While hanging out with the WooFPAK at their home in Maryland, WooFDriver observed this very interesting looking Wheel Bug (Arilus cristatus)! Wheel Bugs have a very distinctive shape and the young nymphs can be identified by their noticeable red abdomens. They prey on a wide variety of insects and can be found hunting around flowers where pollinators are feeding. It is advised that you do not handle these creatures as they can cause a painful, numbing bite!!
Here are a couple links to learn more about the Wheel Bug:
June 24, 2021, while sitting outside his home with the WooFPAK in Maryland, WooFDriver noticed and captured this unique and amazing wasp(Megarhyssa greenei)! The Megarhyssa greenei is a species of Ichneumonoids, parasitoid wasps. There are many species that are considered beneficial because they naturally control agricultural pests.
The female of this wasp species has a several inch long ovipositor for drilling, then laying eggs in tree trunks. This ovipositor is often mistaken for a scary large stinger, but it gives them their nickname of ‘stump stabbers’! Some species within this genus of wasp are known for having the longest ovipositor of any other insect. Ichneumonoids are for the most part solitary insects, and the larvae feed on or in another insects.
Here are links to learn more about these awesome flying creatures:
https://www.knowyourinsects.org/Hymenoptera1.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megarhyssa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichneumonoidea
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovipositor
Enjoy the pictures WooFDriver has captured…
September 27, 2020, while settling into his new home in Maryland, WooFDriver noticed and captured these pair of mating Robber Flies(Asilidae)! Also known as Assassin Flies!! These predatory flies are often seen perched exposed, waiting for their prey of many other insect species. They have a 1-3 year life span and are observed worldwide. Just be careful to approach as Robber Flies will bite if they feel they are being mishandled!
https://bugguide.net/node/view/151 to learn more about these winged creatures
Enjoy the pictures WooFDriver has captured…
On September 28, 2018 the WooFDriver took the WooFPAK to the Sussex Branch Trail in New Jersey for a FurWheeling adventure!
The Sussex Branch Trail is 18 miles of dirt and grass. This pathway got its start in the late 1840s as the mule-drawn Sussex Mine Railroad, that hauled iron ore from the mines. The trail has many attractions along the way, from the town of Andover with its specialty shops and restaurants to Kittatinny Valley State Park with its tall trees of maple, hickory and tulip poplar. Bird watchers flock to this park to try and catch a glimpse of some of the 200 bird species in the area.
To learn more about this trail Trail Link’s Website
On October 23, 2018 the WooFDriver took the WooFPAK to the Weiser State Forest in Pennsylvania to FurWheeling mush the Roaring Creek Tract. The forest itself includes 30,000 acres over 7 counties! The Roaring Creek Tract is 8 miles of dirt and gravel over 8,900 acres! The primary use of the creek that runs beside the tract is water supply for the towns of Mount Carmel and Shamokin, but there are plenty of recreational activities to enjoy within the park. This includes biking, hiking, fishing, canoeing and kayaking.
To learn more Trail Link’s Website
On October 5, 2018 the WooFDriver headed to the Union Transportation Trail in New Jersey for a FurWheeling adventure.
This rails to trail is 9.3 miles of crushed stone over the railroad bed of the former Pemberton & Hightstown Railroad. This portion of railway started operations in 1864 to transport dairy and produce to larger railroads at junctions in Pemberton and Hightstown. In 1998 local parks department obtained the permanent easement to make the trail that is enjoyed by many today.
To learn more about the trail Trail Link’s Website
Enjoy the photo album from the adventure!
On October 2, 2018 the WooFDriver and his crew took the WooFPAK to the Trap Pond State Park in Delaware for a FurWheeling adventure!
In 1951 Trap Pond State Park became on of Delaware’s first state parks. This 23 acre parkland was once a large freshwater marsh and it still known for being the country’s northernmost natural baldcypress tree forest. The man-made pond was created to power the sawmill used to harvest these beautiful trees in the late 1700s.
To learn more about this park Delaware State Park Website
Enjoy this photo album from the adventure!
On September 7, 2018 the WooFDriver took the WooFPAK and crew to the Northbend Rail Trail in West Virginia for a FurWheeling adventure! This rail trail in its duration will take you through 10 tunnels and over 36 bridges. The two highlighted tunnels are the 2,297 foot long tunnel and the Silver Run Tunnel that is supposedly haunted!! The railroad was built before the Civil War by the Northwestern Virginia Railroad, later to be sold to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
To learn more about this rail trail https://wvstateparks.com/park/north-bend-rail-trail/
Please enjoy the video from the adventure!
On December 26, 2017 the WooFDriver took to the 52 mile long Virginia Capital Trail with his WooFPAK. The trail passes through Sherwood Forest and the Sherwood Forest Plantation where President John Tyler lived in the mid-1800s. To this day the Tyler family still owns the plantation but the grounds are open to the public. This is not the only Presidential residence close to the trail, there is also the ancestral home of U.S. Presidents William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison.
To learn more about this trail Trail Link’s Website
Please enjoy the photos from the adventure!
Lion’s Mane Mushroom – photographed on a WooFDriver Tour MUSHing Run near Harpers Ferry on the C&O Canal Towpath October 13, 2017. It is also called Monkey Head, Bearded Tooth, Bearded Hedgehod, Satyr’s Beard, Bearded Tooth and Pom Pom Mushroom. This mushroom that can be found throughout North America, Europe and Asia is edible and has medicinal purposes.
Wikipedia’s Website to learn more about this mushroom
Enjoy the photos of the Lion’s Mane Mushrooms that WooFDriver captured!
