Submission (#3948) Approved

1-2: Large yellow underwing and its caterpillar (Noctua pronuba)
this species of moth is incredibly common but is invasive to the united states. they are native to Europe, Asia, and Africa and migrate in large groups. these pictures may actually be of the lesser yellow underwing (noctua comes) but they are extremely similar species.

3: White beech mushroom (Hypsizygus tessulatus)
this is an edible mushroom and the wild version looks quite different. while these grow in bunches and dont get very big, the wild version grows individually and are much bigger. these mushrooms are native to East Asia and the cultivation of them originated in Japan.

4: Grape hyacinth (Muscari)
these hyacinths differ slightly than regular ones, the most obvious difference being the shape of the petals. the flowers are edible, but the rest of the flower is slightly toxic and bitter. theyre native to Europe and Asia, and their scientific name comes from the greek word for 'musk' referencing their strong smell.

5: Dandelion (Taraxacum)
this plant is incredibly common, and while they are not native, theyre also not invasive. the entirety of the plant is edible, and people have made loads of food from them like eating the greens and making dandelion jelly. i decided to include this photo because the flower has multiple heads on one stem, and i thought it was cool. also dandelions get shit on a lot but theyre awesome.

6: Rigid beard moss ( Didymodon rigidulus)
this one was difficult to identify, due to its appearance in the photo. it seems to going through multiple stages of development in one patch. around the edges its older, losing color and turning purplish red while thinning out. the lighter green is fluffy and beginning to open to produce stalks. the majority, which is dark green and spikey, is slightly juvenile and has yet to produce stalks. i really like this picture it is interesting

7: Pink and white clover (Trifolium pratense)
while the clover is not native to the americas, it has been naturalized and is not a threat. the flowers and leaves are edible, and theyre often used in agriculture as fodder crops. basically it is grown in mass amounts to feed farm animals. many people have also started using it to replace traditional grass lawns, as its a bit more resilient and the flowers are amazing sources for pollinators. plus theyre pretty and spread fast

8: Canadian Goose (Branta canadensis)
this species of goose is extremely common in north america. while they are famous for their flying Vs for migration, this group has decided to stay put. i thought this image of a flock of geese sleeping on ice was very amusing. this flock lives at a pond near my grandmas house, and i have seen many generations! due to their relationship with humans, this species tends to very aggressive and demanding.

9: Ring-billed gull and White Bass (Larus delawarensis + Morone chrysops)
this is a photo of a juvenile ring billed gull eating a fish. i am not positive on the species of gull or fish, so instead i looked up gulls in my state, and fish in the lake i took the picture at. this was taken at lake Erie, which has a lot more cool fish than i thought. the reason you may find gulls in parking lots is not only because of food, but heat waves also make the pavement look like water from far away.

10: Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris)
this picture was taken at a zoo i go to quite often, but havent taken many pictures at, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Bengal tigers are incredibly important in many cultures, but especially in Asia where they are native. while bengals are the most numerous species of the tigers, they are still endangered.

11: Raccoon paw print ( Procyon lotor)
not sure if this technically allowed but i really love this pic and wanted to share anyways. you can tell its a raccoon because the front print is small and near the lower middle left you can see a back print which is much longer than the front. there are also just a lot more raccoons than say opossums where i live. theyre originally from places like mixed forests, but theyre really good at adapting. theyre considered invasive in europe. theres also gay raccoons! thats awesome