Date: 15 October 2014
Area: Goodbee,
St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
Scientific name: Euglandina Rosea
Common name: Rosy
Wolfsnail
Report:
The Rosy Wolfsnail started in Florida, but it spread to
Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. It is known for eating
other snails, which is why it has the name, Cannibal Snail. In 1955 they were
put into Hawaii to eat Giant African landsnails which were overpopulating. They
prefer peaceful places. The Rosy Wolf snail was introduced to other places,
too, to eat overpopulating snails.
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euglandina_rosea,
http://arnobrosi.tripod.com/snails/carnivorous.html
Comments:
Charlie: The snail is beautiful.
Bentley: I like how the snail is kind of big.
Owen: Since it was so big, I could see the weird star face
closer.
Liz: This snail is HUGE and it made a slime trail all down
my arm. Awesome! It is also known as the "Cannibal Snail" because of it's habit of eating other snails. This guy was awesome.
(Photo by Liz, taken 10-15-2014; see bonus video at the end of the post!)
Date: 15 October 2014
Area: Goodbee,
St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
Scientific name: Lycoperdon pusillum
Common name: Puffball
Report:
The Puffball is a group of many types of mushrooms which are
all in the same family. All puffballs produce spores internally, and will steam
them out if you push on them. They look like brown clouds of spores when pushed
out. The puffball type we found is called Lycoperdon pusillum. They were used
in Tibet to make ink. None of the puffballs are edible, either.
Sources:
Comments:
Charlie: Puffballs, they look cute, and they are squishy.
Bentley: I like how they’re small.
Owen: I thought it was interesting that they release spores
in clouds.
Liz: These look exactly like tiny white marbles,
just lying in the grass. I was surprised by the tiny roots when I pulled one
up. Weird stuff, yo. But cool.
(Photo by Liz, taken 10-15-2014.)
Date: 15 October 2014
Area: Goodbee,
St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
Scientific name: Lithobates
sphenocephalus
Common name: Southern
Leopard Frog
Report:
The Southern Leopard frog is normally green or light brown,
and has black spots. They are carnivores, and will eat almost any kind of bug
that can fit in their mouths. Their calls sound like someone laughing, and they
have purple calling sacs that puff out when they are calling. Their calling
sacs puff out from the sides, and not the front of their throat. They prefer
shallow, freshwater habitats to live in. They also breed year round.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_leopard_frog
Comments:
Charlie: It looked beautiful.
Bentley: I like the frog’s laughing call.
Owen: I like the spots on the frog.
Liz: Such beautiful frogs! The first time I heard one (when
we first moved here) I really thought it was someone laughing!
(Really terrible photo by Liz, taken 10-15-2014.)
Date: 15 October 2014
Area: Goodbee,
St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
Scientific name: Ambrosia
Common name: Ragweed
Report:
Ragweed is especially found in North America. They can have a
huge size difference. They can be a few centimeters tall, or they can be up to
over four meters tall. They have staminate and pistillate flowers. Their leaf
blades can go into many shapes. They’re a common allergen, and one plant can
make about a billion grains of pollen per season. It’s sent on the wind.
Sources:
Comments:
Charlie: They kind of look like corn, and I love them.
Bentley: I like the bright dandelion yellow color.
Owen: I also like the color of it.
Liz: I was convinced this was some kind of tree,
because the ones we found were seriously as tall as a young tree. I was also
surprised to find that ragweed is a dreaded allergy flower, because they are so
beautiful! I loved seeing the bees busy all over the blossoms.
(Photo by Liz, taken 10-15-2014.)
Check out this bonus video of the Rosy Wolfsnail/Cannibal Snail below!
