Autumn! Observing the flora and fauna around us and while visiting family in Orangeburg. “The Yellow Garden Spider, Argiope aurantia, These spiders produce venom that is harmless to humans, but helps to immobilize prey like flies, bees, and other flying insects that are caught in the web. The web of the garden spider contains a highly visible zigzagging X-shaped pattern called a stabilimentum.” The spiders were in my (Belinda’s) parents’ yard in Orangeburg. The mushrooms are here , 5&6 are from mycelium in wood chips in a small plot on the floor of deciduous trees. We hope to see more soon. There’s plenty of turkey tail around here , we’re expecting to see chicken of the woods soon and lion’s mane. The fragrance of the Wax Myrtle is beautiful, at this time of year it produces tiny berries. “Native Indians used the leaves for seasoning as we would a bay leaf. The berries were used for seasoning as well but sparingly as they are waxy. Grind them and use like pepper. Though used as a seasoning, that was not the wax myrtle’s main value: The berries when boiled yield a wax that is excellent for making candles. Indeed, that is reflected in the tree’s name Myrica cerifera, MEER-ih-kuh ser-IF-er-uh.” #nature #naturephotography #observingnature #environment #flora #fauna #spiders #spidersofinstagram #waxmyrtle #bayberry #mushrooms #mushroomsofinstagram #shrooms🍄 #mycelium #autumn #fall #walks (at Morning Glory Homestead) https://www.instagram.com/p/CF90k22FCpA/?igshid=1xdxy12qgf3h9
