Fallen female willow catkin near Lenin Trail in area of Razliv near Dibuny, north-west from Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 21, 2019
Catkin cup (Ciboria amentacea) mushrooms under alder bushes near Morskaya, west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, March 16, 2017
Catkin cup (Ciboria amentacea) mushroom on rotting leaves under alder in Lavriki, north from Saint Petersburg. Russia, March 14, 2017
Catkin cup (Ciboria amentacea) mushrooms under alder trees in Udelny Park. Saint Petersburg, Russia, March 22, 2017
Catkins of alder in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 22, 2013
Cluster of catkin cup (Ciboria amentacea) mushrooms under alder trees in Udelny Park. Saint Petersburg, Russia, March 22, 2017
Catkin on sweetgum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua) in TAMU Horticultural Gardens in Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, March 22, 2010.
Male inflorescences (catkins) of live oak in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, March 21, 2008
Catkins on oak tree in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, March 10, 2009
Dwarf Birch (Betula nana) with catkins in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 15, 2015
Catkins of corkscrew mulberry in TAMU Holistic Garden in Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, March 18, 2010.
Small willow catkins near Kavgolovskoe Lake in Toksovo, a suburb of Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 19, 2015
Male flowering catkin on a willow (Salix) near Kavgolovskoe Lake in Toksovo, a suburb of Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 19, 2015
Catkins and young leaves of oak tree on Post Oak Trail in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, March 27, 2009
Young leaves and male catkins on a willow (Salix) near Kavgolovskoe Lake in Toksovo, a suburb of Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 19, 2015
Catkin from a tree dropped on a wooden foot bridge in Mercer Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. Humble (Houston area), Texas, March 14, 2009
Catkins of river birch (Betula nigra) in TAMU Horticultural Gardens in Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, March 17, 2009
Catkins of eastern hop hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) in TAMU Horticultural Gardens in Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, March 17, 2010.
Catkin of sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) in TAMU Horticultural Gardens in Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, March 17, 2010.
Close-up of catkins on an oak tree after a rain in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, April 2, 2009
Catkins and young leaves on an oak tree in TAMU Horticultural Gardens in Texas A&M University. College Station, Texas, March 12, 2009
Catkins of Southern wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera) with catkins in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, March 25, 2010.
Oak catkins in TAMU Horticultural Gardens in Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, March 22, 2010.
Southern wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera) with catkins in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, March 23, 2010.
Willow catkins (Salix caprea, Russian name Iva) in Pavlovsk Park, suburb of Saint Petersburg. Russia, May 15, 2011
Southern wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera) with catkins in TAMU Holistic Garden in Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, February 22, 2009
Young leaves and catkins on an oak tree after a rain in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, April 2, 2009
Catkins with water drops on an oak tree in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, April 2, 2009
Willow catkins in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 14, 2011
Catkins in a creek crossing of Little Lake Creek Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Richards, Texas, April 4, 2010.
Catkins and red young leaves of an oak tree in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, March 27, 2009
Catkins on a birch like tree in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 14, 2011
Puffy seeds on willow catkins (Salix). Pushkin (former Tsarsoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 25, 2014
Catkins on a bush of Cyrilla racemiflora in Watson Rare Native Plant Preserve. Warren, Texas, August 2, 2014
Willow catkins in Tiarlevo near Slavyanka River in Pavlovsk Park. Pavlovsk, suburb of Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 18, 2015
Willow catkin near Kavgolovskoe Lake in Toksovo, a suburb of Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 19, 2015
Catkins in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 10, 2016
Small willow catkins in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 10, 2016
Catkin cup (Ciboria amentacea) mushroom under alder in Lavriki, north from Saint Petersburg. Russia, March 14, 2017
Catkin cup (Ciboria amentacea) mushrooms on rotting alder catkins taken from Lavriki, north from Saint Petersburg. Russia, March 14, 2017
Catkin cup (Ciboria amentacea) mushrooms on alder catkins near Morskaya, west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, March 16, 2017
Catkin cup (Ciboria amentacea) mushrooms taken from Morskaya, west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, March 16, 2017
Catkin cup (Ciboria amentacea) mushrooms on rotten leaves under alder trees in Udelny Park. Saint Petersburg, Russia, March 22, 2017
Catkin cup (Ciboria amentacea) mushrooms growing under alder trees in Udelny Park. Saint Petersburg, Russia, March 22, 2017
Group of catkin cup (Ciboria amentacea) mushrooms under alder trees in Udelny Park. Saint Petersburg, Russia, March 22, 2017
Catkin cup (Ciboria amentacea) mushrooms under alder trees in Udelny Park. Saint Petersburg, Russia, March 22, 2017
Hazel catkin taken from Sosnovka Park. Saint Petersburg, Russia, March 22, 2017
Catkins of hazelnut taken from Sosnovka Park. Saint Petersburg, Russia, March 22, 2017
Hazel catkins and small female flowers from Sosnovka Park. Saint Petersburg, Russia, March 22, 2017
Catkin cup (Ciboria amentacea) mushrooms on a stump in area of Blizhnie Dubki near Lisiy Nos, west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, March 31, 2017
Catkin cup (Ciboria amentacea) mushrooms on roadside near Kavgolovskoe Lake. North from Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 3, 2017
Catkin cup (Ciboria amentacea) mushrooms taken from roadside near Kavgolovskoe Lake. North from Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 3, 2017
Willow catkin in Pesochny, north-west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, May 5, 2017
Catkins on a bush of alder (Alnus fruticosa) in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 6, 2017
Catkin cup fungus (Ciboria batschiana) on rotten acorns in an oak grove near Razliv Lake, in Sestroretsk area west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, October 2, 2017
Catkin cup mushrooms (Ciboria batschiana) on rotten acorns in an oak grove near Razliv Lake, in Sestroretsk area west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, October 2, 2017
Young leaves and catkins on a tree in Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site. Washington, Texas, April 12, 2018
Catkin cup mushrooms (Ciboria batschiana) growing on a rotten acorn near Lisiy Nos, west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, September 6, 2018
Catkin of elm tree on Lone Star Hiking Trail near Pole Creek in Sam Houston National Forest. Richards, Texas, February 9, 2019
Large oak with catkins in Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site. Washington, Texas, February 27, 2019
Catkins on a large oak in Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site. Washington, Texas, February 27, 2019
Young leaves and catkins of willow oak (Quercus phellos) in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, March 11, 2019
Willow with catkins in David E. Schob Nature Preserve at 906 Ashburn Street. College Station, Texas, April 3, 2019
Willow rust fungus (Melampsora ari-salicina(?) on a female catkin of goat willow in Sestroretsk near Saint Petersburg. Russia, May 30, 2019
Willow catkins in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 6, 2017
Willow catkins near Chornaya River in Dibuny, near Saint Petersburg. Russia, May 18, 2017
Willow with catkins in Dibuny, near Saint Petersburg. Russia, May 18, 2017
Willow catkins near a sandpit in Kuzmolovo, north from Saint Petersburg. Russia, May 21, 2017
Close up of willow catkins near a sandpit in Kuzmolovo, north from Saint Petersburg. Russia, May 21, 2017
Catkin cup mushrooms (Ciboria batschiana) growing on rotten acorns in an oak grove near Razliv Lake, in Sestroretsk area west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, October 2, 2017
Close up of catkin cup mushrooms (Ciboria batschiana) on rotten acorns in an oak grove near Razliv Lake, in Sestroretsk area west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, October 2, 2017
Elm catkins in area of Winters Bayou in Sam Houston National Forest, east from Waverly. Texas, February 23, 2019
Willow catkin in Tarkhovka near Sestroretsk. West from Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 13, 2019
Catkins of willow near a beach in Sestroretsk, west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, May 20, 2019
Elm catkins collected by ants under a tree in Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site. Washington, Texas, October 5, 2019
Accumulation of elm catkins near ant burrows in Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site. Washington, Texas, October 5, 2019
Close up of elm catkins collected by ants under a tree in Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site. Washington, Texas, October 5, 2019
Mushrooms Marasmius siccus on catkins on a mossy tree on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, September 11, 2020
Oak catkins in Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site. Washington, Texas, March 22, 2021
Catkins on oak in Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site. Washington, Texas, March 22, 2021
Catkins and young leaves of oak near Ferry Road in Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site. Washington, Texas, April 4, 2022
Fallen catkins from various trees in Kelley s Branch Creek on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, April 7, 2022
Catkins of elm on a trailway near Birch Creek Unit of Somerville Lake State Park. Texas, March 5, 2023
Oak catkins in Leach Teaching Gardens at Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, March 9, 2023
Catkins of black willow in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, March 10, 2023
Caney Creek with floating oak catkins on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, March 12, 2023
Fallen catkins of elm(?) near Pole Creek on North Wilderness Trail of Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, April 14, 2023
Catkins of green ash(?) in Bee Creek Park. College Station, Texas, February 26, 2024
Oak catkins on Post Oak Trail in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, March 12, 2024
Masses of oak catkins in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, March 12, 2024
Shoot of oak with catkins in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, March 12, 2024
Catkins of box elder in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, March 28, 2024
Southern wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera) with catkins on Richards Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, March 8, 2026
Live oak catkins on Lake Somerville Trailway near Nails Creek Unit of Somerville Lake State Park. Texas, March 14, 2026
Several rust-colored, spiky-bodied ants can be seen navigating the deeply furrowed bark of an oak tree, acting as a miniature logging crew. Some of the ants are carrying entire green, beaded oak catkins--the tree s string-like flower clusters--while one prominently hoists a freshly cut, bright green section of an oak leaf in its jaws. The ants carry these heavy loads hoisted high over their heads, a posture that resembles someone carrying a sunshade. These are Texas leafcutter ants (Atta texana), a highly destructive but fascinating native species also known as the "town ant" or "parasol ant" due to their unique carrying technique. They climb high into the canopies of oaks and other trees to use their powerful, scissor-like mandibles to slice away fresh foliage, preferring new, tender, high-water-content growth like young leaves and spring catkins. Working in massive, organized trails, a large colony can entirely strip the leaves from a small- to medium-sized tree in a single night, and they frequently travel hundreds of feet from their underground nests to find a suitable harvest. Lake Somerville Trailway near Nails Creek Unit of Somerville Lake State Park. Texas, March 14, 2026
A miniature procession of rust-colored ants traverses the deeply grooved, dry bark of an oak tree. In the center foreground, one ant acts as the focal point, hoisting a freshly cut, bright green slice of an oak leaf high above its head. Because the leaf fragment curves directly over the ant s body like a small green canopy, it perfectly illustrates why this species is often nicknamed the "parasol ant". Surrounding this central figure, three other ants march in the same direction, each carrying large, beaded green oak catkins gripped tightly in their mandibles. These are Texas leafcutter ants (Atta texana), a native species famous for its highly organized and destructive foraging behavior. Working in massive, coordinated trails that can span hundreds of feet, worker ants climb into the canopies of oaks and other trees to systematically slice away fresh, tender vegetation. The workers possess powerful jaws capable of cutting through leaves and flowers with remarkable speed, allowing a large colony to completely strip the foliage from a small tree in a single night. Lake Somerville Trailway near Nails Creek Unit of Somerville Lake State Park. Texas, March 14, 2026
Fresh oak leaves and catkins in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, March 15, 2026
