OHC More Nature Study Book #4 - Monarch Butterflies

 
More Nature Study Book #4
Summer Butterfly - Monarch Study

Inside Preparation Work:

• Read pages 305-310 (Lesson 71) in the Handbook of Nature Study. Anna Botsford Comstock really knew her insects so this section is rich with information for your Monarch butterfly study. She breaks the observation suggestions down into categories: The Butterfly, The Caterpillar, and The Chrysalis. Read through the information and highlight any ideas you plan to incorporate into your Monarch butterfly study.
• YouTube: Monarch Migration (Journey North and Monarch Watch): Part 1 and Part 2. For West Coast families, you can watch this YouTube of Monarchs overwintering in Pacific Grove, CA.
• Highly Recommend: Your Backyard The Life and Journey of the Amazing Monarch Butterfly -Read my review HERE. There is also a study guide that you read more about HERE.
• You may be interested in reading through or completing the Outdoor Hour Challenge for Milkweed along with this Monarch Butterfly Challenge.

Outdoor Hour Time:

• Take fifteen minutes outdoors for this challenge looking for Monarch butterflies (or any other insect). Remember that depending on your location and the time of year you may look for a chrysalis, a caterpillar, or the adult butterfly. Monarchs will be found near their food source of milkweed.
• Alternate activity: Acquire some milkweed seeds and plant some in your garden.
• Advanced study: If you live in an area that has monarch butterflies, consider joining Monarch Watch (link below) and participate in the Monarch tagging activity.

Follow-Up Activity:

• Butterflies always are exciting to observe. Use the suggestions from the Handbook of Nature Study lesson to take a closer look at any butterflies you find. If your child has more questions about insects, consider reading pages 294-300 in the Handbook of Nature Study. This general section on insects may give you some answers.
• Complete a nature journal entry. Advanced students can use a field guide to gather more facts or record the butterfly’s life cycle on a notebook page.
• Advanced study: Conduct additional research on the insect order– Lepidoptera. Use a field guide and complete two additional nature journal entries for insects in this order found in your backyard or local area.

Additional Links:

• Monarch Watch—Migration and Tagging
• Journey North—treasure of a website for you to use in preparation or to answer questions. The page with Kid’s Resources has links to slideshows and printable booklets that you can share with your children. 

Suggested Resources to view or print:

• Do You Know a Monarch When You See One?
• The Annual Cycle of the Monarch Butterfly
• When, Where, and How to Watch the Fall Migration
• Butterfly Wings

All the summer challenges for 2012 are included in the new More Nature Study Book #4 Summer Sizzle ebook. The challenges in the ebook are the same challenges that will post every Friday here on my blog. If you want to follow along with notebook pages and coloring pages, click over and learn more about the ebook.

Chasing Yellow Jackets - Our Summer Nature Study Begins

Yellow Jackets and Mud Daubers - Summer Insect Study

I made a call to my dad who I know always has wasp nests around his property. Of course, he didn't know I was going to be wanting to see his nests so he had cleaned them all out a few days ago. Sigh. I was so discouraged because I wasn't aware of any nests at our house.



I mentioned this to Mr. B and he immediately knew where there was the beginnings of a nest up in the eaves of our patio. Wahoo! I was excited and he thought I was nuts. I asked him to bring over a ladder so we could climb up and get a good view and he was not thrilled about the prospect of getting up close to the nest. It is an active nest and he has been stung before and know that they hurt. I told him I would do the climbing and take a few quick photos.



We decided after some investigation that this is a paper wasp nest and not a yellow jacket nest. Paper wasps have open celled hanging nests and yellow jackets are usually subterranean or enclosed.

This was an amazing structure and it is only because of the information in the Handbook of Nature Study that we were moved to peer closely at this insect's home. 

We found this webpage to be helpful: Wasps, Yellow jackets, and Hornets.



We have found several other insects that we think are yellow jackets so this study will be on-going as we move through the summer and into our picnic season. In our part of the country we often times call yellow jackets by another name, meat bee. I thought this was because they always come around when we have a burger on our plates but after some reading online I learned it is because they ofter eat other insects (hence the reference to meat?).


On another insect note from the week, we found these interesting eggs on the backside of the hydrangea leaves. We identified them as harlequin bug eggs. I can't get over how each creature is as unique from the very beginning as they are as adults. We were able to ID this bug from the tiniest details on the eggs. Amazing.

What a great start to our summer nature study! We posted our first photo in the Summer Photo Challenge: Cricket! Everyone is welcome to join the photo challenge at any time.



Also, don't forget to submit your blog entries to the Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival. Every entry this month is an entry into the Your Backyard Monarch Butterfly Giveaway as announced in the June Newsletter. Take advantage of the time to get outside with your children this month, even if it is just a few minutes and you follow your child's lead. Keep it simple and enjoy it!



You can see one of my dad's paper wasp nests in this entry: Paper Wasps

OHC More Nature Study Book #4- Yellow Jackets and Mud Daubers

Welcome to the More Nature Study Book #4 series of summer nature study challenges!

This is going to be a jam-packed summer of nature study using the challenges and the newsletter suggestions. Our family is looking forward to spending time outdoors together as we focus on the various aspects of summer nature study...including a trip to the ocean and to a local pond. I encourage all to join in and learn more about your local nature habitat as well as those you may encounter during your summer travels.


More Nature Study Book #4
Summer Sizzle
Yellow Jackets and Mud Daubers Insect Study

Inside Preparation Work

• Read pages 378-384 in the Handbook of Nature Study (Lessons 94 and 95). Learn the life story and the habits of each of these insects. Glean a few ideas from the lesson suggestions to apply in your study for this challenge.
• Preparatory video : YouTube on Yellow Jacket Stings
• Previous summer insect challenges: Mosquitoes, Moths and Fireflies, and Crickets, Grasshoppers, and Katydids.

Outdoor Hour Time:

• Spend some time outdoors this week looking for summer insects. If you spot a mud dauber, the Handbook of Nature Study says the “purpose of this study is to watch the mud daubers while building their nests and capturing their prey.” The Handbook of Nature Study also suggests watching a yellow jacket eat from a dish of sweetened fruit placed outdoors.
• If you spot any insects during your outdoor time, make careful observations of their movements, behavior, and appearance.
• Advanced Study: What is attracting your yellow jackets? Use your observation skills and record in your nature journal anything you find that attracts yellow jackets to your home.

Follow-Up Activity:

• Record in your nature journal any summer insects you observed during your outdoor time. If you observe a yellow jacket or a mud dauber, record your insect in your nature journal. Ebook users: You can use the notebook page provided. You may wish to keep a running list of insects for the whole summer in your journal as well.
• Compare the yellow jacket and the mud dauber. Ebook Users: Optional coloring pages for the yellow jacket.
• Advanced Study: Conduct additional research on the insect order– hymenoptera. Use a field guide and complete two additional nature journal entries for insects in this order found in your backyard or local area.

Additional Links:

• Western Yellow Jacket information from University of California
• Printable yellow jacket information sheet
• Bees, Wasps, and Ants of North America—excellent images and information
• Bee and Wasp Up-Close—just as a reference

All the summer challenges for 2012 are included in the new More Nature Study Book #4 Summer Sizzle ebook. The challenges in the ebook are the same challenges that will post every Friday here on my blog. If you want to follow along with notebook pages and coloring pages, click over and learn more about the ebook.

Goat Nature Study? Where Are The Goats?

No photos of goats but we did spy some awesome insects in the garden.

This week we were hoping to complete the Outdoor Hour Challenge Goat Study. 

We had every intention of finding a real live goat to observe for this challenge...we had several ideas but none of them panned out. We did the next best thing and prepared for the time the opportunity does arise. Mr. B is always up for a research project so this was agreeable to him.



We went through the challenge and narrowed the research to these few things:

1. Read in the Handbook of Nature Study about goats (lesson 65).
2. He viewed the videos linked in the Goat Study Challenge. His favorite? Fainting goats, of course!
3. Research and record information on ruminant animals (animals with four stomachs).

In my experience, after preparing for a particular nature study, we will have an opportunity to use our goat information in the near future. It always seems to work that way, maybe because we are looking for the opportunity with clear eyes.

We had our first swallowtails in the garden this week.

We have had plenty of outdoor time this week as we have worked in the garden, taken a long drive in vineyard country, and walked our trusty Kona dog ( who stood in for our mammal for this study).

Remember to send in your Outdoor Hour Challenge blog entries completed in the month of May to the OHC Blog Carnival. Deadline for submitting will be 5/30/12.

Latest edition: April 2012: Spring Splendor

Early Spring Garden - Springing to Life

Lemon thyme, Oregano, Garlic chives, and Strawberry Blossoms

It is time for our early spring garden clean up where we start to tidy up the beds in anticipation of a new growing season. Mr. B and I spent a few hours in the garden trimming, weeding, raking, and enjoying the sights and smells of early spring.


Our front yard habitat is full of insects and flowers. The first of the season's yarrow is blossoming and the plants look super healthy. We weren't sure these would over-winter but they did beautifully...may add some more to fill in the spaces.




Hello little creature! These insects (some sort of beetle?) are showing their faces now that the rocks are warming up.



I love this image with my lavender and the bee! It seems like you are peering down into a whole different world. The lavender is alive with bees with their humming and buzzing. Go bees!



I know most of you real gardeners will shudder when I tell you that I keep part of my yard just for the dandelions. I love these happy yellow flowers and the bees agree with me too!



The bee balm is springing to life in the side yard and we pruned the neighboring bushes back to allow some more sunlight. I look forward to seeing the red blooms of this flower in the summer.



This is actually my neighbor's flowering quince that is blooming. I am sharing it here because it has inspired me to plant a few of these in our yard for next spring's color. Aren't they gorgeous? I am actually wavering between this bush and the redbud....haven't totally made up my mind yet.

So there is a little garden update from a sunny afternoon's walk in the garden.

It is not too late to print and complete the First Day of Spring printable or complete the Spring Splendor Walk challenge. Join us!



Jami's Tuesday Garden Party meme is open from Tuesday to Thursday so there is still time for you to jump in and participate!

Gall Dwelling Insects - Our Winter Study

Our gall study has been going on for several months now and we have gathered quite a few different kinds of galls during our hikes. Some of the galls are really small but once we know what we are looking for we can look for the signs on the oaks. During the winter, the galls are more noticeable because there are far less leaves to deal with. Our local forest is a mix of evergreen and deciduous oaks so we still have plenty of leaves to check but not as many as the middle of summer.

I think the key to finding galls is to know what you are looking for. Check the links in the original challenge if you have any trouble getting started.

The California Gall Wasp is only 1/8" to 1/4" in size...far too small to probably ever be recognized or identified but we do know what their gall looks like. It is the big gall in the top image and you can clearly see the exit holes. Fascinating stuff. 



We took time to observe the smaller galls under our microscope. It truly is a completely different world under the lens of a microscope. Amazing...even a hand lens will open that world up.



There is so much to learn about this topic, reaching into insect study and tree study.


Mr. B finished up his gall study with a notebook page for his nature journal. We used the links in the challenge and our insect field guide. That is something that wasn't mentioned in the original challenge. We look up "wasps" in the back and found the listing for gall wasps (which are in the family Cynipidae). We read how there are 150 species of wasps that make galls on California oaks! That is exactly why I feel like we have only scratched the surface of this topic.

Let me know if you have any trouble getting started on this challenge or if you need some help finding information once you do find something you think is a gall. I will do my best to help.

Crowe's Nest Media: Your Backyard: Monarch Butterfly Review and Giveaway

Your Backyard:  
The Life and Journey of the Amazing Monarch Butterfly
From Crowe's Nest Media

You all know our family LOVES nature study. We are inspired by the colors, the patterns, the design of the many amazing things around us. The family oriented DVD, The Life and Journey of the Amazing Monarch Butterfly, feeds our passions. It is a feast for the eyes as well as the heart.



Even for families that have already studied monarchs and have raised them from caterpillars, you will learn so many awesome details that you will not look at a monarch butterfly the same…ever.

• Have you seen a female actually lay an egg and know how she picks a milkweed to deposit it on?
• Have you watched the caterpillar shed its final skin and eyes? 
• Do you have a picture in your mind of where the monarchs migrate to in Mexico and why we should care about their forests? 
• Do you truly understand why we should not view milkweed as weeds and remove it from our gardens? 
• Did you know you could tell a male from a female quite easily once you know what to look for?

This DVD will take you deeper and farther than your normal butterfly study could ever dream of doing. You will be encouraged to tell others about the wonder of God’s design and wisdom. You will be determined to nurture milkweed in your neighborhood. You will ignite a desire in your children to be a part of citizen science through the Monarch Watch and tagging program. This DVD will reach your heart.

Features I love about this DVD:

• Remarkable video and images of each stage of the monarch's life cycle: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult. You will see footage of things humans rarely get to see and your children are going to be amazed at the incredible close-ups that show the intricate workings of this butterfly.
• The information is interesting to all ages. After watching this DVD, I heard little monarch facts being sharing among family members and with friends as well. There is enough detail for older children yet the animation and "story" make it appropriate for younger ones as well..
• I was impressed with the creation focus done on a clearly scientific topic, just the way I try to present nature study in our family. Details from scientists, direct observations, and experts draw attention to the amazing design of the monarch.
• This DVD is fairly long (approximately 60 minutes) but I appreciate that we can watch one segment at a time if we want to go back and rewatch a topic of interest using the buttons from the menu. This will aid us in using the study guide (see below for more information on the study guide.)
• In addition, I appreciate that this DVD was a family production including all ages and abilities. The Crowe family provides a great example to other homeschooling families with their diligence.

Other information you may find helpful:

• 60 minutes long. In addition, approximately 45 minutes of bonus features. $19.95 (see special offer below).
• Watch the DVD trailer on YouTube: Your Backyard: Amazing Monarch Butterfly
• The bonus features are not to be missed. You will learn how to raise your own backyard monarchs, use extra websites for research, complete a fun follow-up quiz, and see behind the scenes information your family will find inspirational.
• With the companion study guide this DVD could be the basis of a whole unit study for homeschoolers. 

Companion Study Guide Coming Mid-Spring!

Companion Study Guide:
The Crowe family is in the process of writing a complete companion study guide to go along with this DVD. This downloadable guide will include: content review, discussion questions, diagrams to label, sketching suggestions, essay questions, copy work and coloring pages for a variety of ages, and ideas for further research. I know our family will be looking forward to using this as part of our nature study this spring and summer as the opportunity arises. The study guide is scheduled to be released mid-spring and will cost $8.95.

Special Offer: 
As part of this review, I am thrilled to offer you the chance to purchase this DVD with a coupon code to receive the downloadable companion study guide FREE! Also, with the coupon code, you will receive the DVD at a discounted price of $18.95. This offer ends on February 3, 2012.

Read to purchase now? You can click over and enter your coupon code to receive your copy of this amazing DVD at a discounted price AND get a code to receive the companion study guide when it is available. The coupon code is: NatureStudy

Giveaway:
Additionally, I am happy to offer a giveaway for one copy of the DVD to my readers. This is my way of helping spread the word to additional readers about this very worthwhile and important DVD. Our children need to develop a love for nature and this DVD will open their eyes to the design and awesome creative powers found right in their own backyards. I am using Rafflecopter for this giveaway and if you are reading this blog entry in a reader, you may need to click over to the blog to enter. See the Rafflecopter gadget for five ways to enter the giveaway. I will be announcing the winner of the DVD on Monday, January 30, 2012.

Would you like more chances to win? I am teaming up with six other bloggers and each of us is giving this DVD away! Here are the links to all the other reviews and giveaways. We invite you to click each one and enter for additional chances to win.

Spell Outloud
The Curriculum Choice
Finding Joy
Mama's Learning Corner
The Traveling Praters
Get Along Home
a Rafflecopter giveaway Please note: I received this DVD and the giveaway copy in exchange for a review. I always give my honest opinion and share our family's experiences when reviewing a product. I also will receive a small affiliate commission if you purchase the DVD using the coupon code listed above.

Fall Insects and A Pear Tree Update

Cooler weather means more time spent outside during the day....we went from really hot weather to cool weather in the span of a day or two. I am so pleased with these late blooming sunflowers and I am going to plant more of them next year. The insects have been visiting them every day and when I went out to snip a few flowers for the kitchen table, I saw this big guy!




This praying mantis decided to hang out on my stove one morning. It must have been pretty funny watching me try to scoop him up while he was hopping from side to side. I would try to scoop him up and he would hop just out of my reach. I would try again and he would hop too fast. Finally I got a bowl and set it over him and then slid a piece of paper under the bowl. Success! I transplanted him outside to my potted plants and he was happy to pose for a few minutes on the allysum.




Our butterfly bushes are still blooming, in white, lavender, and deep purple. I see the hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies all buzzing in and around in the morning sunshine. Makes me happy to see such a busy community right in my flowerbeds. We have spotted a few monarchs lately...none captured with the camera yet. They are fast!



We were out for a drive and took a back road only to find a pear orchard within about two miles of my house! It is tucked away off the beaten path and as we slowly drove down the lane I tried to snap a few images.....glorious fall pears to enjoy!

We are going out and about tomorrow so stay tuned for some more back roads loveliness.

So Many Webs - So Many Questions

No webs in this image, just a pretty flower.

Looking for spider webs can become a little obsessive. We have been hypersensitive to webs over the past few weeks in anticipation of the Fall Web Challenge, spotting them just about everywhere. Are there always this many webs and is it only because we are focusing on them right now that they seem to pop up in so many places? I guess that is a question we will answer over the next few months. We are in the middle of a huge rainstorm so I am glad that I have been snapping photos as we went along...it is very wet out there today.



We seem to see the most of this kind of web....very filmy and not at all like a web you would draw or think of when the word is mentioned. They seem disorganized and messy, that is until you get up close and really look at the structure.



There they are...the outline lines of the web. We wonder how they get from here to there and back again since the distances are quite far. We could never actually see a spider spinning a web which is now on our list of things to be on the lookout for in the months to come. We could not determine if this was truly a "filmy dome" as described in Lesson 113 of the Handbook of Nature Study.



These photos were all taken in our backyard and were mostly in the crepe myrtle bushes.



See how the web seems to almost encase the leaves and branch? We observed many of these webs in our backyard and although they were a great source of interest, we were disappointed that we didn't see a pretty orb web. We all decided that this will be a study we save for when the opportunity presents itself, to study a web up-close and maybe, just maybe to see the spider spinning the web.

We are looking forward to this Friday's challenge....the current rainstorm has started the leaves falling and I even spotted a few colored ones! We did have snow up the road from our house this morning but it has melted already in the rain. This is going to be an interesting autumn.

OHC Blog Carnival - September Newsletter Edition

This has been a very busy month around the Handbook of Nature Study blog. Not only with a new ebook and new series of Outdoor Hour Challenges but I got a completely new blog design. I was aiming at making the navigation easier for new readers and to have all the challenges, ebooks, free stuff, and nature journal ideas all organized for ease of use. There are two places to look for challenges now on the blog: Tabs at the top are grouped by season and buttons on the sidebar by topic. I think the blog turned out so much better than I ever imagined. (Thanks go to Emily Abramson from PolkaDotPixels.com....a dream to work with!) She even made us a pretty new carnival button...feel free to grab and link.

This blog carnival is so filled with outdoor goodness that it makes me smile from my top of my head all the way to my toes. You are in for a real treat this month. I know I pretty much say that every month but honestly, you all blew me away with your wonderful studies and the awesome nature journal pages are something we can all be inspired by as we move along the road with our nature study. Take a deep breath and dive into this edition of the Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival.
(If I missed your entry, please email me or leave a comment and I will add it ASAP. This was a huge carnival.)

Photo courtesy of OHC participant: Nicole at One Hook Wonder

Milkweed (and other Fall Blooming Flowers)
Nicole and her children were able to observe some Magical Milkweed for this challenge. She shares some awesome images of their pods and seeds (see above for an example). Thank you so much for sharing your OHC. Nicole also submitted their Summer Wildflowers entry which includes some thistles!


Now that you are all warmed up with the milkweed pods...check out Ellen's entry: Milkweed Update! She shares their pods and their magnificent nature journals. Don't miss the images in this entry. 

Heather from Kingdom Arrows shares their Autumn Outdoor Hour Challenge...they didn't find milkweed but a jungle of other weeds provided some outdoor enjoyment. 


Kim from Tolle Lege Christian Academy writes about their Milkweed Study with milkweed right in their own yard. I loved seeing the colorful blossoms and the many insects they observed during their outdoor time. 


Angie and her boys didn't find milkweed either but they write about their Wildflower Study as part of this challenge. I love that Angie adapted the notebook page to fit their study and their display of Oregon wildflowers.  


Jennifer and her daughter share their September Nature Study with goldenrod, thistle, and Queen Anne's Lace. Wonderful entry showing their nature study finds and notebook page. 


Janet from Across the Page has written and submitted an entry sharing the culmination of their Monarch Study which goes hand in hand with a milkweed study. Please don't miss seeing her entry Monarch Madness. I was fascinated with their study and I highly recommend reading her ten year old's journal: Watching Peeper.

Here is another family that was able to observe the milkweed plant, the pod and seeds, AND a monarch caterpillar and butterfly. Read Monica's entry on her blog Discover Their Gifts: Our Nature Study: Milkweed and Monarch.
 
Susan from Learning All The Time didn't have any milkweed but they did have asters which were an alternate study from the Handbook of Nature Study suggested in this challenge. They brought in flowers to observe over time and then did their reading in the HNS. Wonderful follow up artwork too!

Taunya joins the carnival with their Know Your Own Backyard - Weeds entry.  They did their outdoor observations and then completed the notebook page from the September Newsletter. So what is a weed?



Leaf-Miners and Leaf-Rollers
Amy from Hope is The Word did a great job of documenting their Leaf-Miner/Roller investigation. They found some leaf-miners and some other interesting leaves too. They tried out the suggested nature journal entry from the September Newsletter and they turned out beautifully. You can see their nature journals above.

Angie from Petra School submitted with a smile their Leaf Miners and Leaf Rollers entry. They had trouble getting the enthusiasm up at first but with a little help from the suggested video her boys finally were interested and successful. Read her complete entry for details. 


Makita shares their Leaf-Miners and Rollers entry on their family blog Academia Celestia. They spent some time hunting for insects in two different environments and ended up with some wonderful journal pages. 

I know that Tricia (Hodgepodge Mom) titled this one Weeds, Seeds, Insect, and Signs of Fall but I think it is a great entry showing how when you start out looking for one thing, you are often led to five other interesting things as well. Thanks for sharing your adventures.  

Shirley Ann shares their Leaf Miners and Leaf Rollers entry from the UK!  They had success in finding some interesting subjects without even leaving their own garden. They even found an insect friend to observe up close and record in their nature journals.


Cobwebs
All kinds of webs and a few spiders too! This is what Zonnah writes about in this entry: Spiders and Cobwebs.

Image courtesy of OHC Participant: Tricia at Hodgepodge

Pears
Zonnah submits their family's Pear Study. It has inspired me to try a few new things....and eat more pears.

Tricia and her family spent some time looking at their pear tree, some pears, and then completing notebook pages from the More Nature Study ebook. They also completed the suggested nature journal idea from the September Newsletter. Great job! You can read their entry: Pears, Apples, and Nature Journal Art. 

Kirsty joins the carnival for this edition with their families Pear Study. She tells of their wonderful day outdoors in the autumn sunshine.  

Ellen and her children share their colorful pear study along with their very well done journals. Their entry, Double Duty, shows how they completed this challenge and then made something yummy. 

Shirley Ann adapted the pear study to fit their opportunity to pick and take a closer look at their apples. You will enjoy seeing their account of their Pear...I Mean Apple Study.

Image from OHC participant: Barbara at Schoolhouse on the Prairie

Potpourri
Barbara from Schoolhouse on the Prairie shares their Monarch butterfly tagging project: OHC #4. You are going to see some fantastic photos of them catching and recording their monarch butterflies. The photo above is from their entry....stunning images and I think we all want to know the answer to this question: How do you know if it is a male and female Monarch butterfly? You can read their OHC #5 for the answer to that question! (Photo above is from their OHC #4 entry.)

Shirley Ann and her daughters did a fantastic job on their First Nature Walk of the School Year. They went with the focus of weeds and seeds and they found two additional delights. Don't miss viewing their journals!


Julie from Homeschool Balancing Act shares their Outdoor Hour Challenge #4 Part 2 and their  Outdoor Hour Challenge #5. They took their nature study ideas along on their camping trip to Sequoia National Park. Excellent!


Last Days of Summer....Tricia and her family share their late summer outdoor time with carnival readers. Check out their collection of shells!


Kim shares their Nightshade Family and a Little Surprise entry with the carnival. They also completed an entry about Feeding The Birds (An Experiment or Two). They had one more study: Citronella Ants Go Marching. Making nature study an investigation always brings rewards.


Nadene is joining the carnival for the first time with their entry Starting Nature Study With The Handbook of Nature Study. They share their South African spring time study. Welcome to the OHC! The also completed their Spring Maple Tree Study for the OHC. Some of us are a little jealous that they are in their spring season but will enjoy watching their world change as they work through their challenges.

Kristen from Broom and Crown shares their Finding Dragonflies in the Desert entry with carnival readers. They were able to use a field guide and identify their Amberwings...check out the images to see why they are called amberwings. :)


Heather from Kingdom Arrows writes about their Canada Goose Outdoor Challenge. She shares how much her daughter's complete nature notebook page means to their family. Special story showing how nature study can bridge some important gaps for our children. Thanks Heather. 

Anne from Harvest Moon By Hand shares their two nature studies: Woolly Bears and Isabella Tiger Moths and  White Pine Tree. Their family has started out on a study of each state's bird, tree, flower, rock/gem. What a great idea! One last entry from Ann showing their Black-Capped Chickadee study...check out their journal for a fantastic idea (hint: coins)!

After a random drawing, the September Newsletter giveaway gift goes to Taunya from Taunya's Place. She will be getting the download link for the Hearts and Trees Mammals Lapbook. Congratulations and please email me to verify the email address you would like the link to be sent to: harmonyfinearts@yahoo.com.


See you all next month! Remember that October's Newsletter link will be for subscribers of the blog only. Please click over to the blog and subscribe using the form on the sidebar.

Leaf-Miner Study Updated and Some Acorns Too

Today we hit the jackpot with leaf-miners while we were taking a hike with the dog. We found a whole bunch of leaves with signs of leaf-miners...how exciting!
(Original post HERE and the OHC Challenge HERE)


We were amazed at how crazy the path is on some of the leaves. Curls and swirls and then along the edges, there seems to be no rhyme or reason.

The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

We also were fascinated with the furry, fuzzy tops on these acorns. I like how they grow like twins on the branches of the oak tree.


I found a few on the ground along with some moss for a cute little acorn photo.

Just wanted to update our study with our latest finds.

Barb

Searching for Leaf-Miners and Leaf-Rollers

We found quite a bit of leaf damage on the oaks in our backyard...nothing that really looked like leaf-miners though. We looked carefully which is part of what this challenge (More Nature Study #2 Leaf-Miners and Rollers) was all about.Taking time to really look and see the leaves opens up lots of interesting thoughts and ideas.  Who caused the damage? Were they nibbled by insects or something else like the birds that frequent our yard?

The preparation work from the Handbook of Nature Study really helped us with this challenge.



We went around to the garden side of the yard and started to look at the shrubs there and we think we found several leaves that had been rolled up by insects. This one looks close to what we were looking for so we are going to assume it is our subject for this challenge. Amazing that I never noticed this leaf-rolling in our own backyard until now! What else am I missing?



Now in the front yard we have a different kind of oak and we were able to see clearly some damage done by some insect...perhaps a leaf-miner. We couldn't find any leaves that had insects working on them currently but these looked promising enough to bring a few inside to look at under the magnifying lens.



Here is one image (through the magnifying lens) that was super pretty, almost looked like stained glass.When you hold the leaf up to the light as suggested in the Handbook of Nature Study it is even more beautiful. My husband was wondering what I was looking at and I had to share with him too. He was fascinated by our topic and since he spends lots of time outdoors as part of his job, he is going to keep an eye out for some more leaves to look at with the hand lens.



Another image up-close at what we think may be what we were looking for this week.

So there you have it...our leaf-miner and leaf-roller study in our own yard. Amazing that we could find it right under out noses. I think that is the lesson I learned from reading the entries to the Blog Carnival for this challenge from different families.....total amazement that they could even find this subject so close to home.

If you haven't taken the time to give this challenge a try yet, there is still plenty of time to do so. Make it an investigation after reading the information in the Handbook of Nature Study. Take your magnifying glass with you outdoors to look at the suggested plants (see Lesson 77 in the HNS).


We also observed some oak galls which are covered in Lesson 79 in the Handbook of Nature Study. These are interesting to observe as well and surprising to most that they are actually signs of an insect.

Make sure to submit your Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival entries soon. The deadline will be this coming Thursday, September 29, 2011. The carnival will be posted on Friday.