Scorpion Fly at BHCL

It was 84 degrees this afternoon when I walked at Breakneck Hill Conservation Land.  It definitely felt like a normal summer day again.  I saw the following items of interest:

 Boneset

American Lady

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Grape Tube Galls

(caused by a small fly or midge laying its egg on the grape leaf)

 Scorpion Fly

 again, side view

(see the curly scorpion-like tail?)

A scorpion fly is neither a scorpion nor a fly.  The male's tail and genitalia has an appearance similar to the tail of a scorpion, which gives it its name.  They do not sting and are not known to be harmful to humans.  Their wings are quite pretty!  I had never seen one before, so this was a fun find!

Goldenrod Bunch Gall

Goldenrod Bunch Galls are created when a female midge deposits an egg in the tip of a growing plant.  The larva secretes a chemical that prevents the goldenrod stem from growing any further, or from producing a flower.  The plant does continue to put forth leaves, and the result is a green rosette.  These galls can be found all over BHCL.