Another day, another Natural bridge! Seems this little stretch of land is full of natural bridges! I will say this one has been my favorite! Small fee to get in but the trail was bursting with awesome plants and creatures! Really got a massive screenshot into the ecosystem with this one hike! Mixing it up a little and going to edit the photos to include identification for each! Also hiked up to “The Devil’s Marble Yard” for a geocache and some great views. Putting my new boots to the test with some rock scrambling. The rain on the way down made it a bit more interesting! A day we’ll spent!
For my focus, I’m going to spotlight something that gave me the eebie jeebies. The Witch Hazel Cone Gall / Aphids. These little tiny insects have co-evolved with the Witch Hazel Plant. They will seek out newly forming leaves and inject the leaf with an enzyme or hormone that causes the plant to grow this pointy gall, often referred to as a witch hat. This gall is nutrient dense and acts as a food source and shelter for her and her offspring. In a year, the mother will birth 3 generations, with the 3rd and final one being the only one to include males. These galls don’t hurt the plant, but they gave me the creeps. I don’t know why; it feels like a primitive part of my brain is telling me no, haha!
Anyways thanks for checking in!
Cheers 🍻
The Fools Journeys 
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