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Caterpillar Droppings
Date: April 22, 2005
Photographer: Eddie Jones
Caterpillar droppings on Ohio buckeye (Aesculus glabra) leaves.
Native Americans reportedly called the fruit of this tree “hetuck” meaning eye-of-the-buck in reference to the supposed resemblance of the shiny dark mahogany brown fruit to the eye of a buck deer. The common name of buckeye evolved therefrom. Ohio buckeye is native from western Pennsylvania to Iowa south to Alabama and Arkansas. It is found throughout the State of Missouri where it typically occurs in rich or rocky wooded areas of valleys, ravines, bluff bases, slopes and thickets (Steyermark). This is a low-branched, small to medium sized deciduous tree that typically grows 20-40’ (less frequently to 75’) tall with a broad oval-rounded crown. Bright green palmate compound leaves emerge in spring, each with five spreading ovate-oblong leaflets to 3-6” long. Leaves mature to dark green in summer. (Plant info from http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Alpha.asp.)
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