Journal for August 10, 2014

It’s that beautiful end-of-the-summer time. We’ve had just enough rain, and mostly sunny not too hot days, and cool nights. The clouds have been spectacular.

Buffalo Ridge

Western Prairie

This was one evening when there were storms all around us, but it never rained on us.

A few weeks ago we had our annual moth party, in celebration of National Moth Week. It was our 3rd moth party, and the best one yet. The weather and the moths were perfect, and we had lots of friends to help celebrate.

Anne made a spectacular moth cake.

And everyone had a great time partying and looking at the moths.

For more photos of the moth party, and of the moths and other creatures we saw, Click Here.

Here are a few of the daytime creatures we’ve been seeing.

Giant Swallowtail

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth – this shows it’s long tongue that it uses to get to nectar from the bottom of tubular flowers

Another photo of a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth that shows why these moths are called “clearwings”. The clear parts of their wings have scales when they first emerge from their cocoon, but the scales fall off quickly, so you can actually see through those parts of their wings.

Monarch on Oxeye

A Spring Peeper that was attracted to my moth lights. It’s the first time I’ve seen – rather than heard – a Spring Peeper.

Field Milkwort

Acadian Hairstreak – a wetland butterfly that I don’t see very often

Here are some views of our late summer prairies.

Western Prairie with Butterflyweed, Prairie Coreopsis, Spiderwort, Yellow Coneflower, and Prairie Sage

Western Prairie

The path into the Knife Edge Prairie

Missouri Goldenrod in the Knife Edge Prairie

The path into Hidden Oaks Point

Hidden Oaks Point with Leadplant

This is East Center Valley Prairie – the part that we’ve been working on for the last few years. It was an old hayfield with lots of weeds and non-native pasture grasses. I threw lots of seed in here, and we had it sprayed to try to kill the smooth brome. This end of it hasn’t looked good at all, so we burned it last spring, to see if getting rid of some of the thatch would help. I don’t think the burn made much difference – the two sides of the fire break look just the same. But the whole prairie – including the non-burned parts – looks better this year.

East Center Valley – looking the other direction

The cabin road

The Narrows Prairie

Black-eyed Susan

This is the time of the year when I see Underwing Moths – a group of moths that have dull brown or gray patterned upper wings, but brilliant hind wings.

Pink Underwing