05/11/2011 - Moore Creek

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1) It is possible to paddle up Moore Creek to Halls Mill Road, but first you have to be able to contort your body to glide under the dredging pipes which span the entire creek. It's a tight fit. This is the Lee's Lane bridge with the railroad bridge in the background.

2) Upstream the water is clear. Here you can see a small turtle swimming by a submerged plastic grocery bag. I also saw several large Koi fish which are bright orange and white carps.

3) The banks of Moore Creek are botanically rich meaning there are a lot of different sedges, rushes, grasses and wildflowers there for your viewing pleasure.

4) These are Trumpet Vine flowers, also known as Cow Itch Vine (Campsis radicans). The trumpet vine has the ability to produce skin burning and itching in susceptible individuals, especially when disturbing the fibrous stem. It is also hard to get rid of once it establishes itself.

5) This is the caterpillar of the Black Swallowtail butterfly. The orange objects protruding from its body are scent glands called Osmeterium which protrude when disturbed.

6) It is a zigzag web of a juvenile Black and Yellow Argiope spider. They have a small front body section covered in silver hair.