As the world wakes up each spring, we eagerly await our favorite signs of the season. Robins hop around the yard, looking for worms. Bluets and dandelions dust the roadside. Ferns unfurl in the forest. But if you take a closer look, some peculiar things are happening.
For the curious and adventurous, I’ve compiled a scavenger hunt of some of the strangest things that occur in nature during Maine’s springtime. Although, to be fair, if you look deep into the workings of any living thing, you’re bound to find something weird.
In nature, the miracles are in the details, and finding them is a great way to make your spring hike more interesting. So let’s dig deep into the muddy world of May.
Nature’s sculptor
Gaze into a pond, stream or marsh and you might find aquatic insects gathering bits of rocks and plants, then transforming that debris into armor. Soft-bodied caddisfly larvae are quite skilled at building their own protection. Adhering objects together with silk, they construct mobile homes that function like a snail’s shell.
Years ago, I watched caddisfly larvae creep around a frog pond at Fields Pond Audubon Center in Holden. Their teetering homes were made of bits of grass and tiny sticks. But I’ve read that they aren’t particularly picky about what materials they use.
Artist Hubert Duprat placed caddisfly larvae into aquariums filled with bits of gold, pearls and gems. The insects built their homes out of these items, creating tiny (and pricey) masterpieces.
Spring’s finest dance
Many birds perform courtship displays that can only be described as dances, and if there was a contest, I know which feathered dancer would be taking home the prize.
The American woodcock walks with a distinctive bob and shimmy that would go to many a tune. But that’s not all. To impress a potential mate, the bird flies upward in a wide spiral, sometimes reaching more than 300 feet above ground, then descends in a zigzagging pattern. This display can be seen in the evening in many Maine fields.
Skunk cabbage
One of the first plants to emerge from the ground each spring, skunk cabbage smells just as its name implies — like a skunk, or rotten meat. It’s also one of the few plants that metabolically generates heat, which can melt away snow.
You’ll find this unusual plant in wetlands and damp wooded areas. It’s common along the Orono Bog Boardwalk in Bangor and along the Wonderland Trail in Acadia National Park. Just look for its big green leaves and leaf-like maroon flowers. If you can get close enough, I dare you to give it a good whiff.
The flower named after a fish
Many woodland flowers emerge in the spring. White starflowers, pink lady’s slippers and deep maroon trilliums carpet the forest floor. One flower, in particular, is named after a fish.
Trout lilies feature small yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers that hang from the top of slender stems. They also feature large leaves mottled with brown patches that are reminiscent of the markings on the side of a brook trout.
I’ve found these growing in abundance at Annie Sturgis Sanctuary in Vassalboro, which is owned and managed by the New England Wildflower Society.
Water striders and boatmen
While peering into pools and ponds in search of caddisfly larvae and frog eggs, don’t forget to scan the surface of the water. Water striders are insects that can skate over the water due to special hairs on their spindly legs. They emerge in early spring before most other creatures.
Also try to find water boatmen, oval-shaped water bugs that swim with log, oarlike legs. This insect traps a silvery bubble of air against its body that serves as a diving bell, allowing it to stay underwater while feasting on plants and algae. It’s also a strong flyer and can often be found buzzing around artificial lights at night.
Blind runners
Speaking of strange insects, the six-spotted tiger beetle is one of my favorite sights of spring. This shiny emerald-colored beetle stood out to me when I was a child. I’d always notice it darting across my family’s driveway, and I could never quite catch it.
These beetles are incredibly fast. In fact, they sprint after prey so quickly that it’s believed their eyes can’t keep up. It’s surmised that this is why they only run in short spurts. They must stop to gather their bearings.
You can find tiger beetles in forests and fields, or right on the road. In the spring, you often see them basking in the sun to increase their body temperature, which helps them move more quickly.
Sunbathing reptiles
We learn in grade school science class that reptiles are cold-blooded animals, therefore it’s no surprise to see them sunbathing. Spring is a great time to observe snakes and turtles as they warm their bodies in the sun.
So, why do they make this spring scavenger hunt of strangeness? Well, as with most things in nature, the deeper you dig, the weirder it gets.
Due to their cold-bloodedness, turtles can survive the Maine winter by hunkering down underwater, where temperatures are relatively stable. In the cold, their metabolisms slow down so they don’t have much need for food or oxygen. Snakes do the same but burrow underground rather than underwater.
This scavenger list could go on and on. So, I task you to add to it. Get outside and find something strange. Nature is full of little wonders.
