Seed Dispersal

Butterfly weed, a type of milkweed, is setting forth its flat brown seeds. The seeds have been growing inside long thin pods since the summer and have now burst open to expose the seeds to the elements, one element in particular, the wind. The seeds are attached to fluffy white, silky filaments which help to carry the seeds, often, far away from the mother plant. The plant pictured happens to be in Catch the Wind here at the Museum, aproposRead more
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Last Week

The photos shown here are from last week, before Sandy rolled by bringing with her damp easterly, northeasterly, northerly, northwesterly and now still wet and nasty westerly winds. It will again be sunny and relatively warm, but until then have a look at a handful of pre-Sandy photos (just be glad you don’t live in New Jersey, or West Virginia, or….). And finally… What will turn up this week?  Read more

A Lep Emerges!

Eleven days after a Cloudless Sulphur caterpillar was first noticed preparing to pupate on a Partridge Pea pod in Catch the Wind, it has emerged as an adult male butterfly. A Monarch caterpillar was pointed out to me on Butterfly Weed in Catch the Wind. I’ll have to keep an eye on that one too!Read more

Late Summer Flowers

In bloom in August were Boneset, Partridge Pea, and Goldenrod. The flowers of Boneset and Goldenrod are great places to look for insects as they search for nectar sources at this time of year. The Partridge Pea should be watched for Cloudless Sulphur Caterpillars during the next several weeks (September). There’s still a few Butterfly Weeds in bloom in Catch the Wind; check it for hairstreaks and other butterflies. Silky Dogwood (Cornus), which, at the beginning of this period, had deep blue berries among itsRead more

Pretty Flowers or Weeds

Boneset is blooming at various locations around the Wetlands. The flowers should be fairly easy to locate. Look for clusters of small white flowers atop a straight 2-4 foot plant growing close to the water. The leaves of the plant are opposite. The bases of the leaves are joined at the stem of the plant, surrounding the stem (perfoliate) – an interesting configuration. Boneset is also called Thoroughwort, Fever-weed, and Sweating Plant. Besides some lingering Black-eyed Susan, Coreopsis, and QueenRead more