REVISITED: Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail (Hillsborough, NC)

Overview: The Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail (HOST), a 44-acre preserve and historical site, includes three miles of trails that take visitors around the original speedway (open from 1948-68), or alternately, along the banks of the Eno River. This trail is set to join the statewide Mountains to the Sea Trail.

Directions: Travel south on I-85. Take exit 165 and turn right onto NC 86. Continue straight through the first stop light (intersection of NC 86 and US 70) for 0.5 miles. The entrance to the park will be on the right hand side, across from the Vietri glass store.

August 2009 Observations:

Bark of cherry-bark oak (Quercus pagodifolia)

Leaves of cherry-bark oak (Quercus pagodifolia)

Mating large milkweed bugs (Oncopeltus fasciatus) on common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) seedpod.

Mating large milkweed bugs (Oncopeltus fasciatus) on common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Unidentified caterpillars on a walnut tree (Juglans nigra)

Hackberry emperor (Asterocampa celtis)