Red Maple leaf on a bed of sphagnum moss
I’m easily led astray when hiking. Three days ago I ventured into a nearby swamp to photograph Red Maple foliage, but also had a hidden agenda. Off the northeastern end of the swamp lies a tiny bog with all sorts of goodies that beg to be investigated. It was a summer-like fall morning, perhaps the last opportunity to capture a set of images like this. More seasonal weather is on its way, and the cold blooded creatures will soon disappear from the landscape.
My main subject was the colorful Pitcher Plants underfoot, the unique insect predators commonly found in acidic, bog habitats. Downward-pointing hairs and a watery trap below capture insects that, once digested, supplement the nutrient-poor substrate of a bog.
Pitcher Plant and sphagnum moss
Gladiator Katydid on the inside of a Pitcher Plant leaf (1 of 2)
Fly on the outer surface of a Pitcher Plant leaf
Photos by NB Hunter. © All Rights Reserved.
I like your bog wandering…
Your pitcher plant looks far more colorful than those I found here on the coast. Looks like you managed to get up close and personal, too. We were restricted to a boardwalk through the bog. Very lovely shots you got there!
Thanks Gunta. This is a few acres of Nature Conservancy property, secluded along a dead-end road. It’s open to the public but unadvertised and undeveloped — too small and too fragile, with no public access. Most use is by local colleges – field studies in botany, dendrology, ecology, etc.