Your Dream Vegetation (maximum, outside, humid, mountains)
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There is never a fully dormant period free of insects in the coastal southeast. I was in Beaufort SC during actually slightly below avg temps in January and average temps in Jan 2016 and there are bees around, flies, butterflies, etc. They just disappear during cold spells but come back after. At least that was my experience. Unless there is a 1980's style really really cold winter then maybe they disappear for longer periods.
While I was there certain landscapes to me looked no different summer to winter or you have to look hard to see the difference. Birds all around, little amphibians like frogs, chameleons, etc are active. At night in early Feb in coastal Mississippi and Alabama (I stayed in both Biloxi and Orange Beach, AL) I heard frog noises and crickets. Hearing the wind rustle leaves was nice cause up here you do not really hear that in winter. Saw tons of dandelions on grassy areas even in Vicksburg.
Also saw loads of flowers I thought freezes would have killed off. Places I visited like Natchez had loads of flowers growing in gardens and their low temp a few weeks earlier was around 19F. Days warm up quickly under blue dome skies (after the cold front) and with the high sun it felt really nice. In Vicksburg when I was there one night the low was around 32-33F but the high temp was 54 or 55F and felt quite comfortable.
At least you know I wasn't lieing about a lot of what I said. I have seen bees on winter days here but most days they are not seen. There are some insects and a lot of bird activity.
What you said about early settlers is true; they stopped the forest fire cycle which burned forests which were then replenished with pines naturally.Now it's more mixed as there are less forest fires.
I do see gnats in winter also, flies no though to my knowledge. Frogs croak and are very active on warmer days in winter, especially if it's wet and warm, nicest sound to hear is a Symphony of frogs croaking in winter when it's warm. Lizards are also active in winter here.
At least you know I wasn't lieing about a lot of what I said. I have seen bees on winter days here but most days they are not seen. There are some insects and a lot of bird activity.
I do see gnats in winter also, flies no though to my knowledge.
Even here there are insects in the winter. I've seen dragonflies and mosquitoes in December, bees/butterflies/moths in February. Midges/gnats are seen throughout the winter, as are birds.
Even here there are insects in the winter. I've seen dragonflies and mosquitoes in December, bees/butterflies/moths in February. Midges/gnats are seen throughout the winter, as are birds.
I have said same thing, but no one would believe me...
I can't recall ever seeing dragonflies here though, seen all of what you said but that.
Dragonflies are only found near water, so if you don't have any streams or lakes near you then you won't see them.
I just did some research, outside of warm winters dragonflies are not commonly seen in Raleigh in winter. Maybe along the coast, but here only in warm winters. There is however 1 species that can be seen in winter, even less mild ones, the autumn meadow hawk dragon fly. Definitely going to look for it next winter, kind of late now as it is spring.
At least you know I wasn't lieing about a lot of what I said. I have seen bees on winter days here but most days they are not seen. There are some insects and a lot of bird activity.
What you said about early settlers is true; they stopped the forest fire cycle which burned forests which were then replenished with pines naturally.Now it's more mixed as there are less forest fires.
I do see gnats in winter also, flies no though to my knowledge. Frogs croak and are very active on warmer days in winter, especially if it's wet and warm, nicest sound to hear is a Symphony of frogs croaking in winter when it's warm. Lizards are also active in winter here.
On February 13th I drove from Orange Beach, AL up to Jackson, MS. Clear blue skies.
I'd say this was what the majority of the drive looked like thru central MS to Jackson:
Lots of green fields
Deciduous area did have green undergrowth going on also:
Ooh! What a great question! This picture nicely showcases the vegetation that I find ideal:
That's a bit too barren even for me, but still beautiful. Beats any kind of forest, except a very open coniferous forest. You're the first person I've seen on here who prefers tundra vegetation.
I love the tundra too, especially toward the ecotone with the taiga although I like a bit more vegetated tundra rather than a rocky one.
Even here there are insects in the winter. I've seen dragonflies and mosquitoes in December, bees/butterflies/moths in February. Midges/gnats are seen throughout the winter, as are birds.
Any windless days here in winter with a temp over 45F and bees come out of the hives. I know at least three beekeepers here and all said the same thing. But for the most part insects are not active except in the more wooded rural areas. I took a hike thru a cedar and pine forest in the NJ Pine Barrens a couple weeks ago and there were some small insects and the ticks were also active.
Here are some pics from my hike in mid Feb in the NJ Pine Barrens. The native plants you see here like the pitch pine and southern white pine, Kalmia latifolia, Magnolia virginiana, and Atlantic White Cedar are not native north of NY state. I'm sure they can grow in Canada, but they wouldn't be out in the native wooded areas. The Inkberry is native up into Nova Scotia along the coastal plain. I was hoping to see some Christmas Ferns but didn't venture far enough into the swampy areas to see it.
Our native Kalmia latifolia is everywhere under the pines in the areas without standing water
This was forest of the native Atlantic White Cedar. Another fav tree of mine. They grow in very wet areas. There were small puddles around the bottoms of the trees, and this is also where another native Magnolia Virginiana grows. This forest looks almost the same as it did last summer when I last walked thru here. It was about 90F in summer, but much cooler in this part of the Pine Barrens.
Lots of Magnolia virginiana found beneath the cedar trees in the swampy areas.
Native Inkberry grows wild in many areas also. Saw it surrounding a lake.
Inkberry
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