The trail definitely didn't disappoint this morning!
#fungi #mushrooms #wildlife #insects #nature #naturephotography #amateurphotography

A shot looking at the head and body of a gorgeous regal moth. This guy was about 3-4 inches long and is orange and white. Its head is very fuzzy and its wings have orange veins and several distinctive white spots. The caterpillars of this moth are called hickory horned devils, and they're some of the coolest caterpillars I've ever seen!

A white mushroom called fairy fingers. This mushroom looks like small unbent fingers, with a couple of dozen tubular mushrooms shooting out of the ground. The tallest was only a few inches tall, so this one is just starting out.

A plant called Ghost Pipe! This plant is white (no chlorophyll) and grows in shoots that curve downwards at the top, ending with white bell-shaped five petal flowers. This particular plant had four shoots/flowers growing in a cluster and was about 6 inches tall. This plant is parasitic and steals nutrients from the roots of other plants.

A shot of an beautiful turtle looking at the camera. She was nearly a foot long (!!!) and has beautiful yellow markings on her face, neck, and legs. Her shell is fairly flat but has a beautiful muted pattern on it. I believe it's a female (based on size) chicken turtle, but I've asked iNaturalist for confirmation.