First bug I saw and probably the coolest one, too.

Had to go to Trader Joe's from Baltimore and checked the drive up to see what wooded areas I could check out for a little bioblitzing fun. Decided Glen Woods on the Towson University campus would be a cool stop. There was a light rain on and off and I already got my first tick crawling on me today. It was tiny too but I was too busy trying to get it off my arm and didn't stop take a picture.

My observations from this area today: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?nelat=39.41239870818494&nelng=-76.56324062782808&on=2023-06-12&order=asc&place_id=any&swlat=39.37591731462844&swlng=-76.65301952797456&user_id=joemdo

On a planted elm. Confirmed in Berkshire and Hampden counties last fall, but this is apparently the first Massachusetts record on iNaturalist (and certainly the first time I've seen this species in person).

Starting point is at 42.21199223023014, -72.23417236261422. West Warren MA . Area with trees runs about 700 meters West from start point along the road, train tracks and river. Trees are seedlings to 40+ feet tall and the larger ones look like they have a decent amount of seeds on them.

I locally collected this plant for use in my aquarium 3 months ago. I initially thought it was Nasturtium Officinale "watercress" but as it grew out I'm thinking it could be Cardamine lyrata. (exotic plant used in aquarium trade)

Initially it grew pennate leaves, but then it started to grow long slender vines, with one leaf and 1-2 roots per node.

The stems seem too thin and slender to be watercress, and the leaves are less "meaty"

The two plants look very similar, in their transitional and fully submersed growth. It is hard for me to tell.

The grid on the green mat is 0.5" spacing

The water parameters are 0-3ppm Nitrate, 7.4PH , 9dGH, 4dKH, low nutrient sand substrate. I think the prolonged low nitrates cause the nodal roots to grow longer.