Latest news with #Dutchman'sbreeches
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Invasive Stinging Ants That Can Cause Anaphylaxis Are Becoming A Problem In The South
The Asian needle ant is a small, brownish ant that is often seen wandering alone. It has a sting that can cause anaphylaxis in some people. The Asian needle ant was first found in three Southeastern states in 1932 and now lives throughout the Southeast according to the U.S. Forest Service. Put aside your worries about fire ants for just a moment, because a less familiar ant with a nasty sting is becoming a problem in the South. The Asian needle ant is a small, brownish ant that is often seen wandering alone and has a sting that can cause anaphylaxis in some people. The ant has caused concern in Georgia, where one entomologist got three calls about serious anaphylactic reactions in 2024. "We are now considering it a medically important pest," Dan Suiter, an Orkin distinguished professor of Urban Entomology at the University of Georgia, told Fox Weather. While there's no way to know who will have a reaction to the stings, Suiter says that anyone who carries an Epipen for other stinging insects should be exceptionally cautious. The Asian needle ant was first found in three Southeastern states in 1932 and has spread to many more since then, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The ant now lives throughout the Southeast and has traveled as far north as Wisconsin and upstate New York. It's also been found way out in Washington state. Unfortunately, the invasive insect limits the presence of native ants that are critical for dispersing seeds in forests. This threat to the native ants then also poses a the threat "to understory forbs like our beloved spring ephemerals - trillium, bloodroot, Dutchman's breeches, violets, etc. - through their decimation of native ants that disperse seeds," Dr. James T Vogt, Center Director of Southern Research StationCenter for Forest Assessment and Synthesis told Southern Living. Asian needle ants are black or brown with orangey legs. Because they look like so many other ants, Suiter recommends sending a photo to your local extension agent for identification. Then call a pest control company to set bait or treat nests. Asian needle ants are usually seen wandering alone rather than following other ants. They aren't aggressive, but can sting if they get in your clothing or you accidentally come into contact. Signs of anaphylaxis may include skin reactions, low blood pressure, a constricted airway or wheezing, nausea or vomiting, and dizziness. Anyone who experiences these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention. Read the original article on Southern Living
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Yahoo
Nature: Spring wildflowers pop up around nature preserves in Ohio
Mother Nature is shaking off the throes of a long, cold winter, and there's no better evidence of this than the explosion of spring wildflowers. For me, an early April trek to wildflower-rich southern Ohio haunts is a necessary rite of passage to officially see winter off and welcome spring. April 12 was a sunny but chilly day, and Shauna and I set off well before dawn, heading for Adams County. This Ohio River county is home to an amazing preserve known as the Ohio River Bluffs, which is owned by the Arc of Appalachia, an incredibly effective conservation organization. The Bluffs is a steep, south-facing wooded slope that overlooks the hills of Kentucky across the big river. The sun-soaked slopes produce Ohio's first big crop of wildflowers, with various hardy plants sending forth blooms by late February. White trout lilies lead off, and the elfin lilies are quickly followed by numerous other species — weeks before they bloom in central Ohio. Dense drifts of Virginia bluebells carpet the slopes, and one of our few native poppies, the spectacular wood poppy, sends forth large orange flowers. Nature: American robins recently migrated to Ohio Legions of trilliums — both large-flowered trillium (Ohio's state wildflower) and toadshade — are present, along with many other species of early wildflowers. After marveling over the botanical riches of the Bluffs, we headed north to another Arc of Appalachia site, the Gladys Riley Golden Star Preserve in adjacent Scioto County. The star of the show here is the preserve's namesake, the golden star lily. The preserve harbors Ohio's only population of this state-endangered trout lily, and it occurs by the thousands. The golden star was past peak flowering, but there were still plenty of the rich-orange-yellow flowers to be found. A small pioneer cemetery adjacent to the preserve caught our eye, due to expansive drifts of spring-beauty flowers carpeting the grass. Adding to the colorful palette were scores of common blue violets. Next stop was the Arc's Chalet Nivale Preserve. 'Nivale' refers to the snow trillium (Trillium nivale), which occurs there in profusion. Snow trillium is one of our first wildflowers to bloom, and it was already past flowering, but lots of other wildflowers were coming in strong, including Dutchman's breeches, yellow fumewort, creamy white violet and many others. A special treat was early buttercup, an Ohio rarity. Not far from Chalet Nivale is an interesting prairie knob that sits atop cliffs along Scioto Brush Creek, one of the state's most ecologically intact streams. A primary target was our smallest violet species, Walter's violet. A mature plant could fit comfortably on a quarter. We were not disappointed. Many plants have boom and bust years, and the violet was booming. We estimated around 250 plants — far more than I have ever seen there. Also of great interest was a rare mustard, the diminutive Michaux's gladecress. A large one tower to perhaps 3-4 inches in height. For those with a yen for wandering, I would highly recommend visiting the Arc of Appalachia sites that I mentioned, or any of its other sites. Especially good spots for wildflowers in May are the Arc's Highlands Nature Sanctuary, nearby Fort Hill (managed by the Arc) and Miller State Nature Preserve. All three sites are near each other and easily visited on a day trip. To replace lost calories after your hikes, I'd suggest the Amish-owned Country Crust Bakery at 4918 state Route 41 in Bainbridge, just down the road from Highlands Nature Sanctuary. Nature: A great horned owl is a sign that spring is here For more information about the Arc of Appalachia and its preserves, visit Naturalist Jim McCormac writes a column for The Dispatch on the first and third Sundays of the month. He also writes about nature at jim This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Nature: Spring wildflowers are blooming in Ohio
Chicago Tribune
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Naperville News Digest: Will County Forest Preserve District holding two local events; Naper Nights lineup announcement, tix on Record Store Day
Will County Forest Preserve District holding two local events Local events at which residents can check out wildflowers or view a historic farmstead are being held next week by the Forest Preserve District of Will County. From 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 17, residents can take a guided hike to find wildflowers at the Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 419 Trout Farm Road, Bolingbrook. The flowers along the hike include trout lily and Dutchman's breeches, a district news release said. The free hike is open to anyone 10 or older. Register by April 16 at Two days later, the district will offer a tour of the Riverview Farmstead Preserve, located on Book Road, just south of Hassert Boulevard in Naperville. The free tour is led by a naturalist from 10:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 19. It is a chance to explore the Clow family's 19th century farmstead and listen to stories of farm life, the district release said. Open to anyone 12 or older, the tour registration deadline is April 17 at Naper Nights lineup announcement, tix on Record Store Day Naper Settlement will announce its summer Naper Nights concert lineup in a promotional event with five local record stores on Saturday, April 12, which is Record Store Day. The concert series will feature a new lineup of tribute performances and one nationally known band with several hits from the 1970s, officials announced. Concert dates are June 20-21, July 18-19 and Aug. 15-16. To celebrate the national act coming to Naperville, the settlement has partnered with local record stores, including Purple Dog Records in Naperville, to give away free tickets. Other participating record stores are Crooked Arm Vinyl & Tap in Lisle, Kiss the Sky in Batavia and Left 'Round Records and Paul Rose Records & Boutique, both in Plainfield. Each store will have five pairs of tickets to give away. Special Naper Nights giveaway records will be hidden inside the stores near the albums that correspond to the concert lineup, officials said. If the record is found, it can be turned in for two free tickets to one of the shows. To take part in the promotional event, follow Naper Settlement on social media. The settlement will post hints and trivia about the upcoming lineup leading up to Saturday, when tickets will go on sale at 5 p.m. For more information, go to COD to present free OD recognition, Narcan training The College of DuPage will host a free Narcan training program from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, in the Health and Science Center on its main campus, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. Participants can learn how to recognize an opioid overdose and how to administer Narcan, or Naloxone, which is used to reverse an opioid overdose in an emergency, a college news release said. As part of the free session, which is open to anyone 18 or older, participants will receive a free Narcan kit. The training is offered in collaboration with the DuPage County Health Department and the College of DuPage Continuing Education.
Asharq Al-Awsat
01-04-2025
- Climate
- Asharq Al-Awsat
10 Native Spring Ephemerals that Bring Early Color to the Garden
Spring brings the return of color to the garden as bulbs bloom, perennials re-emerge, and new annuals settle in. But there's a less common category of plants that's also worth knowing: native spring ephemerals. Compared to most garden plants, ephemerals are fleeting, but their role in bridging the gap between winter and spring is invaluable. Ephemerals come to life in very early spring to take advantage of the season's increased soil moisture, early spring rains and the availability of sunlight under leafless trees. They poke up, grow quickly, put on a colorful show and then go dormant all within 6 to 8 weeks, typically from when the last snow melts to when the trees leaf out. And unlike plants that leave fading foliage behind, ephemerals retreat without a trace — or nearly so — allowing you to take advantage of the precious real estate left behind for later-season, shade-loving perennials, The AP news reported. Early food for insects, and a sight for sore eyes Native ephemerals' role in nature is to feed starving insects that emerge from dormancy at a time when other food is scarce. But they also provide flowery accents for garden-starved humans at a time when landscape color is scarce. Plant potted ephemerals or their corms or rhizomes in either spring or early fall. If sowing seeds, do so in late summer or early fall to allow time for growth and root establishment before winter. Either way, select a spot under deciduous trees that receives temporary spring sunlight and has well-draining, acidic soil (exceptions are noted below). A generous helping of compost, mixed into the soil, will provide nutrients, and a 2-inch layer of mulch will insulate and protect roots while dormant. Fertilizer isn't absolutely necessary, but a dose provided when buds begin to form in spring will boost flower size. In fall, dig up and divide overgrown ephemerals, if necessary, and give the area a good watering to help prepare them for winter. Because the plants will likely disappear underground by mid-summer, marking their spots with popsicle sticks in spring will make finding them easier. Here are 10 native spring ephemerals to consider: Azure bluet (Houstonia caerulea) — Small, pale-blue flower with yellow center and rosette leaves. Sow seeds just below the soil surface. Grow in rock gardens or in the lawn, but don't mow until plants have set seed for the following year. Grows 8 inches tall. Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) — One large, broad leaf and one orange-centered white flower per plant, each on its own stem. Spreads quickly to form a ground cover. Grows 12-14 inches tall. Calypso orchid, fairy slipper (Calypso bulbosa) — A single, dainty, purple-magenta-yellow-white blossom atop a slender stem with a single leaf. Thrives best in shade or part shade and can handle alkaline soil. Grows 2-8 inches tall. Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) — Deep-cut, feathery foliage, slender stems and drooping, fragrant white flowers. Note to parents and pet owners: All of its parts are toxic, but only if consumed in large quantities; causes minor skin irritation when touched. Beneficial to bumblebees. Grows 10 inches tall. Fringed bleeding hearts (Dicentra eximia) — Not to be confused with the Asian bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis), this US native has light-green, fernlike foliage and clusters of drooping, heart-shaped pink flowers on mounding plants. Thrives in moist, rocky soil and prefers part-shade to shade. Attracts birds. Grows 1-2 feet tall. Great white trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) — A triplet of oval leaves surrounds a solitary large white flower that turns pink as it matures. Berries and roots have a low toxicity, but only if eaten. Thrives in sun to shade. Grows 1-3 feet tall. Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) — Pink, but opens to reveal blue flowers on arching, branched stems. Prefers part shade or shade, and moist, rocky soil. A colonizing, rapid spreader. Grows 1-3 feet tall. Rue anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides) — Pink or white flowers on maroon stems with whorled leaves. Prefers partly shady conditions. Note to parents and pet owners: All parts of this plant are toxic, but only if eaten in large quantities; contact with sap will cause irritation. Grows 9 inches tall. Trout lily (Erythronium americanum) — Blotchy leaves and red-tinged, nodding yellow flowers with curled-back petals. Will perform best in full sun but can handle part shade. Does not transplant well, so leave it in place once planted. Grows 8 inches tall. Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla) — Each leaf is divided into two lung-shaped leaflets, with white, star-shaped flowers atop leafless flower stalks. Petals are delicate and can be blown off by wind. Grows 1-3 feet tall.
The Independent
01-04-2025
- General
- The Independent
Blink and you could miss them. 10 native spring ephemerals that bring early color to the garden
Spring brings the return of color to the garden as bulbs bloom, perennials re-emerge, and new annuals settle in. But there's a less common category of plants that's also worth knowing: native spring ephemerals. Compared to most garden plants, ephemerals are fleeting, but their role in bridging the gap between winter and spring is invaluable. Ephemerals come to life in very early spring to take advantage of the season's increased soil moisture, early spring rains and the availability of sunlight under leafless trees. They poke up, grow quickly, put on a colorful show and then go dormant all within 6 to 8 weeks, typically from when the last snow melts to when the trees leaf out. And unlike plants that leave fading foliage behind, ephemerals retreat without a trace — or nearly so — allowing you to take advantage of the precious real estate left behind for later-season, shade-loving perennials. Early food for insects, and a sight for sore eyes Native ephemerals' role in nature is to feed starving insects that emerge from dormancy at a time when other food is scarce. But they also provide flowery accents for garden-starved humans at a time when landscape color is scarce. Plant potted ephemerals or their corms or rhizomes in either spring or early fall. If sowing seeds, do so in late summer or early fall to allow time for growth and root establishment before winter. Either way, select a spot under deciduous trees that receives temporary spring sunlight and has well-draining, acidic soil (exceptions are noted below). A generous helping of compost, mixed into the soil, will provide nutrients, and a 2-inch layer of mulch will insulate and protect roots while dormant. Fertilizer isn't absolutely necessary, but a dose provided when buds begin to form in spring will boost flower size. In fall, dig up and divide overgrown ephemerals, if necessary, and give the area a good watering to help prepare them for winter. Because the plants will likely disappear underground by mid-summer, marking their spots with popsicle sticks in spring will make finding them easier. Here are 10 native spring ephemerals to consider: Azure bluet (Houstonia caerulea) — Small, pale-blue flower with yellow center and rosette leaves. Sow seeds just below the soil surface. Grow in rock gardens or in the lawn, but don't mow until plants have set seed for the following year. Grows 8 inches tall. Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) — One large, broad leaf and one orange-centered white flower per plant, each on its own stem. Spreads quickly to form a ground cover. Grows 12-14 inches tall. Calypso orchid, fairy slipper (Calypso bulbosa) — A single, dainty, purple-magenta-yellow-white blossom atop a slender stem with a single leaf. Thrives best in shade or part shade and can handle alkaline soil. Grows 2-8 inches tall. Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) — Deep-cut, feathery foliage, slender stems and drooping, fragrant white flowers. Note to parents and pet owners: All of its parts are toxic, but only if consumed in large quantities; causes minor skin irritation when touched. Beneficial to bumblebees. Grows 10 inches tall. Fringed bleeding hearts (Dicentra eximia) — Not to be confused with the Asian bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis), this U.S. native has light-green, fernlike foliage and clusters of drooping, heart-shaped pink flowers on mounding plants. Thrives in moist, rocky soil and prefers part-shade to shade. Attracts birds. Grows 1-2 feet tall. Great white trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) — A triplet of oval leaves surrounds a solitary large white flower that turns pink as it matures. Berries and roots have a low toxicity, but only if eaten. Thrives in sun to shade. Grows 1-3 feet tall. Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) — Pink, but opens to reveal blue flowers on arching, branched stems. Prefers part shade or shade, and moist, rocky soil. A colonizing, rapid spreader. Grows 1-3 feet tall. Rue anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides) — Pink or white flowers on maroon stems with whorled leaves. Prefers partly shady conditions. Note to parents and pet owners: All parts of this plant are toxic, but only if eaten in large quantities; contact with sap will cause irritation. Grows 9 inches tall. Trout lily (Erythronium americanum) — Blotchy leaves and red-tinged, nodding yellow flowers with curled-back petals. Will perform best in full sun but can handle part shade. Does not transplant well, so leave it in place once planted. Grows 8 inches tall. Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla) — Each leaf is divided into two lung-shaped leaflets, with white, star-shaped flowers atop leafless flower stalks. Petals are delicate and can be blown off by wind. Grows 1-3 feet tall. ___ Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice. ___
