Scientific Name: Monarda punctata L. & Monarda fistulosa L.
Common Name(s): M. punctata – Spotted Bee Balm, Spotted Horsemint, Horsemint
M. fistulosa – Bee Balm, Wild Bergamot

Photos by Kayla Sayre, Bella Vista POA Fisheries & Water Quality Sr. Technician
Identification:
Both spotted bee balm and wild bergamot are in the mint family (Lamiaceae) and share the same genus (Monarda). Species in the genus Monarda are characterized as herbaceous plants with slender, serrated, lanceolate leaves. Lanceolate leaves are shaped like the tip of a lance where they are long and wider in the middle with a tapering point. Similarly, these leaves are oppositely arranged around a square stem. Flowers in the genus Monarda have tubular flowers with bilateral symmetry where the plants are the same from left to right.
The morphology of the flowers distinguishes spotted bee balm from wild bergamot. Spotted bee balm has bracts associated with their layered flower heads. Bracts are specialized leaves that are associated with the flowerhead rather than the stem. The bracts on spotted bee balm are green when first emerging then turn to purple, pink, white or yellow, but most often are purple or pink in the wild. In between the bracts are yellow petals with spots that are maroon. In comparison, wild bergamot does not have bracts or layers, but instead has a ragged pom-pom shaped head that can be lavender, pink, or white, but most often is lavender in the wild. Wild bergamot is slightly taller, reaching heights between 2 and 5 feet while Spotted Bee Balm reached heights between 1 and 3 feet.

Range:
Spotted bee balm and wild bergamot share ranges in the South, excluding Florida, and the Northeast. In the Midwest, their ranges overlap in Colorado. In the West, their ranges overlap in New Mexico. Neither species is native to Nevada or California.
Ecology:
Spotted bee balm and wild bergamot can grow in a variety of conditions. They are both found in prairies, meadows, ditches, and plains. Spotted bee balm is also found in forest edges, dry woods, and marshes. Wild bergamot can do well in disturbed habitat, so can be seen along roadsides in Bella Vista. Spotted bee balm is a bit more tolerant to a variety of soil conditions doing well in clay, acidic, sand and loam soil that is well drained. Wild bergamot does well in dry and somewhat sandy soils. Both species can tolerate full sun, but spotted bee balm prefers conditions with part shade. Both do well in medium to low water conditions, so are ideal for hot dry summer weather. Once these species are established, they can thrive in most soil and water conditions.
Both spotted bee balm and wild bergamot are native plants that attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. In fact, both are of high nutritional value to adult monarch butterflies. Similarly, both are of special value for bumble bees which are declining. Spotted bee balm is also a species of value for honeybees. If you would like to attract butterflies to your yard and raise a resilient plant species, consider spotted bee balm and wild bergamot. Cultivation of both species is easy, and they spread rapidly once established. Wild bergamot is a deer resistant flower which is important in Bella Vista with its high deer population.
The leaves of both plants can be dried and steeped into a tea with wild bergamot having a minty taste and spotted bee balm having a taste closer to oregano or thyme. Historically, both species were used as medicinal herbs and are fragrant plants since they are in the mint family. Wild bergamot was crushed and used as a perfume, as well as to treat wounds, dental infections, and gastrointestinal problems by Native Americans. Similarly, spotted bee balm was used to treat upset stomachs, diarrhea, neuralgia, and kidney disease before modern medicine. Current research has been conducted on chemicals found in both plants. Wild bergamot contains carvacrol, an antioxidant which researchers found to have antimicrobial properties. Similarly, some research has shown carvacrol to suppress E. coli and Salmonella. Spotted bee balm contains thymed which has both antiseptic and antifungal properties.
Special Notes:
In Bella Vista, wild bergamot is very common along roadsides and will bloom late June to early July. Spotted bee balm is common along forest edges and will bloom in the middle of July. In fact, we have a spotted bee balm plant near the Fisheries and Water Quality Lab. Both species make perfect garden plants which will attract butterflies and help declining monarch butterflies. Both species can be very resilient, so take care to allow them lots of room to grow into. They are also good species to plant around decks or back porches as they help repel mosquitoes.
Species Profile: American White Pelican | Pelecanus erthrorhynchos By Kayla Sayre
in Species Profile/by Hannah BarwickScientific Name: Pelecanus erthrorhynchos

Common Name (s): American White Pelican
© Jon Liu, Becky Matsubara
Identification:

The white pelican is one of the world’s largest birds. They have a wingspan of up to nine feet and can grow up to 4 feet high and weight up to 30 pounds. They are distinguished from other birds by their long neck, large bill, and immense pouch. Their pouch can stretch up to six inches and hold three gallons of water. They also have large, webbed feet and short legs. They are all white except for the black feathers on their wing edges, which are visible when their wings are outstretched in flight. During mating season, the male’s bill becomes bright orange. Males also grow a triangular plate on their upper bill called a nuptial tubercle which falls off at the end of the mating season. Outside of mating season, there is no physical difference between males and females.
Range:
The American white pelican winters in the Gulf Coast, California, and Mexico. In the summer, they live in their nesting areas of the Great Plains and Great Basin. American white pelicans migrate north in groups from February through March and south from October through November. However, American white pelicans are seen in flocks throughout the year. Some populations reside on the Texas coast and Mexico year-round. The Audubon Society created an interactive map of tracked American white pelicans throughout the year at this link.
Ecology:
The American white pelican feeds in shallow water by dipping its pouch into the water and capturing fish. During the day, they use their eyesight to fish but at night use their sense of touch to find fish. During their breeding season, they are more likely to forage for fish at night. They also hunt as a group where they form a line and drive fish toward the shore, or form two lines and drive fish toward one another. They survive off rough fish and crayfish.
American white pelicans are adept fliers and swimmers but very clumsy on land. They live along the coast in salt marshes and along the shores of freshwater lakes and streams. During migration, they rest at lakes, reservoirs, and rivers.
American white pelicans’ mate and nest inland on isolated islands in waterways. They arrive at breeding grounds in March or April with nesting starting between April and June. They are colonial breeders with up to 5,000 pairs congregating per site. During the breeding season, males show off their bright orange bill and nuptial tubercle, strutting around, bowing, and taking short flights to attract females. They breed in the summer and make ground nests in depressions in the sand or with sticks, grass, and reeds. Females typically produce one to three eggs. If the female lays more than one egg, typically, only one offspring will survive by outcompeting the other for resources. Males and females incubate the egg(s) for thirty days using their webbed feet. Chicks are born without hair but grow a down covering in about 10 days. The parents feed and then regurgitate food into their pouches for chicks to consume. After three to four weeks, young pelicans leave the nest and live together as a pod. At 10 weeks of age, they develop wing feathers that are large enough to fly. After fledging, parents continue to care for the young for three more weeks. Young separate from parents in late summer or early fall. White pelicans become fully mature at three years of age and have a life span of 12 to 14 years.
Special Notes:
There are eight pelican species in the Genus Pelecanus throughout the globe, but only a few fly through Arkansas. Specifically, the American White Pelican visits lakes in Bella Vista during the winter and has been spotted at Loch Lomond in January. In 2022 we rescued a lone American white pelican from Lake Avalon that had a broken leg. A local rescue took in the bird for rehabilitation.
Proper Ball mark Repair – with Keith Ihms
in Golf, Golf Maintenance/by Ashley WoodBall Mark Repair Video
Species Profile: Elderberry – Sambucus Canadensis : By Kayla Sayre
in Species Profile/by Hannah BarwickScientific Name: Sambucus Canadensis

Common Name(s): Elderberry, American Elderberry, Common Elderberry, Canada Elderberry
Figure 1: Photos of Elderberry shrub, bark, and leaves. Photos by Kayla Sayre, Bella Vista POA Fisheries & Water Quality Sr. Technician
Figure 1: Photo of Elderberry flower from the side to show the umbrella-like shape. Photos of the progression of Elderberry flower into berry. Photos by Kayla Sayre, Bella Vista POA Fisheries & Water Quality Sr. Technician. Mature Elderberry photo by ©H. Zell
Identification:
Elderberry is a native shrub in the family Adoxaceae and genus Sambucus. Elderberry is a large shrub that can reach heights up to 20 feet and can span an area of 6 feet or more. It has many stems that arise from the base with a very soft pith (inside anatomy of stem). The bark is gray with light gray patches on older stems. The leaves have toothed margins and are pinnate (oblong with a pointed tip) in shape. Elderberry has compound or grouped leaves of 3-5 in an opposite arrangement in groups (Figure 1). It produces flower clusters in June and July. These fragrant small white flowers all originate from a single stem and branch into individual flowers. The small flowers form an umbrella shaped mass of white flowers called a corymb. The individual white flowers are radially symmetric (symmetry like a starfish) and are less than half an inch in diameter (5-6 mm) and have 5 small petals. The berries are first green with red stems and mature into blackish-purple berries in August to September. The berries are small, about one quarter inch in diameter (Figure 2).

https://plants.usda.gov/home
Range:
Elderberry is native to most of North America except for Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah. It is also native to some parts of Canada.
Ecology:
The elderberry’s stems have a soft white pith that is easily hollowed out which is the source for the etymology of both the common and scientific name. The name elder is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word “aeld,” which means to kindle or fire since they were used to blow on kindling from a distance. Similarly, the genus name is Sambucus which originates from the Greek “sambuce,” an ancient flute-like instrument since the stems can be fashioned into whistles.
Elderberry is a large deciduous shrub that produces suckers which are sprouts that originate from the roots. Elderberry is naturally found in edge habitats, meaning it is common on forest edges, streamside habitat, lakeside habitat, and pond habitat. Elderberry will does well in full sun to part shade with soil that is moist, fertile, and well drained. It will persist during dry periods once it has established its roots. Since elderberry produces suckers it can be used to protect habitat that is in danger of erosion such as lakesides, streambanks, or eroding hillsides.
All parts of the elderberry can be toxic in large quantities because they contain cyanogenic glycosides which are also present in apple seeds (e.g., cyanide). If the berries are boiled, they are safe to ingest. Today, people commonly use elderberries to make jams, syrup, pies, and crumbles. Elderberry berries are known to have high amounts of vitamin A and C, potassium, folate, calcium, and iron. The berries are made into tinctures and supplements and are readily available today and sold as immunity boosting supplements. Historically, elderberry was used by American indigenous peoples as far as 1200 to 1000 BCE. The Iroquois tribes would boil the inner bark and use it as a pain reliever for toothaches. The soft inner pith was used as a salve for cuts, abrasions, and burns. The flower was used in infused teas for fevers and colic babies.
Elderberry can easily be cultivated from stem cutting from live plants. These cuttings can be placed in water to promote root growth. Adding a rooting hormone can speed up this process. The first year of life is the most critical for care and watering, but once established it will do well without much support. The plant produces berries within the first three years, but it is recommended to clip the flowers to promote foliage and root growth if they arrive before the third year. When planted in a sunny location, elderberry can produce many berries. Elderberry is deer resistant. It attracts butterflies and other pollinators as well as songbirds.
Special Notes:
Here in Bella Vista, elderberry can be found along lakes, streams, and forest margins. The white flowers can bloom around the same time as other white flowers that form umbrella shaped flower clusters. It will be significantly taller than other flowers, have a very pleasing floral scent, and woody stems that all originate from one spot. It will usually be found in stands. Other white flowers that bloom around the same time are poison hemlock and wild carrot, which are not shrubs so will not have woody stems. Hemlock and wild carrot also have leaves similar in appearance to parsley and will not have a pleasing smell. Poison hemlock specifically will have a purple stem and must be avoided. Elderberry tends to bloom later as well.
Species Profile: Spotted Bee Balm & Wild Bergamot – Monarda punctata L. & Monarda fistulosa L.
in Species Profile/by Hannah BarwickScientific Name: Monarda punctata L. & Monarda fistulosa L.
Common Name(s): M. punctata – Spotted Bee Balm, Spotted Horsemint, Horsemint

M. fistulosa – Bee Balm, Wild Bergamot
Photos by Kayla Sayre, Bella Vista POA Fisheries & Water Quality Sr. Technician
Identification:
Both spotted bee balm and wild bergamot are in the mint family (Lamiaceae) and share the same genus (Monarda). Species in the genus Monarda are characterized as herbaceous plants with slender, serrated, lanceolate leaves. Lanceolate leaves are shaped like the tip of a lance where they are long and wider in the middle with a tapering point. Similarly, these leaves are oppositely arranged around a square stem. Flowers in the genus Monarda have tubular flowers with bilateral symmetry where the plants are the same from left to right.
The morphology of the flowers distinguishes spotted bee balm from wild bergamot. Spotted bee balm has bracts associated with their layered flower heads. Bracts are specialized leaves that are associated with the flowerhead rather than the stem. The bracts on spotted bee balm are green when first emerging then turn to purple, pink, white or yellow, but most often are purple or pink in the wild. In between the bracts are yellow petals with spots that are maroon. In comparison, wild bergamot does not have bracts or layers, but instead has a ragged pom-pom shaped head that can be lavender, pink, or white, but most often is lavender in the wild. Wild bergamot is slightly taller, reaching heights between 2 and 5 feet while Spotted Bee Balm reached heights between 1 and 3 feet.

Range:
Spotted bee balm and wild bergamot share ranges in the South, excluding Florida, and the Northeast. In the Midwest, their ranges overlap in Colorado. In the West, their ranges overlap in New Mexico. Neither species is native to Nevada or California.
Ecology:
Spotted bee balm and wild bergamot can grow in a variety of conditions. They are both found in prairies, meadows, ditches, and plains. Spotted bee balm is also found in forest edges, dry woods, and marshes. Wild bergamot can do well in disturbed habitat, so can be seen along roadsides in Bella Vista. Spotted bee balm is a bit more tolerant to a variety of soil conditions doing well in clay, acidic, sand and loam soil that is well drained. Wild bergamot does well in dry and somewhat sandy soils. Both species can tolerate full sun, but spotted bee balm prefers conditions with part shade. Both do well in medium to low water conditions, so are ideal for hot dry summer weather. Once these species are established, they can thrive in most soil and water conditions.
Both spotted bee balm and wild bergamot are native plants that attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. In fact, both are of high nutritional value to adult monarch butterflies. Similarly, both are of special value for bumble bees which are declining. Spotted bee balm is also a species of value for honeybees. If you would like to attract butterflies to your yard and raise a resilient plant species, consider spotted bee balm and wild bergamot. Cultivation of both species is easy, and they spread rapidly once established. Wild bergamot is a deer resistant flower which is important in Bella Vista with its high deer population.
The leaves of both plants can be dried and steeped into a tea with wild bergamot having a minty taste and spotted bee balm having a taste closer to oregano or thyme. Historically, both species were used as medicinal herbs and are fragrant plants since they are in the mint family. Wild bergamot was crushed and used as a perfume, as well as to treat wounds, dental infections, and gastrointestinal problems by Native Americans. Similarly, spotted bee balm was used to treat upset stomachs, diarrhea, neuralgia, and kidney disease before modern medicine. Current research has been conducted on chemicals found in both plants. Wild bergamot contains carvacrol, an antioxidant which researchers found to have antimicrobial properties. Similarly, some research has shown carvacrol to suppress E. coli and Salmonella. Spotted bee balm contains thymed which has both antiseptic and antifungal properties.
Special Notes:
In Bella Vista, wild bergamot is very common along roadsides and will bloom late June to early July. Spotted bee balm is common along forest edges and will bloom in the middle of July. In fact, we have a spotted bee balm plant near the Fisheries and Water Quality Lab. Both species make perfect garden plants which will attract butterflies and help declining monarch butterflies. Both species can be very resilient, so take care to allow them lots of room to grow into. They are also good species to plant around decks or back porches as they help repel mosquitoes.
Species Profile: Wild Carrot & Poison Hemlock – Daucus carota & Conium maculatum
in Species Profile/by Hannah BarwickScientific Name: Daucus carota & Conium maculatum Common Name(s): Daucos carota – Wild Carrot, Queen Anne’s Lace, Birds Nest, Bishop’s Lace|Conium maculatum – Poison Hemlock, Wild Hemlock, Hemlock ©Jane Shelby Richardson ©AnRo0002 Identification: Both wild carrot and hemlock are in the family Apiaceae commonly known as the carrot family which is the 16th largest family […]
Lake Windsor Drawdown 2023
in Lakes/by Hannah BarwickSpecies Profile: Coragyps atratus – Black Vulture
in Species Profile/by Hannah BarwickScientific Name: Coragyps atratus
Common Name(s): Black Vulture, Mexican Vulture, Zopilotes, Gallinazo
©Cayambe
Identification:
Black vultures are in the family Accipitridae which includes eagles, hawks, kits, and harriers. Black vultures have black plumage, featherless black head and neck, and a short, hooked beak. They have broad wings, a short tail, and neat white stars under their wing tips. With a wingspan of around 5 feet, they are relatively small compared to other vulture species. When in flight, they splay out their wing tips almost like fingers. Turkey vultures can be distinguished from Black vultures by their red head and larger size.
Range:
Black vulture range includes the south and east coast of North America through Mexico and down to the entirety of South America. However, with increased temperatures, black vulture range has extended into some areas north of their highlighted range such as parts of Kansas, Indiana, and as far north as Maine. Although it is a very common species, its range is more restricted than the Turkey vulture which will live as far north as Southern Canada.
Ecology:
Black vultures are social and live in small flocks where they share food with one another. They nest in caves, hollow trees, or bare ground and produce 2 young per year. The young are well taken care of, and parents feed them months after they fledge. Interestingly, black vultures do not have the vocal organ in birds, called the syrinx, so they communicate in grunts or low hisses.
They are known to eat carrion (dead animals) and eggs. They offer ecological assistance in removing dead animals which might otherwise carry diseases that are a concern for human health. In areas with catastrophic declines in vulture populations, there are increases in populations of coyotes, rats, and feral dogs as well as increases in diseases such as rabies, brucellosis, and anthrax.
Black vultures have keen eyesight, but poor smell compared to turkey vultures. They soar high above the tree line and watch turkey vultures very closely. When they see a turkey vulture dive toward something they follow close behind. The turkey vulture is larger so will win out against a single Black vulture. However, a group of black vultures will easily scare away the turkey vulture, which does not live socially with other birds. Despite their importance in ecological waste disposal, they can become a nuisance species. In large numbers, they can become a menace for property owners, ripping up shingles, boat and car seat stuffing, pulling out window linings in cars, and defecating on property. It is likely that they are using this material for nesting, but there may be other reasons for this behavior.
Unlike other vultures, some people believe black vultures to be predatory. Farmers have given accounts of black vultures predating on newly born calves, calves in the process of being born, or estranged weak cows, in a herd. There is no empirical evidence that backs up these anecdotal observations and scientists believe that they do not kill the animals. Instead, some scientists hypothesize that the farm animals were in the process of dying when they were ultimately taken by the vultures. Increasing temperatures have led to an expanded range of black vultures into Indiana and some northern states where a lot of these predatory behaviors are observed. In 2021, scientists at Purdue University began researching this phenomenon to better understand if black vultures possess true predatory behavior:
<https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2021/Q2/purdue-asks-livestock-producers-for-help-studying-losses-due-to-black-vultures.html>
Special Notes:
Here in Bella Vista, black vultures roost behind Allen’s Grocery and by Lake Bella Vista. They can also be seen nesting on the rock bluff at Lake Ann. They may be seen in large flocks congregating around the various lake parks, like Ann Park and Tyree Park.
Species Profile: Hamamelis vernalis; Ozark witch-hazel
in Species Profile/by Hannah BarwickScientific Name: Hamamelis vernalis
Common Name(s): Ozark witch-hazel, Vernal witch-hazel, Winterbloom
©Plant Image Library ©Cbaile19
Identification:
Ozark witch-hazel is in the Hamamelidaceae or witch-hazel family. They are large sized deciduous shrub which can grow between 10 to 12 feet tall. The bush has multiple branching stems that come from the base with non-peeling bark that is brown to gray, often with gray blotches. Along the stem, the leaves are alternately attached and form a spiral as they move up the stem. Ozark witch-hazel has simple leaves which are ovate to oblong with wavy-toothed margins and easily noticeable veins. The leaves’ base is wedge-shaped and uneven at the short petiole that attaches to the stem which stay attached during the winter. They are a winter blooming shrub species which flowers from January into April. These fragrant flowers grow from previous years’ stems and are clustered with several flowers per stalk. The flowers are half an inch wide and long and have symmetry along a central axis, also known as radial symmetry. Four ribbon-like petals that are usually orange and/or red come off the flower. Since the flower blooms in the winter, the petals roll up on cold days to prevent freeze damage. The flowers become fruiting bodies from September to October. The fruit is a half inch hard woody capsule that is elliptical in shape. The seed is forcefully ejected from the capsule and can be propelled up to 30 feet from the original bush. Alternatively, Ozark witch-hazel will create plant shoots from its roots known as root suckers. When left to grow naturally it is an effective ground covering shrub.
Similar Species
Eastern witch-hazel, also called common or American witch-hazel (H. virginiana), can be easily misidentified as Ozark witch-hazel. Eastern witch-hazel has a much wider distribution range, being found in all the locations of Ozark witch-hazel; however, it is also found in states including and east of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana. It also flowers earlier, from November to December. The flowers are more yellow in color and have slightly larger petals. Additionally, the leaves are more dramatically uneven at the base with one side being straight and the other side being rounded or heart shaped. The leaves tend to fall off in the fall rather than staying attached.
Range:
Ozark witch-hazel has a limited distribution compared to the more common Eastern witch-hazel. Ozark witch-hazel can be found in Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Ecology:
Ozark witch-hazel is best grown in moist, well drained, and acidic soil; however, once established Ozark witch-hazel is drought tolerant and can withstand low nutrient soils. It can live in full sun to part shade but will flower best in full sun. It has a moderate growth rate adding 1 to 2 feet per year. Ozark witch-hazel can persist in disturbed streamside and streambed habitats with consistent flooding. Specifically, it lives in gravel and rocky dry streambeds, bases of rocky slopes, and along riparian or streamside areas. It rarely naturally grows in forested areas. Ozark witch-hazel along stream sites helps maintain soil integrity and minimize erosion, partially because it is a suckering plant which sends up small sprouts from its roots or from damaged limbs. This makes it an effective bushy ground cover. Soil maintenance helps streamside animals gain access to water, including raccoons, water snakes, toads, and fish spiders. Some species of moths and aphids are specialized to feed on witch-hazels such as the spiny witch-hazel gall aphid, the witch-hazel cone gall aphid, and the witch-hazel dagger moth. Ozark witch-hazel along with Eastern witch-hazel are the common sources of witch-hazel extract which is used for various topical ointments, such as shaving lotion and ointments for bruises and irritated skin. When applied, it restricts blood flow which prevents further swelling. Historically, forked switches of Ozark witch-hazel were a common tool known as a dowsing rod. These tools were used to find water sources for wells by “witch wiggers” or “water witches.” Most scientists say this method of finding water sources is strictly pseudoscience but was commonly used in the past.
Special Notes:
Here in Bella Vista, you may spot some Ozark witch-hazel by Little Sugar or in Tanyard Creek recreational area. Ozark witch-hazel is widely cultivated statewide and is a good addition to gardens because it adds color to winter landscapes and looks lovely next to freshly fallen snow. It grows best in rich, moist, and well-drained soil, and will flower best in full sunlight. Root suckers should be trimmed if you want to avoid spread, otherwise it will spread and form a colony along the ground. Spring is the best time for pruning. You can prune Ozark witch-hazel to be irregular, rounded, or vase shaped which adds dimensions to your garden. Ozark witch-hazel is excellent choice to plant in erosion prone areas.
Species Profile: Phoradandram leucarpum; Mistletoe
in Species Profile/by Hannah BarwickScientific Name: Phoradandram leucarpum
Common Name(s): Oak mistletoe, American mistletoe, Eastern mistletoe, and hairy mistletoe
By: Karla Sayre
©Loadmaster ©Cressler, Alan
Identification:
Oak mistletoe is a common parasite that prefers the high branches of hardwood trees where it forms into a shrub-like clumping ball of vegetation that can grow up to 3.5 feet in length. It lives on the branches of living trees and is an evergreen, which makes it most visible in the winter when trees are bare of leaves. They form smooth, green, jointed stems with thick leathery leaves which are oriented opposite from one another. Oak mistletoe is a vascular plant which produces flowers and berries. The flowers bloom between September and October and are small and yellow. Their berries form in November and can remain until late winter. The berries are white and around 3 to 6 mm in diameter with a thick wax coating and sticky pulp. The pulp is toxic to humans, but the berries are enjoyed by birds such as waxwings, grouse, mourning doves, evening grosbeaks, robins, and bluebirds.
Range:
Oak mistletoe is found in the southern, southeastern, and east coasts of the United States as well as Mexico.
Ecology:
Oak mistletoe is a type of obligate hemiparasitic plant. Obligate means it needs its host to complete its life cycle. Hemiparasitic, meaning it is a parasite but produces its own chlorophyll. It does rely on the host plant for water, carbon, and some minerals, which means it remains photosynthetic but also relies on its host plant for water and some carbon or minerals. Mistletoe berries are eaten by birds. Some seeds survive digestion and can form new plants when they are excreted onto living branches. Similarly, birds can wipe seeds on branches when they are cleaning their beaks. Mistletoe can live on up to 60 species of tree but prefer high branches of hardwood trees such as oaks, maples, willows, poplars, elms, walnut, and plane trees. Oak mistletoe can form thick clumps sometimes referred to as “witches’ brooms.” These are used as nesting spaces for many types of owls (spotted, great gray, large-eared) and hawks (goshawk and sharp-shinned). They are also used as homes for many common migratory birds, including gray jays, house wrens, mourning dove, chickadee, cassin’s finch, and pine siskin.
Special Notes:
In Bella Vista, mistletoe is visible on tall oaks and other common hardwood trees. Being an evergreen shrub, it is especially noticeable during the winter months when trees are bare of leaves. Our local species is a surrogate for the European species and the tradition of “kissing under the mistletoe” around the winter holidays. Mistletoe is still harvested and sold for that purpose.
Species Profile: Craspedacusta sowerbyi – Freshwater Jellyfish & More
in Species Profile/by Hannah BarwickHalloween Appropriate Oddities of Our Natural World
Scientific Name: Craspedacusta sowerbyi; Bryozoan spp.; Hirudinea
Common Name(s): freshwater jellyfish; Moss Animal, Bryozoan; Leech
Freshwater Jellyfish – Chris Fuller
Bryozoan – ©Missouri Department of Conservation
Freshwater Leech – ©Ulrich Kutschera
Freshwater Jelly: Chris Fuller
Bryozoan ©Missouri Department of Conservation

Freshwater Leech – ©Ulrich Kutschera
Identification and Ecology:
The ocean isn’t the only place where strange creatures can be found. Freshwater can support its fair share of interesting animals. For example, freshwater jellyfish, moss animals, and leeches all inhabit freshwater environments.
Freshwater jellyfish are most recognizable in their medusa, or jellyfish form of its lifecycle. The small bell-shaped medusa form is translucent with a white- to- green coloring and range from 0.2 to 1 inch in diameter. Jellyfish do not have a digestive system with two openings like most animals. Instead, they have only one orifice for both ingestion and expulsion of waste. The freshwater jellyfish has a digestive system called the gastrovascular cavity which is composed of four radial canals and one central canal, which are easily visible with the naked eye, and a mouth on the ventral surface of the bell. Between 50 and 500 tentacles surround the bell of the medusa, each containing specialized stinging cells called nematocysts which immobilize prey. They are preyed upon by fish and other aquatic life.
Bryozoans are a group of invertebrate animals inhabiting both ocean and freshwater environments. They are a colonial animal. Individuals, called zooids, only measure about 1/64 inches in length, while colonies can range from golf ball to volleyball-sized. These sedentary colonies are usually attached to sticks or rocks. Freshwater zooids are simultaneous hermaphrodites, serving as both male and female with sperm and sometimes eggs being released into the water where they fertilize and settle on a surface. Each zoid has a small ring of tentacles around a mouth for filter feeding. Bryozoans are preyed upon by other invertebrates, fish, and snails.
Leeches are in the subclass Hirudinea and are a type of segmented worm. Other segmented worms include earth worms. Most species of leech live in freshwater, while some inhabit marine or terrestrial environments. They can range in size from 0.5 to 12 inches in length. While most species are
hematophagous, parasitically consuming a host’s blood, some are predatory, preying mostly on small invertebrates. The most well-known and studied leeches are the medical leeches, for example Hirudo medicinalis. Leeches generally prefer a certain type of animal to feed on, some attaching to turtles, some to fish, and others to mammals, including humans. Like freshwater zooids, leeches are also hermaphrodites, containing both male and female sexual organs. They require a mate, with each partner fertilizing the other. Eggs are deposited on the underside of logs, sticks, rocks, or plants. Medical leeches are important for some treatments. Their saliva contains anticoagulants, to keep blood flowing, and anesthetics, to reduce or eliminate pain. They have been used to great effect in aiding the recovery process after certain types of surgery, including body part reattachment.
Range:
All these animals are found all over the globe. They inhabit many of the world’s freshwaters to various degrees. The freshwater jellyfish originated in China, but has since been spread across the world. Various bryozoan and leech species are native to much of the earth.
Special Notes:
The freshwater jellyfish is not considered dangerous to humans or larger organisms. The stinging cells in this species are very small and unlikely to penetrate human skin. Freshwater jellyfish blooms happen sporadically. Usually, a bloom can be observed every year or every other year on at least one of Bella Vista’s lakes. Bryozoans can be found in all our lake with careful observation while swimming or boating. They may be mistaken for the egg sacs of other animals. Leeches are found on all Bella Vista lakes and streams, but feed almost exclusively on fish and turtles. Although some may try human blood if given the chance!