Grab some buds and find some eastern redbuds! (Cercis canadensis) 📸: @kathryncrouch_ . . . #treetyoself #trees #plants #nature #natural #outdoors #forest #forestry #hiking #woods #treatyourself #treesofchattanooga #chattanooga #stringersridge #hikechattanooga #grabsomebuds #redbud #easternredbuds #cerciscanadensis #pink #springcolor #springtrees (at Stringer's Ridge) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwNLP-kHzy8/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=13h5me1bli3zz

What’s black, crawls, and has spikes all over?? A full-grown giant wooly bear! This is the common name for the larva stage of giant leopard moths (Hypercompe scribonia). These caterpillars curl up whenever they are attacked... or poked with a stick by some nerd in the woods 🤓 . . . My new friend was found on a sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua). And the 3rd picture is not mine! It’s from bugguide.net . . . #treetyoself #trees #plants #nature #natural #outdoors #forest #forestry #hiking #woods #treatyourself #treesofchattanooga #chattanooga #woolybear #giantleopardmoth #leopardmoth #catepillar #entomology #lepidoptera #sweetgum #bark #insects #creepycrawlies #larva (at Stringer's Ridge) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwK3mLCnwiJ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=vir0i16r9111

Smokey Pete, a budding dendrologist, investigates a fallen chestnut oak (Quercus montana). . . . While it’s sad to see these fallen giants, their absence leads to gaps in the canopy. These gaps allow for more sunlight to hit the forest floor, setting the stage for the next generation. Plus, decomposers will eventually cycle the tree’s nutrients back into the ecosystem. Fallen trees, therefore, are a sign of overall forest health. . . . #treetyoself #trees #plants #dendrology #nature #natural #outdoors #forest #forestry #hiking #woods #treatyourself #stringersridge #chattanooga #treesofchattanooga #scicomm #sciencewriting #fallentrees #chestnut #oaks #quercus #montana #dogsofinstagram #husky (at Stringer's Ridge) https://www.instagram.com/p/BtozdJ8Asjd/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=tntjktctxsui

Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana). . . . #treetyoself #trees #plants #dendrology #nature #natural #outdoors #forest #forestry #hiking #woods #treatyourself #takeahike #treesofchattanooga #chattanooga #stringersridge #outdoorchattnooga #pines #virginiapine #pinus #bluesky #talltree #evergreen #conifer (at Stringer's Ridge) https://www.instagram.com/p/BtMVr96gLQw/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=n7l5ahpcm0bu

Frost Flowers • What began as horror ended up in fascinating discovery. At first glance, I thought this was plastic strewn throughout the woods. A closer look revealed something I’d yet to encounter: frost flowers! What you see is ice oozing out of an ironweed (Vernonia spp.) stem. This rarely experienced phenomenon requires special conditions to occur: 1️⃣ Only a few plants are known to do this. Some ironweed species are well documented “frost flowerers”. 2️⃣ The temperature of the ground cannot be below freezing, but the air temperature must be. This allows water to still move up the plant and freeze when it exits. 3️⃣ A crack in the stem allows water to leak out of the plant. As water moves from the roots to the stem, it is released out of the cracks and freezes. Thin layers of frozen water build upon each other and create frost flowers! 👍🏽 This is a special treet reserved for the rare breed of human that is both a morning person and a winter hiker! ❄️ 🌼 ❄️ #treetyoself #trees #plants #dendrology #nature #natural #naturalcolors #outdoors #forest #hiking #woods #treatyourself #winterviews #stringersridge #treesofchattanooga #chattanooga #frostflower #discovery #winterhike #morninghike #colderweather #frozen #flowers #ironweed (at Stringer's Ridge) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsgfycFAV5P/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ok5335ksze6b