Myth of the Yellow Bellied Sapsucker

For many in my generation, Yosemite Sam immortalized the Yellow Bellied Sapsucker as the epitome of cowardice and generalized despicableness with his half-crazed rants calling out Bugs Bunny in the old Looney Tunes cartoons.

Departing the park yesterday, we spotted this handsome male adjacent to the parking area, flitting from one young hickory to another, apparently checking its sap holes for food.

It never came near enough (or remained stationary long enough) for a great shot, but it was such a striking individual, I thought I'd share the few images I did capture.

In this last photo, the sap holes are clearly visible; they were made previously, and this fellow seemed to be "making his rounds" to check for sap, or perhaps insects trapped in the sap which had flowed since his last visit.

I saw nothing in my brief encounter to reinforce the low-down, cowardly impression of the sapsucker perpetuated by old Yosemite Sam. To the contrary, I was most impressed by the beauty, grace and ingenuity of this fine creature. Guess you can't believe everything you hear on TV...

A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing...Hickory Horned Devil

Nature, master of deception...

Fearsome Dragon... Demon Seed...

Gentle Giant... Hungry Child...

The Regal Moth, splendid scion of the Saturniids, like its kin the Cecropia, Polyphemus and Luna moths, has only vestigial mouthparts. It emerges each summer from months of slumber with no means of nourishing itself, and barely a week to live...

Fly, fly, mate and die.

From a tiny egg deposited on the leaves of the persimmon tree, or perhaps a hickory, a caterpillar hatches. Ravenous, it feasts on the bounty of greenery... for hours, for days, for weeks, it taps into the energy of the sun itself, bound up in the leaves of its host.

It eats, and it grows. And, as it grows in girth, it grows in hideous ferocity, daring any other living thing to touch it, glaring in the face of danger, staring down the winged, would-be predator.

At last, sufficiently fed to ensure its readiness for the task ahead some ten months hence, it slips from its perch in the trees into the soil below, where it will begin its tranformation from demon to glorious queen of the night.

Sweet dreams, gentle giant.