3:00 snapshot #847

Another theme that's developing in these snapshots: the relaxed indoor picture after a morning outdoor adventure.
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100 Species #97: Winter crane fly

This winter crane fly (Trichocera sp. perhaps) was one of three that was perched on our kitchen wall. One was killed in flight under the misapprehension that it was a mosquito.

Crane flies are more well-known for resembling mosquitoes than for anything else they might do. Most often we talk about the really big crane flies, and whether they eat mosquitoes (no) or if they are male mosquitoes (no) and so on. But winter crane flies are close to the size of mosquitoes, and even fly in a similar way. When my friend killed one thinking it was a bloodsucker, I consoled her thus: it probably would have slowly died of dehydration indoors anyway, don't worry. Is that helpful? Maybe, maybe not. Crane flies sometimes get indoors after following or being disoriented by lights. Becoming active in late fall means they avoid many predators, barring mistaken identity.

There are about 30 species of winter crane fly in North America--I would have needed to provide a good clear picture of the wing venation to identify this one to species.

The winter crane fly was both 50 urban species #2 and Urban Nature Picture day 20.

100 species #98: Concord grape

These last withered Concord grapes (Vitis labrusca) hang in the corner of the small yard fence.

Concord grapes are a cultivated variety of the native New England fox grape, developed in Concord Massachusetts. They are one of a small handful of conspicuous sweet fruits edible to humans native to our area. Birds and other animals like them very much, and between the blue jays and the gray squirrels, the humans at the house got to eat very few grapes. Wine grapes that are hybridized with or grafted onto fox grapes are resistant to disease and cold.

Apparently the first owners of our house planted many fruit trees and shrubs; we suspect that these grape vines--thick as a baseball bat at the base--are the last remaining fruit plants in the yard from that time.

Wikipedia claims that the name "fox grape" and the "foxy" taste of these grapes has nothing to do with the animal the fox. I tend to disagree. (Whether or not I'm full of it, I think that's one of my better essays. I think you should read it.)


Grapes climb by way of spiraling tendrils. (As opposed to Boston ivy which uses adhesive disks, or poison ivy which uses hair-like aerial roots, or Oriental bittersweet which twines secondary stems around a structure.)