Marta Longo
Ever since I can remember I've been drawn to being outside - my mother recounts me coming home with a small snake in a kid's bucket when I was 3 years old. I haven't really changed, except I'm probably a little more cautious around snakes now. :) Photography gives me the perfect opportunity to do two of my favorite things - be in nature, and observe the things around me. When I had the opportunity to co-found the MPAC I jumped right on board, because preserving this green jewel, an important part of the NJ headwaters, from overdevelopment is very important to me.
I've been a resident of Mendham Township for 9 years, attracted by the peace and tranquility of the town mixed with the proximity of bustling Morristown. My husband and I have 2 sons in their 20's who come and go, and my mother of 93 years who lives with us and our 3 dogs and 16 chickens (and koi fish). My other hobbies are skiing, reading, gardening, hiking and traveling.
Northern Tree Frog
Location: Mendham Township
This common tree frog can be heard trilling from the tops of the trees, especially in wet weather and when they gather around water to breed. Note the bright yellow on the back legs!
Indigo Bunting
Location: Mendham Township
These very territorial birds can be found on the edges of meadows and are around all summer, belting out their calls as they claim their piece of land.
Water Strider and Back Swimmer
Location: Mendham Township
These two ferocious predators find lots of food in this pond. The Strider is a big fan of mosquito larvae and the Back Swimmer will tackle small fish and tadpoles.
Tadpole Transforming into Frog
Location: Mendham Township
Caught in transition! The froglet of the gray tree frog turns a green color before going gray as an adult.
Silver Spotted Skipper
Location: Mendham Township
This cute little butterfly is a common garden visitor.
Red Shouldered Hawk
Location: Mendham Borough
Frog legs for lunch? this endangered raptor has brought food for hungry chicks.
Green Sweat Bee
Location: Mendham Township
Bees come in all shapes and sizes!
Honey Bee
Location: Mendham Township
The incredible grapples on the feet of this insect can be seen in this photo, as she departs a milkweed flower.
Hummingbird Clearwing (or Flying Lobster!) feeding on Bee Balm nectar.
Location: Corey Lane
This beautiful moth loves to trick it's predators into thinking it's something that it's not! A member of the Sphinx family of moths, attract this creature to your garden with butterfly bush, phlox, and beebalms. In fall the caterpillars spin a cocoon in leaf litter, so consider leaving parts of your property unblown in the fall to help them out!
Ruby Throated Hummingbird at feeder
Location: Corey Lane
These birds look sweet, but....... they are super territorial and you can watch some serious aerial warfare going on if you get a couple of them in your yard at the same time. Seeing them swooshing around the yard and hovering while they sip their meals always makes me smile. They love cardinal flowers, and native honeysuckle. Here is a link to a lot of the options. Native is best because the plants have the right type of nectar for the animals that have evolved to live in the area. If you put out feeders make sure to clean them and change the sugar mix every few days or so!!
Yellow Bear caterpillar
Location: Corey Lane
This white cat is a cousin of the brown and black wooly bear that you alway see crossing the street in the fall. It eats a large variety of broad leaved weeds and then hides to pupate in leaf litter in the fall before emerging as a brown moth in the spring - consider leaving parts of your property unblown in the fall to help them out!
Eastern Blue Jay
Location: Corey Lane
This king-of-the-bird-feeder is related to crows and ravens. Very smart and adaptable, these loud jays live in family groups and the young adults stick around to help their parents raise the next year's clutch. They do great imitations of a scream of a red shouldered hawk, perhaps to scare off other birds that may be enjoying a meal that they want!
