What's up Doc?

D

DOC-CANADA

Joined
Apr 14, 2006
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Hey y'all. I think it's time for another quiz. Awhile ago we did one where somebody would post a plant picture and the first one to identify it was up to post the next one. It didn't go too badly at first, but later on, somebody would guess correctly and then would drop out, leaving the thread in limbo, so I want to try another tack.

Lately, I've managed to get out for a bit of a hike most nights after work. So my plan is to take a picture of something, with survival significance, on every hike, post the picture and ask some questions about it. It may be a plant or something else. When information about said object is exhausted, I'll post another picture, and we start all over. There are no prizes per se, unless you count the new things we may learn, which, of course, is why we're here in the first place.

OK, so I'm going to start off with an easy one, and I'm going to try to use Image Shack (which I have problems with), so that our forum bro, Hollowdweller can play too, if he wants.

The picture:.

thisoneforimageshack.jpg



The questions (I'll cross them off in this post as they're answered):
1- what is it (be specific)? answered
2- where do you find it? answered
3- what is the survival significance? answered
4- any close relatives (I hope this is clear)? answered

If this doesn't work, we can always go back to a new knife picture.:rolleyes:

Doc
 
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I eagerly await the correct responses for the WSSers here, I'll admit I have no idea, is it fair to cheat and use Google?
 
Are they milkweed pods. If so certain parts are poisonous. You can also break them open and find good tinder. Just a guess to get us started.
 
They almost look like poppy pods, that's the only large seed pod of similar shape that I can think of.
 
Sorry guys, no cigar yet! :D

I guess I should have put in some size perspective - they're about 3/4" in diameter.

Doc
 
rtys100 - is getting warm! Come on guys, lets not miss this golden opportunity! Great post doc!
 
ryts100 said:
Is it where insects lay their eggs, which hatch and poke a hole in the pod to exit?
Click to expand...

lukus said:
My first thought was insect larva. Cut it open and eat a grub?
Click to expand...

Right so far, but needs to be more specific. Also, remember the questions:

1- what is it (be specific)?
2- where do you find it?
3- what is the survival significance?
4- any close relatives (I hope this is clear)?

Doc
 
DOC-CANADA said:
Right so far, but needs to be more specific. Also, remember the questions:

1- what is it (be specific)?
2- where do you find it?
3- what is the survival significance?
4- any close relatives (I hope this is clear)?

Doc
Click to expand...

1. Other than what I said above, no idea :o.
2. No idea.
3. Can be used as a bobber thingy for fishing?
4. Still no idea.
 
ryts100 said:
1. Other than what I said above, no idea :o.
2. No idea.
3. Can be used as a bobber thingy for fishing?
4. Still no idea.
Click to expand...

That's a good effort. This is one of those situations where the less answers you have, the more you can benefit. My goal is to make this a learning thread.

As far as a bobber for fishing, that's a good possiblility. I'm going to grab one, put a hole in it, like you would for attaching it to a line, and see if it floats. I will report back on this.

One problem may be that some of the things might be location specific (I'm in Southern Ontario, Canada).

Doc
 
Thats an insect gall on goldenrod there is a grub inside that can be used for fishing bait.And yes it can be used as a bobber
Dan'l
 
dboles said:
Thats an insect gall on goldenrod there is a grub inside that can be used for fishing bait.And yes it can be used as a bobber
Dan'l
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Very good, db, but there's still another survival use.

BTW, this is a ball gall caused by a fly - Eurosta solidaginis. Apparently, after mating, the female fly lays its eggs on the new stems (of Goldenrod) in late May and June. The egg hatches, and the larva burrows into the stem. Here it continues to hollow out a chamber slightly larger than its body size, while the plant forms the gall around it. It is mature by the onset of winter and overwinters in the larval form. (source - Nature In Winter, Donald Stokes, Little Brown & Co., 1976, ISBN# 0-316-81723-6, page 161)

Doc
 
A closely related plant would be Aster linosyris or Aster alpinus?
 
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Goldenrod, I think when I visited Canada, we cut them open and found wasp larvae inside which we ate. We also wove them into sleeping mats, the rods, not the larvae ;)
 
beef said:
Goldenrod, I think when I visited Canada, we cut them open and found wasp larvae inside which we ate. We also wove them into sleeping mats, the rods, not the larvae ;)
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Bingo, although it should have been fly larva not wasp larva. Wasp do parasitize elliptical galls, apparently.

About 10 years ago, I did a fire/cordage workshop in the winter, and one of the attendees was a university student who had done quite a bit of time with the northern Indian tribes and she said they ate them quite often. She proceeded to demonstrate several times during the workshop.

It was a difficult question, or perhaps poorly explained, but what I was looking for with close relatives was there are two other common Goldenrod galls, at least up here - the elliptical gall and the bunch gall. All very interesting.


So, bobber (I'm still going to try that out with pictures), fish bait, and food.

So, I guess the next installment will be after my next hike. I think I'm only going to do one thing at a time - much easier to handle that way.

Doc
 
Thanks, DOC. I spent about 3 hours last night reading up on Canadian flora. I actually learned quite a bit. Great thread. I look forward to the next installment. BTW, wasp larvae don't have stingers do they. If so you can keep your Goldenrod plant. :p :D -DT
 
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