Category: Swamp Sightings

September 2026 (archived from 2022) Have you ever seen a patch of shadowed spots underneath beech trees?  Look up and on the branches you may see something amazing!  The Beech Blight Aphid, Grylloprociphilus imbricator, or Wooly Aphid, gathers in large colonies that can cover the branches with what looks like snow.  Their “wool” is actually […]

September 2026 The deciduous shrub, Southern Arrow-wood, Viburnum dentatum, is a standout among our native viburnums for its beauty and ecological value. It is common in the Coastal Plain of Virginia in moist floodplain forests and seepage and alluvial swamps, but despite its affinity for moist soils, it can also be found in dry upland […]

August 2026 I believe one of the most beautiful flowering plants during our summer paddles on the Dragon is the Swamp milkweed. We often observe the plant with butterflies who are taking advantage of their nectar. This adds to their attraction. Swamp milkweed is a tall (3-5 ft.) moisture-loving perennial which seeks sunny openings of […]

August 2026 An iconic bird of the water, the belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) joins the ensemble of the Dragon Run watershed as a small but fierce guardian defending the place it calls home. Kingfishers are known for their compact physique, and the belted kingfisher is no exception. It has a characteristic large head and long, […]

July 2026 Long-legged waterbirds of the Ardeidae (herons, bitterns, and egrets) are a common sight in Virginia’s wetlands. Dragon Run now welcomes a new member of this family into its waters: the green heron (Butorides virescens). The green heron is on the smaller side, with an adult body length of 17 inches and an adult […]

July 2026 Ferns are among the most widespread plants on Earth, occurring on nearly every continent and thriving in habitats ranging from freshwater wetlands to arid deserts. Scientists have identified between 10,000 and 12,000 fern species worldwide, with approximately 380 species found in North America. Virginia is home to about 80 native fern species, and […]

June 2026 The Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) is also known as the Pine Tree Lizard for their love of pine trees. In pines, they can climb to escape predators. These absolutely adorable creatures hang-out in open dry forests of all sorts, in fields, old barns and rocks. Often found sitting on rocks and fence posts […]

June 2026 Many of us love to document the natural world all around us. We use our phones and our cameras to capture everything we can see, but there are some species that we are not likely to ever see in person. Fortunately, with the help of trail cameras in use on FODR properties, we […]

May 2026 The American bullfrog , Lithobates catesbeianus, is the largest species of true frog (Ranidae) in North America. Their average length is 3.6 to 6 inches, and a mature individual can weigh more than a pound. Males are larger than females and have a larger tympanum (external, circular eardrum located behind a frog’s eye […]

May 2026 Virginia has over 60 species of orchids making it the state with the second most orchid species. You can see an Orchid bloom in every month of the year, somewhere in the state. About 45% of Virginia’s orchids are state-identified as Species of Special Concern, meaning they are rare or threatened in some […]