't hold any more water. When I walk across the yard, the water squishes up out of the soil and feels like you are walking on a water-logged sponge. 

It was still quite chilly yesterday, but I was still prompted to head outside and see what birds were hanging at the feeders. I found chick-a-dees, sparrows, Northern Mockingbirds, Northern Cardinals, Juncos, American Goldfinches, Downy Woodpeckers, Yellow-Bellied Woodpeckers, Starlings, Common Grackles, and White-Breasted Nuthatches all busy feeding, and tormenting each other. Breeding season is on the horizon. Each morning I am awakened to the sounds of the birds singing a delightful chorus, in the hopes of attracting a suitable mate. Apparently the recent weather activities do not put them off in the least. Once they have sex on the brain there is not stopping them.

I am hoping and praying that Saturday's snow fall was a fluke, and that warmer days and sunshine are ahead.

Seriously, one 60 degree day in 4 months is enough to make even the nicest person cranky....yes.....I mean me. I am getting seriously cranky! I need warmth! I swear being born in Missouri was some cruel joke the fates played on me....I should have been born in a different hemisphere, I just know it!