Journal for July 12, 2009

Some Prairie Enthusiasts came to the farm for a tour yesterday, to look at butterflies and prairies.  It was great fun.  We spent the morning looking at driveway and wetland butterflies, and the afternoon climbing up to some of the upper planted prairies and remnants.

Here we all are – except Mike, who was taking the pictures. From left to right: Barb, Harold, Jan, Burt, Emily, Jon, Marcie

Prairie Enthusiasts

This was taken in Buffalo Ridge Prairie -Burt, Jan, Barb, Harold, Jon, Marcie.

Prairie Enthusiasts

This was an Eyed Brown that we found on the driveway.

Satyrodes eurydice

The planted prairies are just beginning their end of the summer blooming.  The Black-eyed Susans, Oxeye and Butterflyweed come first; Monarda and Yellow Coneflower are just starting to bloom.

Black-eyed Susans in Western Prairie

Rudbeckia hirta

Butterfly Weed behind the house

Asclepias tuberosa

Western Prairie

Western Prairie

Oxeye in Buffalo Ridge Prairie

Buffalo Ridge Prairie

Buffalo Ridge

Last week I spent a few days pulling Yellow and White Sweet Clover from Indian Grass Prairie.  The sumac had just started blooming, and the flowers were buzzing with bees and fluttering with Hairstreaks.

Hairstreaks on Sumac

I saw three different species of Hairstreaks.

Banded Hairstreak on Sumac flowers

Satyrium calanus

These two were also nectaring on the White Sweet Clover

Edwards’ Hairstreak

Satyrium edwardsii

Coral Hairstreak

Satyrium titus

We saw an Iris blooming in the wetland for the first time!  I’ve planted lots of Iris from seed I collected along the Buffalo River, but I’ve never found it growing here before.

Iris virginica

Another nice wetland plant that’s been increasing in the last few years is Turks Cap Lily.  I’ve found numerous small clumps in our wet planted prairies in the last few days.

Lilium michiganense