Dwarf Cinquefoil (plant #4)

KINGDOM: Plantae
PHYLUM:
CLASS:
ORDER:
FAMILY: Rosaceae (Rose family)
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Potentilla canadensis
COMMON NAME: Dwarf Cinquefoil
NOTES OF INTEREST: Tiny, yellow buttercup-like flowers on runners...resembles wild strawberries. "Cinquefoil" means "five petals."
PHOTO TAKEN: May 2009

Moccasin-Flower (plant #3)

KINGDOM: Plantae
PHYLUM:
CLASS:
ORDER:
FAMILY: Orchidaceae (Orchid family)
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Cypripedium acaule
COMMON NAME: Pink Lady's Slipper
NOTES OF INTEREST: We have found several groupings of these pretties on our property interspersed with ferns and huckleberries...it's a delight to find the flash of pink amongst the sea of green this time of year.
PHOTO TAKEN: May, 2009

This photo's a bit out of focus, but this specimen had 2 flowers on the same stalk.

Crayfish (animal #10)

KINGDOM: Animalia
PHYLUM: Arthropoda
CLASS:
ORDER:
FAMILY: Cambaridae
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
COMMON NAME:
NOTES OF INTEREST: There are too many species of crayfish to make an exact identification. "Crayfish" will have to do for now.
PHOTO TAKEN: Fall 2008

Large Millipede (animal #9)

KINGDOM: Animalia
PHYLUM: Arthropoda
CLASS: Diplopoda (millipedes)
ORDER: Spirobolida
FAMILY: Spirobolidae
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Narceus americanus
COMMON NAME: Large millipede was all I could find
NOTES OF INTEREST: This is the most common millipede species in eastern North America.
PHOTO TAKEN: Fall 2008

Devil's Walkingstick (plant #2)

KINGDOM: Plantae
PHYLUM:
CLASS:
ORDER:
FAMILY: Araliaceae (Ginseng family)
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Aralia spinosa
COMMON NAME: Devil's Walkingstick
NOTES OF INTEREST: Aptly named...the stem of this tree is covered with tiny, but extremely sharp prickles, some circling the stem in rings, some more irregularly spaced. Even though this specimen is not in bloom yet, we had no trouble identifying it. Blooms in summer with clusters of tiny white flowers, yielding round, juicy berries in autumn.
PHOTO TAKEN: March 28, 2009

Giant Leopard Moth Caterpillar (animal #8)

KINGDOM: Animalia
PHYLUM: Arthropoda
CLASS: Insecta
ORDER: Lepidoptera
FAMILY: Arctiidae
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ecpantheria scribonia
COMMON NAME: caterpillar also called "woolybear"
NOTES OF INTEREST: We found this caterpillar under a rock...appears black when straight...when it curls up it reveals bright red banding - quite striking! Hairs can cause a rash on bare skin.

American Toad (animal #7)

KINGDOM: Animalia
PHYLUM: Chordata
CLASS: Amphibia
ORDER: Anura
FAMILY: Bufonidae
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Bufo americanus
COMMON NAME: as above
NOTES OF INTEREST: This is the widespread and common "hoptoad" of the Northeast.

Red-Spotted Newt (animal#5)

KINGDOM: Animalia
PHYLUM: Chordata
CLASS: Amphibia
ORDER: Caudata
FAMILY: Salamandridae
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens
COMMON NAME: as above
NOTES OF INTEREST: Brightly colored Red Eft (land form of the Red-Spotted Newt) emits offensively tasting secretions which keep predators at bay.

Walking Stick (animal #6)

KINGDOM: Animalia
PHYLUM: Anthropoda
CLASS: Insecta
ORDER: Phasmatodea
FAMILY: Heteronemiidae
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Diapheromera femorata
COMMON NAME: Common stick insect, northern stick insect
NOTES OF INTEREST: Females scatter shiny black and gray striped eggs in leaf litter. Larvae feed on understory plants.

Redback Salamander (animal #4)

KINGDOM: Animalia
PHYLUM: Chordata
CLASS: Amphibia
ORDER: Plethodontoidea
FAMILY: Plethodontidae
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Plethodon cinereus
COMMON NAME: as above
NOTES OF INTEREST: Widespread group throughout forested North America. They eat earthworms, beetles, ants, and tiny crickets.

Northern Leopard Frog (animal #1)

KINGDOM: Animalia
PHYLUM: Chordata
CLASS: Amphibia
ORDER: Anura
FAMILY: Ranidae
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Rana pipiens
COMMON NAME: as above
NOTES OF INTEREST: This frog was once the common frog dissected in high school and college biology classes, but is now scarce throughout much of its range.