Friday Field Notes: A Little Face on a Quaking Aspen Leaf

Last Friday, September 6th, I enjoyed a leisurely hike up to the Blodgett Canyon Overlook in the Bitterroot National Forest. The warm sun was muffled by a scattering of grayish clouds, allowing the temperature to stay below 85 degrees. It was a perfect day for a short adventure.

On the descent of the hike, I stopped next to a four-foot-high quaking aspen tree alongside the trail. I reached for a leaf, and placed it in my hand. My fingers followed the contours of its outline, amazed at its symmetry. I stepped back to look at the whole tree, when my fiancé said, "Hey, look at this!" Between his fingers he held another aspen leaf. I glanced at the leaf, but didn't notice anything, and looked back at him questioningly. He said, "Look closer." As I stared at the leaf, I was taken aback by the caterpillar that lay on the leaf before me. Two yellow ovals on the top of its head created the appearance of eyes, and a yellow and brown line across its thorax unveiled a smirk (depending on your perspective). Its green body with subtle blue dots blended in perfectly with the leaf.

I learned that this caterpillar was a Western Tiger Swallowtail, or Papilio rutulus, and that it is common to western North America. They are often seen in woodlands, riparian areas, and urban settings. These caterpillars feed on the leaves of hardwoods, such as poplar, willow, alder, maple, cottonwood, and quaking aspen. The Western Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar, or larva, will molt about five times before pupating (that is, evolving from a caterpillar to an adult insect--in this case, a butterfly). For butterflies, the pupal stage is called chrysalis. When the caterpillar has reached its full size, it produces silk to adhere itself to a leaf or limb of a tree. At this point in the process, the caterpillar will shed its skin one last time, leaving a hard skin, called a chrysalis. The caterpillar will stay in this stage until it is ready to turn into a butterfly.

In the summer, a butterfly can emerge within fifteen days of pupating, but if it pupates in the fall, it must wait until springtime, when the temperature begins to rise. The beautiful butterfly that emerges from the chrysalis has yellow on its forewings, a thick black border along the wings' outside edge, and a hint of orange and blue on its tail. Its wingspan is ~8.5 centimeters. Females will lay up to 100 eggs onto the protective underside of leaves, and within four days or so, they will hatch, introducing a new group of smirking caterpillars into the natural world.

Friday Field Notes: Sketching Changes in Nature

For me, the start of school marks change. In my own body, I notice a change in the pace at which I move. It is as though the lethargy induced by summer's heat slowly starts to leave my body, revealing a new zest and passion for exploring the outdoors. I know that I transform in this manner, because I listen to my body and I make note of the changes that I feel.

Similarly, if you take the time, you can note change in the natural world. As the seasons starts to change, so do the animals, birds, insects, plants, and natural landscapes. Change can be bold and impossible to miss, or it might be subtle and easily overlooked. In order to understand and learn from these changes, it is helpful to stop, observe, and document your observations about the way the natural world evolves. We can teach ourselves and each other about change, by tapping into our sense of sight, smell, hearing, and touch. The change of a season is a perfect time to start observing, sketching, and learning to embrace change.

How do you sketch changes?

Well, first start by creating or buying a nature journal. It does not have to be fancy, but it should include blank sheets of paper and be bound. Dedicate at least one page of your journal to each individual observation. Start by choosing a plant, animal, insect, bird, or landscape to sketch. If you choose a landscape, remember that it is best to start small. Date your entry, including the time, location, and weather. In your sketch, concentrate on details. You can add depth to your observation by including additional drawings, colors, and words.

 

Revisit the object or place on a daily or weekly basis. Make a new sketch on the same page as your first one. Note any changes in the new sketch in comparison to your last sketch. Remember to use all of your senses! Does is smell differently? Have the colors changed? Do you hear different sounds? Continue this process as long as possible. Be inquisitive and explore each curiosity to better understand the evolution of the object or place over time. Who knows, maybe you'll become fascinated with the changes, and you will have years and years of observations about one object or landscape. In the end, all of your observations, drawn and written, will help you and others to understand the complexities of change within our natural world. Go ahead, and start sketching changes in nature!


Learn how to make your own nature journal!