Stepping down beside the Muddy River, we began to see beaver tree after beaver tree. More evidence of the stream’s presence became immediately apparent when we moved from the field to woods and immediately spied a sign of beaver works. By its presence, we knew we were approaching a fast-moving stream. How they and the spiders survive the cold and snow is dependent upon special compounds including glycerol, proteins, and sugars that act like antifreeze. We passed a spider walking across the snow and then came upon another member of the lilliputian world–a winter stonefly on the move. I’ve yet to see it in its early form but time will tell. Apparently, the tongue-like growths are green to begin, but transform to orange, red and finally brown. In reality, they were alder tongue galls–resulting from a fungus rather than an insect infecting the female catkins. It was almost like they had tried to flower. Hanging out with the pussy willows were speckled alders, some with protrusions extending from last year’s cones. It’s a crazy world and everything seems to have its place. Those pinecone-like structures were created with leaves by a reaction to a chemical released by the larva that allows a gall gnat midge to overwinter on the willows.
That being said, they aren’t protected from everything and if you look, you may see pineapples growing on some.
Their soft, silvery coating of hairs provides insulation thus protecting these early bloomers from cold temperatures. Actually, the white nubs are flowers pre-bloom. Our hearts smiled as our journey began beside a clump of pussy willow shrubs, so named for their resemblance to tiny cats’ paws. It was actually still winter when I joined Lakes Environmental Association’s Education Director Alanna Doughty and LEA member Betty for a “Welcome Spring” snowshoe hike at Holt Pond Preserve this afternoon–but really, for western Maine, it was a delightful spring day.
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