Xanthoria Polycarpa

Day 188: If you have ever seen Xanthoria polycarpa (above) or its eastern cousin, X. parietina, you will never forget the colour. Seen in the distance, it assaults the eye with a statement of orange which is undeniable, but on closer observation, hints of yellow and green insert themselves into the visual perception, leaving the viewer rather in want of a proper adjective to describe the hue. To my eye, it is beautiful, arguably one of the most striking lichens in the catalog, yet I have heard more responses of "ewwwww!" to it than to any other species. Young growth or that which receives more sunlight is often a richer, orangy shade; the abundant apothecial disks exhibit strongly coloured centers surrounded by pale rims. Although this species is occasionally observed on evergreens, it prefers hardwood, here seen on the lower portion of a flowering plum which it almost entirely covered. The effect of pink flowers or mahogany leaves rising above an orange trunk is truly other-worldly!

Morning-Glory Plume Moth, Emmelina Monodactyla

Day 187: They're not uncommon, but they certainly are unusual. I call them "airplane bugs," and some people refer to them as "T-moths," a reference to their characteristic posture. In fact, this critter is a Morning-Glory Plume Moth (Emmelina monodactyla), one of nearly 170 species of plume moth in North America. In this photo, the second pair of legs is concealed by the wings which are held at a 90-degree angle to the body. Open, these wings are divided into four or five narrow, feathery sections. The official common name reflects the host plant preferred by this moth; plumes have been used as biological controls for certain invasive weeds, although this one is native to the state.