Dedham, after the rain

[urbpan]

We've had a lot of partially rainy days this summer. It's been good for plant and mushroom growth. I wish these mushrooms were in my yard, but they won't be. This is "Old man of the woods," Strobilomyces sp., a mushroom whose parent fungus grows in association with hardwood trees. These were at the base of an oak. Our yard has Norway maple (which, as a non-native weed tree probably won't form mycorrhizae with native mushrooms--we'll see, I guess) and shagbark hickory, so I doubt we'll have this mushroom species.

Our yard does have lots of insects, and the rain can make them easier to photograph:



Hover flies are known for their fast, almost unceasing flight; this yellow jacket mimicking hover fly is resting after the rain, probably drying out and warming up its flight muscles.


A small bumblebee, soaked, clings to a goldenrod stem.


A lamb's ear leaf is poor camouflage for this pretty little moth.