White Baneberry Dolls Eyes
White baneberry dolls eyes begins its life with fuzzy white flowers on a green stem and later develop white berries with a black dot in the middle.
Category: Wildlife and Birds
Wildlife of the Midwest & Beyond
The Wildlife category explores the diverse animals that share our fields, forests, wetlands, and backyard spaces. From migrating birds and woodland mammals to insects, amphibians, and reptiles, this collection highlights the rhythms, behaviors, and habitats of wildlife across Wisconsin and beyond.
Here you’ll find identification guides, seasonal observations, and habitat insights. Many posts explore how wildlife connects to native plants, gardens, waterways, and open landscapes. Some focus on backyard encounters. Others look at species found in marshes, prairies, woodlands, and rural areas.
Wildlife connects closely to the land. Each animal plays a role in the larger ecosystem. Some pollinate plants. Others spread seeds, control pests, or shape habitat.
Whether you’re watching deer at dusk, noticing butterflies in summer wildflowers, or listening for spring birdsong, this space invites you to better understand and appreciate the wild world around you.
White-lined Sphinx Moth Caterpillar
White-lined Sphinx Moth Caterpillar This White-lined Sphinx Moth Caterpillar (Hyles lineata) might not look like much now, but he grows up to be the white lined sphinx moth which most people mistake for a hummingbird.
The Eastern Harvestmen
Around our parts of the nation we call the Eastern Harvestmen creatures daddy longlegs, but the real name is the Eastern harvestmen. There are 6,650 species of harvestmen worldwide.
Golden Backed Snipe Fly
Strolling through a sun-dappled woodland edge on a quiet afternoon, where the air hums with life’s quiet drama. That’s where I’ve often encountered the Golden-Backed Snipe Fly. A true gem of the insect world. This...
White Campion
White campion is a weed, and not a wildflower. It grows in most open habitats, particularly wasteland and fields, most commonly on neutral to alkaline soils.
9 Woodpeckers of Wisconsin
Worldwide, there are 216 members of the Picidae, or woodpecker family The 9 woodpeckers of Wisconsin that have been reported from the picidae and woodpecker families are the northern flicker, yellow bellied sap sucker, red...
Eastern Gray Squirrel: Nature’s Acrobatic Neighbors
There’s something magical about spotting an Eastern Gray Squirrel darting through the trees on a quiet summer morning, its bushy tail waving like a flag in the breeze.
Invasive Cow Vetch
Invasive Cow Vetch Cow vetch is widely used as a forage crop for cattle and is beneficial to other plants because, like other leguminous plants, it enriches the soil in which it grows by its...
Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar
Milkweed isn't just for Monarchs. The Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar uses it for a food source too. Then it becomes the Milkweed Tiger Moth.
Common Scorpionfly
So what is this crazy-looking insect? Have you seen one before? This is the common scorpionfly. To me, there is nothing common about the look of this little guy.
Chicory
Chicory Chicory is known for its electric blue flowers, creating a spectacular summer show along roadsides, ditches and fields.
Mayapple Wildflower
Mayapple The mayapple plant’s scientific name is Podophyllum peltatum and is part of my running Wisconsin wildflower collection. The mayapple wildflower in Wisconsin was found on one of my walks through the Wisconsin woodland areas.
Wisconsin Wildflowers and Invasives
Wisconsin Wildflowers and Invasives Wisconsin wildflowers and invasives. Most of the photographs were taken while on walks along paths and through the woods. Well, at least I tell everyone I’m going for a walk. Really,...
Northern Cardinal
The northern cardinal is a mid-sized songbird wat are about 8-9 inches in length. The Male is a vibrant red, while the female is a reddish olive color.
European Starlings
European starlings (starlings for short) are about the size of a blackbird with glossy black plumage that has a metallic look to them. During the winter months, the birds sport white flecking to them
Red-Breasted Nuthatch
Our winter visitors the red-breasted nuthatch are back for the season. As soon as the weather starts getting cold, I will usually see my first red-breasted nuthatch.
Gall Fly Produces Goldenrod Galls
Gall Fly Produces Goldenrod Galls The Gall fly produces goldenrod galls that become the food source and host plant for gall fly larvae over the course of the winter. The insect has a fairly interesting...
Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker The pileated woodpecker is the largest woodpecker in North America. The term pileated comes from the Latin word pileatus meaning “capped” which refers to the red crest on the top of the bird’s head.
Red Eyed Vireo
Red Eyed Vireo The red eyed vireo is a small songbird that you might see trying to catch insects in your trees, or eating berries. The bird isn’t a fan of the feeder.
Spreadwing Damselflies
There are 11 different spreadwing damselflies in Wisconsin. Besides the spreadwings there are another two families of damsels including the broad-winged which has 4 and the pond species that has 34.