Monarchs are Good – Other Butterflies Missing
We saw about 20 Monarch Butterflies on a walk this afternoon. Their number seem about normal for their yearly migration. Other butterflies were almost totally missing. This has been a … Continued
Butterflies are back!
Great Spangled Fritillary, Speyeria cybele I’m happy to report that the butterflies are back. The drought two years ago really knocked them back but I’m seeing lots of them now. This … Continued
Cold Enough for Real Ice
Matt Barnes This seems like the coldest winter for a couple of decades. It’s so cold that we are getting real ice on the creeks, ponds and lakes. Often they … Continued
Northern Parula
Northern Parula The polar vortex sweeping down on us bringing the coldest temperatures we’ve seen in a couple decades. It is minus 9-degrees F right now. Too cold to go … Continued
Last Butterfly?
A Clouded Sulphur Butterfly (Colias philodice) leaps off a New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) When I took this picture on Friday I wondered if this would be the last butterfly I would … Continued
Where have all the butterflies gone?
Silvery Checkerspot, Chlosyne nycteis We are having a fabulous spring with flowers everywhere. Despite that I’ve sensed a significant reduction in the number of butterflies. I’ve only seen three Great … Continued
Great Blue Heron Rookery Tree Dies
Great Blue Heron Nests The main tree that holds up the heron rookery is dead. This Sycamore was 12-feet in diameter; the largest single tree at the PGT. Perhaps another … Continued
Droughts Aren’t All Bad
Our dog covered with stick-tights (Desmodium cuspidatum) The severe drought this summer was not bad in all ways. 4 good things about the drought: 1. No Stick-tights There are no … Continued
Looking Good Despite the Drought
Ashy Sunflower, (Helianthus mollis) Some plants look great despite almost no rain all summer. The Compass Plants have had one of their best years ever. Right now the Ashy Sunflower … Continued
Fall Color Early
Big Bluestem, (Andropogon gerardii) Even though it is not Fall yet, the grasses in the prairie are starting to show some good Fall color. This morning I walked the 43-acre … Continued