York County Envirothon- 3rd and 4th Grade Forestry Study Species Identification Packet Backyard Species Table of Contents:

Transcription

1 York County Envirothon- 3rd and 4th Grade Forestry Study Species Identification Packet Backyard Species Table of Contents: Deciduous Simple Leaves: 1. Callery Bradford Pear (exotic) 2. Flowering Dogwood- opposite 3. Norway Maple (exotic) SEED PROVIDED 4. Redbud SEED PROVIDED 5. Red Maple- opposite 6. Red Oak SEED PROVIDED 7. Sweetgum SEED PROVIDED 8. Sycamore Deciduous Compound Leaves: 9. Black Locust 10. Black Walnut SEED PROVIDED 11. Virginia Creeper - vine 12. Poison Ivy vine Evergreen Leaves: 13. American Holly 14. Eastern Hemlock SEED PROVIDED 15. Eastern Red Cedar- opposite 16. Eastern White Pine 17. Sources

2 Callery Bradford Pear Pyrus calleryana Leaves have alternate arrangement. Leaves are simple. Leaves are shiny, green, and slightly toothed. Leaves are heart-shaped or ovate and 2-3 inches long. Small, sometimes stinky white flowers appear in spring before the leaves. Brown fruits are smaller than ½ inch. This small tree can reach up to 40 feet tall. Tree in Spring Callery Pear is native to Asia. It was introduced to Maryland in It s an exotic species. Roadsides, old fields Cities and Suburbs Wildlife Value/Impact: Pear trees are larva host plants to over 100 species of butterflies and moths including the Saddleback Looper. Native varieties of pear species host more insects than the Bradford Pear. Some birds eat the fruits of Callery Pear including European Starlings, Mockingbirds, and Cardinals. Callery pears compete with native early successional trees in old fields and hedgerows. Leaf Many people like the look of the white flowering tree in spring and enjoy that the leaves don t get eaten by many insects. Some native and more beneficial alternatives to Bradford Pear are Allegheny Serviceberry or White Fringetree. Introduced Range Fruits Flower 1

3 Flowering Dogwood Cornus florida Leaves have opposite arrangement. Leaves are simple and 3-5 inches long. Leaf margin is entire or smooth. Leaves turn bright red in fall. Buds look like miniature garlic cloves or onions. look large and white (but the white parts are actually leaves, and the flowers are yellow in the center). Seeds are egg shaped red drupes in clusters of 2-5 visible in fall. Bark is broken into small blocks like alligator skin. Small tree that grows about 30 feet tall. Leaf Forest understory (grows beneath taller trees). Drupes Drupes are eaten by squirrels, chipmunks, mice, grey fox, black bear, skunk, beaver, white-tailed deer, quail, cardinals, mockingbirds, robins, turkey, and woodpeckers. Leaves and twigs are eaten by white-tailed deer, beaver, and Eastern Cottontails. Dogwoods are larval host plants to over 115 species of butterflies and moths including the amazing Monkey Slug, also known as the Hag Moth and the beautiful Stinging Rose Caterpillar. Dogwood flowers provide nectar for pollinating insects like bees, beetles, and butterflies. Tiny insects like aphids, and scale insects eat the juices of dogwood bark or leaves. Decorative tree for yards and businesses. Berries are poisonous to humans. Native Americans used the bark for many different medicines. Flowering Dogwood is planted to improve soil because leaf litter decomposes quickly, providing nutrients to the soil. Wood is used for handles, charcoal, golf club heads, roller skate wheels, knitting needles, and more! Wood is hard, strong, and shock resistant. 2 Grey Squirrel Eating Drupes

4 Norway Maple Acer platanoides Leaf Leaves have opposite arrangement on the branch. Leaves are simple. Leaves are palmately veined with 5-7 lobes and coarse teeth. are bright yellow-green in the spring before the leaves grow. Fruits are samaras which hang in clusters in late summer. Leaves and twigs ooze milky sap when cut or torn. Medium tree about 65 feet tall with a dense round shape. Norway Maples were introduced to North America from London in It s an exotic species. Norway Maple is the most widespread maple in Europe. In the United States it s planted in cities and suburbs. Norway Maple invades forests next to suburban areas. Wildlife Value/Impact: The maple family is larval host plants to over 250 caterpillar and moth species. It s unknown whether the exotic Norway Maple is as beneficial as native maples. Research has shown that forests invaded by Norway Maple have less wildflower diversity than forests with native Sugar Maples. Trees provide shelter and nesting sites for wildlife. Norway Maple is listed as a Noxious Weed by Connecticut and Massachusetts state governments. It is prohibited in Massachusetts. Native maples like Sugar Maple should always be planted instead of Norway Maples. Introduced Range Samaras Sugar Maple Samara 3

5 Eastern Redbud Cercis canadensis Leaf and Seedpod Leaves have alternate arrangement on the branch. Leaves are simple. Leaves are heart-shaped, 3-5 inches long. Leaf margin is entire or smooth. Flower is ½ inch long pink or purple in clusters along the twigs, branches, and trunk before leaves emerge in spring. Fruits are flattened, dry, brown seedpods 2-4 inches long. Each pod contains flat brown seeds. Small tree up to 30 feet tall. Understory tree in woods, valleys, hillsides, hilltops Redbud is the larval host plant for over 15 species of butterflies and moths including the American Dagger Moth. Hummingbirds drink nectar from redbud flowers in the spring. Honeybees collect pollen from redbud flowers in the spring. White-tailed Deer eat the twigs and leaves. Bobwhite quail and songbirds eat the seeds. White-tailed Deer Insects like weevils eat the seeds and leaves. Native Americans used the bark and roots of Eastern Redbud to make tea and to treat whooping cough and other illnesses. Eastern Redbud flowers are edible. with Bee 4

6 Leaves Red Maple Acer rubrum Leaves have opposite arrangement on the branch. Leaves are simple. Leaves are up to 4 inches long. Leaves have three lobes with small teeth. Leaves turn orange or red before falling off in the fall. are reddish-orange, droop in clusters, and appear in spring. Fruits are called samaras. Each samara has a red, pink, or yellow wing. Bark is thin, smooth, and gray when young. Older bark may be dark grey, rough, and scaly. Red Maples can grow to be 90 feet tall. Forests, stream banks, fields, understory Maple trees are larval host plants for over 285 butterfly and caterpillar species including the spectacular Crowned Slug and Spiny Oak Slug, and some of our giant silk moths including the Polyphemus Moth and Cecropia Moth. Maple is also host plant to the giant Imperial Moth caterpillar which reaches over 3 inches in length. The pretty pink and yellow Rose Maple Moth eats nothing but maple and oak as a caterpillar. Young Red Maple trees are a favorite food of White-tailed Deer. Maple samaras are eaten by squirrels and birds. Insects drink nectar from Red Maple flowers including Tiger Swallowtails, Mourning Cloak butterflies and bees. Leaf hoppers, scale insects, and beetles dine on the plant juices and wood of Red Maple. Woodpeckers, Screech Owls, Wood Ducks, Rat Snakes, and other animals may nest in holes in Red Maple trunks. Red Squirrel eating samara Samaras Red maples are used to make paper, furniture, cabinets, plywood, floors and railroad ties. Red maples can be tapped for sap and made into maple syrup.

7 Red Oak Quercus rubra Leaves Leaves have alternate arrangement on the branch. Leaves are simple. Leaves have 7-11 lobes with several bristle-tipped teeth. Lower leaf surface has tufts of hairs where the veins branch. Male flowers are catkins in spring. Female flowers are spikes. Fruits are acorns inches long. Medium to large size tree that can reach up to 90 feet tall. Forests, cities Oak trees are larval host plants for over 500 species of butterflies and moths including the Red-spotted Purple Butterfly, the Io Moth, and Spotted Apatelodes. Branches and leaves are eaten by white-tailed deer, elk, cottontail rabbits, and moose! Many mammals eat the acorns of red oak including the whitefooted mouse, eastern chipmunk, flying squirrel, and deer mice. Birds like the northern bobwhite, red-headed woodpecker, bluejay, and ruffed grouse eat the acorns. Many species of ducks also eat the acorns including the golden-eye duck. Many red oak trees hold onto their brown leaves in the winter, making them good shelter for a variety of birds and mammals. Acorn Red oaks can be planted in polluted areas such as old coal mine spoils to restore a natural habitat. Traditionally acorns of many oak trees were used by Native American peoples as a food and medicine source. Red Oak acorns were soaked and boiled to remove bitter tannins. Chipmunk with Acorn 6

8 Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua Leaves Leaves have alternate arrangement and are simple, palmately lobed with 5-7 points. Leaves are toothed and look like stars. Leaves are aromatic. They have a pleasant smell when crushed. are tiny, green, and have no true petals. Tiny brown winged seeds are inside brown, spiny gum balls. Young twigs can develop wings of corky bark. A large tree that can grow over 100 feet tall. Goldfinch eating seeds Wet woods, swamps, stream banks, old fields. Prefers sunny places. Seeds are eaten by finches, ducks, quails, chickadees, sparrows, wrens, squirrels, and chipmunks. Beavers use the wood for making dams. Young trees may get eaten by deer, Eastern Cottontails, mice, or beavers. Sweetgum is the larval host plant for over 30 species of butterflies and moths including two of our biggest moths; the Promethea Moth, which has a wingspan of 3 ¾ inches; and the Luna Moth, which has a wingspan of 4 1 / 8 inches! Sweetgums provide shelter for many birds and mammals. Treehoppers nibble the leaves of sweetgum. Luna Moth Planted as a windbreaker and to help control erosion. Sweetgum wood is used for lumber, railroad ties, pulpwood for paper, and furniture. Sweetgum is planted along street sides for its shade and beauty. Leaves turn bright yellow to dark red in the fall. Sap is used as an ingredient in medicine and perfume. Native Americans made chewing gum from the sap, tea from the seeds and bark, and used the roots for many medicines. 7

9 Sycamore Platanus occidentalis Leaf Leaves are alternately arranged on the branch and are simple, coarsely toothed, and palmately lobed with 3-5 lobes. Sycamore bark is unique. It s smooth and white and peels off in large chunks. As it peels off it leaves a collage of white, brown, green, and grey- similar to a camouflage clothing pattern. are green or red and tiny in ball-shaped clusters. Fruits are brown balls hanging on stalks. The dry, hairy seeds are packed tightly together inside the fruit ball. This type of seed is called an achene. One of the largest hardwood trees, growing feet tall or larger. Some sycamores have been found with 15 foot diameter trunks! Forests, stream and lake edges Fruit Bark and Screech Owl in Cavity Sycamore is the larval host plant for over 40 species of butterflies and moths including one of our most impressive moths, the Regal Moth, which reaches over 4 inches as a bright green caterpillar and as a bright orange moth has a wingspan of 6 inches! Birds like American Goldfinches, Chickadees, Finches, and Mallards eat Sycamore seeds. Mammals like beavers, muskrats, and gray squirrels eat Sycamore seeds. Beavers eat Sycamore bark. As Sycamore trees become older they may become hollow inside and become home to woodpeckers, owls, chimney swifts, woodducks and raccoons. Sycamore wood is used for furniture, floors, butcher s blocks, particle board, pulp, and baskets. Sycamores are planted along stream edges to help prevent erosion. Sycamores are planted in backyards and cities to provide shade. Sycamores are planted to rehabilitate waste sites such as strip-mined areas. 8 Regal Moth Caterpillars

10 One Leaf Seedpods Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia Honey Leaves have alternate arrangement on the branch and are pinnately compound with 7-19 oval leaflets. Each leaflet is about 1-2 inches long. The entire leaf is 6-12 inches long. Seeds are in a thin, flat pod 2-4 inches long. There are 2-14 seeds in each pod. are white and very fragrant in drooping clusters. bloom in late spring. Bark is light gray with deep furrows. Spines grow on twigs in pairs. They re sharp! Medium-sized tree that grows up to 80 feet tall. Woods, fields, streamsides Seeds are eaten by squirrels, Northern bobwhite, mourning doves, wild turkey, white-tailed deer, and Eastern cottontails. Flower nectar is made into honey Bobwhite by honeybees. are pollinated by bees and hummingbirds. Locust is the larval host plant for over 65 species of butterflies and moths including the Silver Spotted Skipper. Woodpeckers make cavities in Black Locust for nesting. Many animals use Black Locust for cover. Wood doesn t rot quickly in the ground, so it s commonly used for fenceposts, poles, paper, boxes, stakes, firewood, and railroad ties. Black locust seeds are poisonous to humans. Black locust is planted to reduce soil erosion. Black locust is planted near honeybee hives because the flowers produce a large supply of nectar the bees can make into honey. Spines 9

11 Black Walnut Juglans nigra Leaves are alternate. Leaves are compound. Leaflets are lance shaped. Leaves have leaflets. Each leaflet is 2-4 inches long with small teeth. Leaflets are paler below and hairy on the underside. The leaf stem has very fine hairs. Seeds are round nuts, 1-2 inches in diameter. Seeds ripen in the fall. Seeds are covered by a thick, green, spongy husk seen below. Male flowers are called catkins and look like dangling green earrings. They are visible as the young leaves are opening in the spring. Male and female flowers look different. One Leaf Large tree up to 100 feet tall. Forests with moist soils, floodplains, and low on hillsides. Seeds Nuts are eaten by squirrels. Yellow-bellied sapsuckers drill holes in the bark to eat sap. Twigs are eaten by deer, mice, and Eastern cottontails. Walnut leaves are food for over 130 types of caterpillars and many other types of insects including aphids, lace bugs, and Luna Moths. Nut Shell Opened by Squirrel Wood is used to make quality furniture, musical instruments, and guns. Shells are ground for use in many products including cleaning jet engines, filler in dynamite, and an ingredient in car tires. Nuts are harvested for use in baked goods and ice cream. 10

12 Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia Leaves are alternate on the vine and palmately compound with five leaflets. Leaflets have toothed margins. Leaves are red when young, turn green, and turn bright red again in the fall. Small green flowers appear in the spring. Small clusters of bluish-black berries appear in early summer. Older vines have pale raised dots. Woody vine. Forests, forest clearings, fencerows, and stream banks. Leaves Virginia Creeper berries are eaten by birds, mice, skunks, chipmunks, squirrels, cattle, and deer. The leaves provide cover for small animals. Vines provide birds with perches, nesting sites, and places to find food. Virginia Creeper makes a great ground cover on shady slopes to prevent erosion. Berries are highly toxic to humans and may be fatal if eaten. The sap can cause skin irritation for some people. Virginia Creeper bark has been used medicinally for many Berries purposes including a cure for diarrhea and cough syrup. Used in gardens because of its beautiful fall leaves. It looks great covering walls and fences. 11

13 Poison Ivy Toxicodendron radicans Leaves are alternately arranged on the branches. Leaves are palmately compound. Each leaf has three leaflets. Leaflets are oval. Poison ivy can grow as a groundcover, vine, or shrub. The vine has a hairy appearance. are small and green or white. Berries are small and whitish gray. Can live almost anywhere. Dry or moist sites. Woods or fields. Roadsides and paths. At least 75 species of birds eat the fruits and seeds of poison ivy. Mammals including bears, deer, muskrats, Eastern Cottontails, squirrels, mice, and rats eat the leaves, stems, and fruits of poison ivy. Yellow-rumped Warbler Eating Poison Ivy Berries Leaves Berries May cause rashes for humans who come in contact with any part of the plant. Therefore, poison ivy is generally removed where humans may come in contact with it. Poison ivy may be valuable as a native plant that can colonize disturbed areas protecting soil from erosion. 12

14 Leaves and Drupes American Holly Ilex opaca Leaves are evergreen, simple, broad, dark green, tough, and leathery with sharp, pointed teeth. of American Holly are small and white. They bloom in late spring. Holly fruits are called drupes. Holly drupes are bright red in the fall and winter. American Holly can grow up to 60 feet tall. Understory of the forest Holly is the host plant for over 30 species of butterfly and moth larva. Many animals eat the drupes of American Holly including wild turkey, Northern bobwhite, cedar waxwings, squirrels, meadow voles, white-footed mouse, red fox, and Eastern box turtle. Insects like bees, wasps, and moths visit American Holly flowers to drink nectar and collect pollen. American Holly branches make great nesting sites for birds. Wreath American Holly wood is used to make handles, rulers, piano keys, and violin pegs. Eastern Bluebird Eating Holly Drupes Holly leaves and drupes are often used for Christmas decorations. American Holly is planted around homes and parks for their beauty and as a wildlife attractor. American Holly drupes are poisonous to humans. 13

15 Eastern Hemlock Tsuga canadensis Leaves and Cones Leaves are evergreen. Leaves are needles attached singly to branches. Needles are flattened and about ½ inch long. Needles are dark and glossy above and light green with two white lines below. Seeds are in tiny cones ¾ inch long. Cones are egg-shaped. Under each cone scale are two small winged seeds. Large, long-lived tree. Some old growth forests have hemlocks that are up to 400 years old! Cool, moist forests. Ruffed grouse, wild turkey, and songbirds eat the seeds. Many birds find shelter on the branches of Hemlock trees. The deep shade that hemlock trees provide helps keep forest streams cool. Tannic acid was harvested from Hemlock tree bark and is used for tanning leather. Wood was used Crossbill Eating Hemlock Seeds in construction. State tree of Pennsylvania. Native Americans used hemlock wood as an ingredient in bread and soups. Tea was made from leaves which have high vitamin C content. Used in landscaping as a visual or wind screen. It can be shaped into rectangular hedges. 14

16 Eastern Red Cedar Juniperus virginiana Leaves Leaves are evergreen, scaly, and short. Red Cedar has two types of flowers. Male flowers are yellowish-brown and female flowers are light bluish-green. turn into berry-like cones that turn blue in September. Cones are about ¼ inch wide. Bark is reddish-brown and peeling off. Eastern Red Cedar can grow up to 40 feet tall. Cones Bark Fields, roadsides, forest understory Cedar is the host plant for over 35 species of butterfly and moth larva including the Juniper Hairstreak. Young Red Cedars get eaten by white-tailed deer, mice, and Eastern cottontails. Cones are eaten by many birds and mammals including American robins, cedar waxwings, purple finches, American crows, woodpeckers, skunks, raccoons, and many more. Red Cedars are important cover for small mammals and make great nesting sites for birds. Earthworms like to live in the soil around Red Cedars. Many fungi like to grow on Red Cedar. Juniper Hairstreak The wood of Red Cedar is used for fence posts, poles, paneling, furniture, pencils, pet bedding, and chests. Red Cedars are planted as Christmas Trees and as hedges. Red Cedars are planted in backyards and parks to attract wildlife. Red Cedar wood has insect-repelling properties, so it s used to help repel clothing moths by putting wood or shavings in closets and chests. Fungi, Gymnosporangium juniperi 15

17 Eastern White Pine Pinus strobus Leaves are evergreen. Leaves are needles in clusters of 5. Each needle is 2 ½ - 5 inches long and bluish green. White Pine flowers are shaped like small yellow cones. Seeds are in cones 5-8 inches long. Cones do not have prickles. Each cone scale holds 2 winged seeds. Large tree reaching feet high. Historically, White Pines have been found to reach over 150 feet tall and live over 400 years! Needles Bald Eagle Nest Forests Seeds and needles are eaten by birds, squirrels, chipmunks, voles, and mice. Deer and Eastern cottontails eat the young twigs. Beavers, Eastern cottontails, and porcupines eat the bark of white pine. Needles are food for over 203 species of caterpillars including loopers, inchworms, the Pine Devil Moth, and the Imperial Moth. Many fungi parasitize White Pine including the honey mushroom and dye polypore. Birds make their nest in the branches of white pine, especially bald eagles. Planted in parks and neighborhoods. Valuable timber is used for furniture, cabinets, house construction, matches, and paper. Historically used for ship masts because of their large straight trunk. 16 Cones

18 Primary Sources: Bringing Nature Home Butterflies and Moths of North America Common Trees of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry, Harrisburg, PA Invasive Plants of Pennsylvania: Norway Maple, Callery Pear Landscape Plants, Oregon State University Princeton Field Guides: Caterpillars of Eastern North America David L. Wagner, 2005 Study of Northern Virginia Ecology USDA Plant Fact Sheets: Eastern Redbud, American Sycamore, Northern Red Oak, American Holly, etc