BioBlitz - 2016
The 2016 BioBlitz was conducted on April 23 of this year. The Department of Conservation and Recreation, in partnership with the National Geographic Society and the Virginia Master Naturalists, conducted field work on a 75 acre section of the park. Results from that study are included on the Nature Guide below.
Summary
During the 2016 Sky Meadows State Park BioBlitz, the following information was obtained.
Most observations were on the species level; however, some observations were on the genus or family level.
Category Species Genera/Families
Trees 18 4
Shrubs 5
Vines 3
Forbs/Herbs 27 7
Grass 2
Birds 36
Mammals 1
Reptiles 2
Amphibians 5 1
Butterflies 8
Bees 1 4
Spiders 1 1
Insects 2 16
Crustaceans 1
Miscellaneous 3
Results
Trees*
Common Name Scientific Name Comments
American beech 2 Fagus grandifolia
American elm 1 Ulmus americana
ash 1 Fraxinus spp. Based on description, possibly
black ash (Fraximus nigra).
black walnut 1 Juglans nigra
boxelder 1 Acer negundo
bristly locust Robinia hispida Not previously recorded in Sky
Meadows State Park nor listed
as occurring in Facquier County
by the Atlas of Virginia Flora.
cherry 1 Prunus spp. Possibly sweet cherry (Prunus
avium) or black cherry (Prunus
serotina).
common persimmon 3 Diospyros virginiana
flowering dogwood 5 Cornus florida
hackberry 1 Celtis occidentalis
hawthorn 2 Crataegus spp. One hawthorn sighting was for
black hawthorn (Crataegus
douglasi). Black hawthorn is
not recorded as existing in any
state in the eastern United
States based on the U.S.D.A.’s
PLANT S database).
mockernut hickory 1 Carya tomentosa
northern red oak 1 Quercus rubra
pawpaw 3 Asimina triloba
pignut hickory 1 Carya glabra
red maple 1 Acer rubrum
redbud 1 Cercis canadensis
shagbark hickory 1 Carya ovata
southern red oak 1 Quercus falcate
tulip poplar 2 Liriodendron tulipifera
viburnum 1 Viburnum spp. Possibly blackhaw (Viburnum
prunifolium)
white oak 1 Quercus alba
*Number after common name indicates number of sightings.
Shrubs
Common Name Scientific Name Comments
blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium
blackberry Rubus allegheniensis
Japanese barberry Berberis thunbergii
northern lowbush blueberry Vaccinium angustifolium
wineberry Rubus phoenicolasius
Vines
Common Name Scientific Name Comments
eastern poison ivy Toxicdenron radicans
Japanese honeysuckle Lonicera japonica
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Forbs/Herbs
Common Name Scientific Name Comments
bulbous buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus
Carolina spring beauty Claytonia caroliniana
chickweed Stellaria spp.
cinquefoil Potentilla spp. Probably either rough-fruited
cinquefoil (Potentilla recta) or
dwarf cinquefoil (Potentilla
canadensis).
cleavers Galium aparine
common chickweed Stellaria media
common dandelion Taraxacum officinale
common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
common mullen Verbascum thapsus
corn speedwell Veronica arvensis
cutleaved toothwort Cardamine concatenata
European stinging nettle Urtica dioica
garlic mustard Alliaria petiolata
Indian strawberry Duchesnea indica
jack-in-the-pulpit Arisaema triphyllum
jewelweed Impatiens spp. Probably spotted jewelweed
(Impatiens capensis).
jumpseed Persicaria virginianum
littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus
mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
milkweed Asclepias spp. Possibly common milkweed
(Asclepias syriaca); however,
could also be one of several
other milkweeds.
mock strawberry Duchesnea indica Generally referred to as Indian
strawberry.
pokeweed Phytolacca americana
purple deadnettle Lamium purpureum
skunk cabbage Symplocarpus foetidus
spring beauty Claytonia virginica
star chickweed Stellaria pubera
strawberry Duchesnea spp. Described as “alien straw-
berry”; probably Indian
strawberry (Duchesnea
indica).
strawberry Duchesnea spp. or Probably either Virginia
Fragaria spp. strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)
or Indian strawberry
(Duchesnea india).
troutlily Erythronium americanum
violets Viola spp. At least three species were
identified by color (blue,
yellow, and white);
possibly common blue violet
(Viola sororia), “downy”
yellow violet
(Viola pubescens), and striped
cream violet (Viola strata).
violet wood sorrel Oxalis violacea
wild garlic Allium vineale
yellow corydalis Corydalis favula
yellow violet Viola pubescens
Grass
Common Name Scientific Name Comments
Japanese stiltgrass Microstegium vimineum
switchgrass Panicum virgatum
Birds*
Common Name Scientific Name Comments
American crow 2 Corvus brachyrhynchos
American goldfinch 1 Carduelis tristis
American robin 2 Turdus migratorius
black vulture 1 Coragyps atratus
blue jay 3 Cyanocitta cristata
brown thrasher 1 Toxostoma rufum
brownheaded cowbird 1 Molothrus ater
Carolina chickadee 1 Poecile cardlinensis
Carolina wren 2 Thryothorus ludovicianus
chipping sparrow 1 Spizella passerina
common yellowthroat 1 Geothlypis trichas
downy woopecker 1 Picoides pubescens
eastern bluebird 2 Sialia sialis
eastern phoebe 1 Sayornis phoebe
European starling 2 Sturnus vulgaris
field sparrow 2 Spizella pusilla
fish crow 1 Corvus ossifragus
indigo bunting 1 Passerina cyanea
mourning dove 1 Zenaida macroura
northern cardinal 4 Cardinalis cardinalis
northern flicker 2 Colaptes auratus
northern mocking bird 3 Mimus polyglottos
pileated woodpecker 1 Dryocopus pileatus
redbellied woodpecker 2 Melanerpes carolinus
redheaded woodpecker 5 Melanerpes erythrocephalus
redtailed hawk 1 Buteo jamaicensis
redwinged blackbird 1 Agelaius phoeniceus
rubycrowned kinglet 1 Regulus calendula
song sparrow 1 Melospiza melodia
tree swallow 1 Tachycimeta bicolor
tufted titmouse 2 Baeolophus bicolor
turkey vulture 3 Cathartes aura
whitebreasted nuthatch 1 Sitta carolinensis
whitethroated sparrow 2 Zonotrichia albicollis
wood thrush 1 Hylocichla mustelina
yellowrumped warbler 2 Dendroica coronata
*Number after common name indicates number of sightngs.
Park Activities
Calendar of Events
Park Programs
Sky Meadows Park
Location
Geography
Habitats
Trails
Visiting Park
Crooked Run Valley
Special Projects
BioBlitz
Mammals
Common Name Scientific Name Comments
skunk Mephitis spp. or Probably either striped skunk
Spilogale spp. Mephitis mephitis mephitis or
eastern spotted skunk
(Spilogale putorius putorius).
Reptiles
Common Name Scientific Name Comments
eastern garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
eastern box turtle Terrapene carolina carolina
Amphibians
Common Name Scientific Name Comments
eastern redbacked Plethodon cinereus
salamander
eastern American toad Anaxyrus americanus americanus
northern green frog Lithobates clamitans melanota
northern twolined Eurycea bislineata
salamander
tree frog Hylidae spp. Possibly one of several tree
frogs found in region.
wood frog Lithobates sylvaticus
Butterflies*
Common Name Scientific Name Comments
black swallowtail 1 Papilio polyxenes
cabbage white 4 Pieris rapae
eastern tiger swallowtail 3 Papilio glaucus
meadow fritillary 1 Boloria bellona
pearl crescent 2 Phyciodes tharos
spicebush swallowtail 1 Papilio troilus
spring azure 1 Celastrina “ladon”
zebra swallow 1 Eurytides marcellus
*Number after common name indicates the number of sightings.
Bees
Common Name Scientific Name Comments
bumblebee Bombus spp.
eastern carpenter bee Xylocopa virginica
honeybee Apis spp. Probably European honey bee
(Apis mellifera), the only Apis
species identified as occurring
in Sky Meadows State Park.
“large” carpenter bee Xylocopa spp. Possibly eastern carpenter bee
(Xylocopa virginica).
mining bee Andrena spp.
Spiders
Common Name Scientific Name Comments
daddy long-legs Pholcus spp. Probaby Pholcus phalangioides.
water spider Argyroneta aquatica
Insects*
Common Name Scientific Name Comments
bee-flies Bombylius spp. Probably large bee-fly
(Bombylius major).
blacklegged tick Ixodes scapularis
blackflies 2 Simulium spp.
caddisflies 46 Trichoptera spp. Includes eleven caddisflies in
larva state (casemaker).
clubtail dragonfly 1 Gomphidae spp.
common stoneflies 10 Perlidae spp.
common wasp Vespula vulgaris
dobsonflies Corydalidae spp.
dragonfly 1 Anisoptera spp.
finger-net caddisflies 2 Philopotamidae spp.
lightning bug Lampyridae spp.
mayflies 48 Ephemeroptera spp.
non-biting midge flies 6 Chironomidae spp. The Chironomidae family is
often called “blind mosquitoes”.
riffle beetles 3 Elmidae spp.
stoneflies 306 Plecoptera spp.
true flies 7 Diptera spp
trumpet-net/tube-making Polycentropodidae spp.
caddisflies 24
water-penny beetles 4 Psephenidae spp.
*Number after common name indicates the number of sightings.
Crustaceans*
Common Name Scientific Name Comments
crayfish 2 Cambarus spp. Probably Genus Cambarus;
however, species of “crayfish”
of genera Orconectes and
Fallicambarus are also found in
Virginia.
*Number after common name indicates the number of sightings.
Miscellaneous*
Common Name Scientific Name Comments
aquatic worm 1 Oligochaeta spp.
hypoxylon canker Hypoxylon spp. Hypoxylon is a genus of fungus.
leech Hirudinea spp.
*Number after common name indicates the number of sightings.