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Poision ‘mongst the wildflowers

2008 September 11

Originally published September 10, 2008
Photo by Dave Otto. Green lynx spider with black wasp prey on cluster of Eupatorium rotundifolium disc flowers.
Photo by Dave Otto. Green lynx spider with black wasp prey on cluster of Eupatorium rotundifolium disc flowers

By Ken Moore

From time to time, I have the use of the visual images of local nature photographer Dave Otto. In his continual pursuit to learn and photograph new wildflowers, he has noted more and more close-up encounters of insect dramas on the flowers. Many of these encounters, caught in his camera lens, depict a fatal end for one of the insect participants. While sharing with me a recent wildflower image, he expressed that these unexpected encounters seemed like a type of bioterrorism. His observation continues to circulate around in my imagination.

In a sense, nature’s ways could be viewed as having elements of bioterrorism. However, unlike the wanton mass destruction of human-initiated bioterrorism, nature’s actions are timed and directed by the necessity for survival of individuals.

Most obvious to us in the natural food chain are the activities of critters eating plants or other critters and insects catching other insects to tuck away with eggs as sustenance for the newly hatched generation. There are even plants like the Venus flytrap that prey on insects.

Less noticeable are the actions, allelopathy, of some plants that through chemical warfare render the soil of their root zones incompatible for the germination and growth of competitive plant species. Such natural chemical warfare is observed locally beneath black walnut trees, where almost no other vegetation occurs due to the toxic effects of juglone, a substance produced by walnuts decomposing on the ground. Plant and animal parasitism is yet another natural bioterrorist action.

At this time of year, the many species of plants in the composite (aster) family along roadsides and in gardens provide a rich field for observing insect dramas. From spiders camouflaged against colored ray flowers to those lurking behind clusters of disc flowers, it is almost impossible to take a closer look at individual flowers without encountering insect dramas.

While photographing the disc flowers of one of the thoroughworts, Eupatorium rotundifolium, Dave discovered that he had captured a green lynx spider with a hapless honey bee. He revisited that same plant a couple of days later and found the same spider with a black hornet. Last week, in my enthusiasm to take a closer look at one of my favorite goldenrods, Solidago odora, I was actually startled by finding right in my face another lynx spider with a recently captured red-banded hairstreak with a very unaware firefly foraging just above on the same flower cluster.

Here in the Piedmont our fall season just goes on and on. The abundance of fall wildflowers and brilliance of turning foliage will continue into late November. There is ample time for you to enjoy walks outdoors; in doing so, take time to look closely at the flowers and don’t forget to take along that trusty hand lens or other magnifying device. You’ll make lots of surprising discoveries, from countless foraging pollinators to predators hidden here and there among the flowers.

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