|
Crossings Nature Page
|
| 5/4/08 - Took a little hike down the
hill towards the river Sunday morning and scared a momma turkey off
her nest. She left thirteen eggs snug up against a tree. I am sure
she will return to protect and raise her young for us to enjoy
traveling across The Crossings. As I made it to the bottom land I
walked up to Mr. Turtle. He really was just hoping I would keep
walking, which of course I did. The humming birds have returned and
the tiny little black caterpillars hanging on a thread are here too.
Those are the newly hatched gypsy moth caterpillars. It was a
very beautiful weekend in the mountains. Hope you enjoyed your time
in the fresh air.
Happy Spring - Peter
|
||||||
|
Gypsy Moth
Gypsy Moths are here at the Crossings! It is a good idea for everyone to educate themselves about these critters that are eating on our oak trees.
The property owners have authorized the board to assess each lot owner for gypsy moth spraying during the Annual Property Owners Meeting .
The Plan Spring took place in Spring 2008. Another survey of egg masses will be conducted in the fall (2008) and if the gypsy moth population is high enough to meet the State of West Virginia's criteria for spraying, the board will commit to the State run spray program for the spring 2009
Learn more about the State Program here
Learn about gypsy moth: start with the basics, the West Virginia Department of Forestry or see the Crossings Gypsy Moth Page
|
||||||
|
Humming Bird Pictures Many Crossings residents put up Humming Bird feeders and enjoy the antics put on by these little birds. Here is an opportunity to view them in a way many of us will never see. This is truly amazing. Be sure to click on NEXT PAGE at the bottom of each page; there are 5 pages in all. A lady found a hummingbird nest and got pictures all the way from the egg to leaving the nest. Took 24 days from birth to flight. Enjoy.
|
||||||
|
Watch Our Rivers A fish kill has occurred on the Shenandoah River and a request has been made that we keep an eye on our river and report any such cases: Please click on this link for more information. (updated: 12/7/06) Fish Kill
|
||||||
|
Nuisance Lady Beetles Plague West Virginia Homeowners The West Virginia Department of Agriculture has never released Asian lady beetle and is no way responsible for the hordes of insects that have been plaguing many West Virginia homes, according to Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass.
Also known as the “Halloween” or “Japanese” lady beetle, the first established population of this insect was discovered in Louisiana in 1988. Since that time, the beetle has increased its distribution to include most areas of the United States and parts of southern Canada. It was first reported in West Virginia in 1992. Full Story
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
Slippery and Slimy |
||||||
Amphibians and Reptiles in West Virginia
|
||||||
|
Wild Flowers As you wonder about your property or hike in the local area, you will often see a variety of wild flowers and plants. Check the link below to help you identify the local flora. |
||||||
|
Bluebells
|
||||||
|
Gardening with Deer While many residents are trying to build a garden with the deer, others are building with protection from the deer. Whatever course you choose, talk to your neighbor, they may save you some trial and error. Try some of the suggestions on the link below.
You can also read comments about the deer population from a local forester. There are many view points and this is just one. Comments from David Warner, Forester. |
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
All Things Great and Small West Virginia is all about seeing what is outdoors! Check this website for reference to many creatures, plants, bugs and fungi. |
||||||
|
|
||||||
This is the Zebra Swallowtail that feeds only on the leaves of Paw Paw
trees! How cool! Learn more
here. |
||||||
|
Birds! And there are many birds throughout the Crossings. The variety is different depending if you are in the meadow or in the woods and sometimes along the river. But search the website below to see what that bird could have been. |
||||||
|
National Geographic Bird Search
|
||||||
