For the first time in many months I was able to join the WGNSS (Webster Groves Nature Study Society) Botany Group on their regular Monday field trip (my frenetic bug collecting schedule and travel w/ Madam during this past summer had made this all but impossible). I wish I could have joined the group this summer, as that is when all the good stuff to see is out, but off-season botany is still fun, and the chance to test my ID skills with other experts only adds to the fun (not to mention just socializing as a group). St. Joe State Park is one of my favorites, and the Farmington Trailhead is a hidden gem that gets us away from the traffic of the park’s more popular bike loop and especially the grating noise of the ORV area.

The weather today was spectacular—almost too warm (I prefer a crisp, cool, sunny day for fall hiking), but the warm temps did have a bonus: a wealth of insects, some of which are not commonly encountered and one that I’ve never seen before. But, this was a botany outing, so I spent much of the time reinforcing my winter identification skills of the native warm-season grasses that grow in abundance along the paved trail that slices through the dry-mesic oak/pine forest. Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans), and witch grass (Panicum capillare) were common, as expected, and although all three are common species it was good to see them together as a reminder of their distinguishing characters: little bluestem with its small, curved seed-heads exposed along the stem, big bluestem with its “turkey foot” terminal seed-heads, and Indian grass with its robust, solid terminal spike of a seed-head. However, a number of other grasses were present that tested our skills (good thing we had Alan with us to help us out). Broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus) was abundant along the trail, resembling little bluestem but with its seed-heads guarded by elongated bracts and a bit more “yellowish” rather than reddish in color. We also saw a few plants of a less common relative, Elliott’s bluestem (Andropogon gyrans), its exaggerated bracts surrounding the terminal seed-heads and resembling the inflorescence of a bird-of-paradise (I think this is a very attractive grass that would look nice in native plantings). In the lower areas we found river oats (Chasmanthium latifolium), their distinctive flattened seed-heads ripe brown on still green leafy stems, colonizing drainages along and inside the woodlands, and a single patch of rock muhly grass (Muhlenbergia sobolifera) was also seen inside the woodland.

Insects made their appearance early on this warm fall day—catching up with the group at the beginning of the hike (I was a few minutes late, led astray by Google maps!), I encountered a Blackburn’s earth-boring beetle (Geotrupes blackburnii) on the trail—fall seems to be the time of year when I encounter these and their close relative, the splendid earth-boring beetle (G. splendidus), most commonly, and on the return trip at the end of the hike I found another one in almost exactly the same spot!

In between, we found some rather fresh scats on the trail (likely coyote) that were covered with broad-headed bugs (family Alydidae). To the chagrin of the others, I poked and prodded the scats to reveal several tiny dung beetles (Onthophagus sp.) underneath [2023-110b], and there were a few more on the scats when we looked again on the return, as well as another Blackburn’s earth-boring beetle. As we continued near the furthest point of our trip along the trail, I spotted a large, standing, dead shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) in the forest not far from the trail. I hiked over to it hoping to find Rhagium inquisitor longhorned beetles (family Cerambycidae), which by now should have molted to adults in preparation for hibernating through winter in their circular, frass-lined pupal cells beneath the bark. The bark was intact but loose—perfect conditions for finding the beetles, but peeling back the first piece revealed something else—two adult Microtomus purcis assassin bugs (family Reduviidae). They dropped immediately and scrambled to hide under the leaf litter, but I persisted in chasing one of them until it tired of the chase and let me take a few shots.

At our furthest point along the trail, we saw something truly remarkable—a stream of ants crossing through trail (not in itself remarkable), and among them was an obvious queen heavily flanked by a gaggle of workers. According to resident ant-expert James Trager, these are Neivamyrmex nigrescens, one of two army ant species in the state, relocating their colony (the first time I have ever witnessed such an event). In warmer months, they do this before dawn for about two weeks out of every month; however, at this time of year the emigrations become morning affairs when it’s warm enough and cease altogether when it gets reliably cold. I struggled to get a passingly acceptable photo of the queen and her swiftly moving gang of supporters, but the memory will remain with me nonetheless.

At various points to and from, we also found the larvae of two species of longhorned beetles (family Cerambycidae)—one in the stem of a small dead shortleaf pine sapling (probably one of the pine associates in the tribe Acanthocinini, perhaps Astylopsis sexguttata), and a twig pruner (Anelaphus parallelus) that had just cut the distal portion of the oak stem within which it was boring. In both cases, we located the larvae inside the stems and discussed the ways to recognize their presence within them. Finally, we found a small common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) male torpidly walking on the trail. This is the latest-flying of our midwestern species, but according to resident bee-expert Mike Arduser, “this is REALLY late!” He suspected there may have been a nest nearby since the male was not too beat up despite the lateness of the season. Having gotten our fill of grasses and bugs, the group then partook in a favorite post-activity tradition—lunch at a local restaurant!

©️ Ted C. MacRae 2023