A WOLF field trip always produces lots of discoveries I would miss as my
young colleagues are sharper eyed and built lower to the ground. A student found this beauty in the leaf litter, a 3/4" lichen on an oak twig. INaturalist confirmed it as a golden-eye lichen, Teloschistes chrysophthalmus. Lichens in general are sensitive to air pollution so these are good news.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDZbKEH3u4izRmw1qZWBrpcVVi70i0sdWOr5Ii5c3P5pS3f1NUWQCGvJXWIXT6CXi_P4uGbRYaNvd5jItDgfEL31Rzu1AGELHo1tFgXZr3p3C1TnjN-QTGTpOr9Lsu6l4e7g0tCxU4ME/w640-h372/North+American+Least+Shrew+Cryptotis+parva+%25281%2529.jpeg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU6-PSFPbp2JPMaH72vcCY1Wjfha_16GU3qwPbmV5cTtKxJoOMWewOEERb1HBTql_7KvdIwURp-BXj8cpmn-d_VBn1Au06R125bo1wHcxPNB78qF6GalhlZ4_x0sIvdo6t5lEaRwheEZ0/s320/North+American+Least+Shrew+Cryptotis+parva.jpeg)
This North American least shrew, Cryptotis parvus, was spotted dead on the trail. These measure less than 3 inches from nose to tail tip. The shrew's eyes are small and its ears are
completely concealed, stuffed with its short fur. Although it resembles a mouse, it's in a completely different order.
Shrews and moles are featured in this month's Missouri Conservationist. They are predators that specialize in insects and invertebrates such as worms. Their saliva contains a venom that not only paralyzes its prey but also acts as a preservative. Since they remain active in winter and need to eat over 50% of their body weight daily, keeping a stored supply of food is important.
Last up is this little stinker, identified by Ruby who had one of Mark Bower's books in her backpack. It is a common stinkhorn, Phallus impudicus. The species name impudicus translates as shameless, immoral, impudent, lewd, etc. It covers its spores in a foul smelling goop called a gleba. This attracts flies which think they are landing on ripe carrion, only to be disappointed as they fly off with spores to plant at a distant location. More on this at this Wikipedia link.