Happy Memorial Day Weekend

Ambush

When they think of spiders most people think of webs. Charlotte and scary spider movies have helped to reinforce the link between spiders and webs in the public consciousnesses. However not all spiders spin elaborate webs to catch their prey. The goldenrod crab spider is a good example. The goldenrod crab uses camouflage to ambush its prey. It is able to change its color between white and yellow so that it can blend in to a flower where it can wait for prey. When the skipper comes in to the flower to collect nectar and/or pollen the spider attacks, injecting its prey with a paralyzing venom. 

Longing for Sunshine

It's been nearly a week since we have seen the sun here but I am hoping that posting a picture of a sunflower will give some positive karma and will help things to clear up soon.

Wood Lily

The wood lily is a common wild flower found in the eastern and central United States and most of Canada. It grows in sandy soil and prefers a lot of sunlight. Here in Minnesota it usually blloms in July.

Monarch Butterfly

 The monarch is one of the most recognized butterflies in North America. It is found through out most of the continent. The monarch is a brushfoot butterfly (Family Nymphalidae) that is further classified into the subfamily Danainae. Members of the Danainae subfamily are often called milkweed butterflies because their larval host plants are various forms of milkweed. All of the milkweed butterflies in North America are primarily orange and black in color and toxic to most predators. This toxicity comes from the juices of the milkweed plants that the caterpillars eat. Adults feed on nectar from blooming flowers. This monarch is on prairie blooming star which is a favorite of many different species of butterfly in the late summer. In the fall many monarchs migrate south either to southern California, those living in western North America, or the mountains of central Mexico, those living in east and central North America.

Aphrodite Fritillary

 The Aphrodite fritillary is a colorful butterfly that is found in the north eastern half of the United States and south eastern Canada. They are a nectar butterfly and are frequently seen on bright flowers such as this butterfly weed milkweed. Since they usually frit from flower to flower in search of nectar they are also good pollinators. They over winter as a first instar larva (caterpillar) so there is usually only one brood per summer.  I photographed this butterfly at Crex Meadows back when it was a bit warmer outside.

Anthophora Urbana

 The Anthophora Urbana is a solitary bee that can be found in this area. They are a member of the genus Anthophora, a large genus in the Apidae family. They do not live in hives like honey bees. Instead they live in solitary holes that they dig in the soil. Often numerous bees will have burrows in the same area. I commonly find these at Crex Meadows, where I took this photo. Crex has a good number of sand prairies which are excellent habitat for this species. The sand makes it easier to dig burrows and there are plenty of flowers to get nectar from. This bee is perched on butterfly weed. A common form of milkweed with bright orange flowers. As its name would suggest butterfly weed is good at attracting butterflies and other nectar eating insects. 

Least Skipper on Milkweed Flower

The least skipper is a small grass skipper that is found in the eastern United States and south eastern Canada. It is the smallest skipper in North America. Their range extends west to about the middle of the US. They are usually found in wet habitats that have tall grass. Places like marshes, and the edges of ponds, lakes and streams are great places to look for these small butterflies. They look very similar to the European skipper, which is an invasive species that is also found in the eastern half of North America. The hind wing of the least skipper is more rounded and the wing veins are more pronounced then those of the European skipper. The least skipper also has longer antennae that are black and white striped where the European skipper has shorter orange and black antennae. Least skippers are nectar feeders. They often feed on smaller flowers then many other butterflies do including different species of clover and vetch. In this case this butterfly has found the only open bloom on this milkweed plant.

Monarch Butterfly

The monarch is the state butterfly of Minnesota. It is perhaps the most well known butterfly in North America. The monarch is a member of the Danainae subfamily. Danaine are butterflies that larva, caterpillar, eat milkweed. The milkweed that the caterpillar eats makes them toxic to many would be predators. The monarch is one of the few butterflies that migrate south for the winter. In the fall they migrate in large numbers to southern California or central Mexico. During the winter large groups of monarchs perch in trees in a sort of suspended animation. Come February and March they awaken, mate, lay eggs and then die. The generation that hatches will move north where they will lay their eggs and begin the process again. Because of their migration monarchs are occasionally found in Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Aphrodite's Star

 Blazing star is a member of the Aster family that blooms later in the summer (from July to September). This type of blazing star forms long stalky stems that grow in clumps. When it blooms the stalks fill with tightly packed purple flowers. These flowers must produce a lot of nectar because blazing star is always a magnet for many different species of butterfly. In this photo an aphrodite fritillary is feed on the flowers. There are many different species of fritillary butterflies. Most of them are medium to large in size and usually a combination of orange, black and white in color. The aphrodite fritillary is native to the north eastern half of the United States into south eastern Canada. They can be found from the east coast all the way to the Rocky Mountains and as far south as New Mexico in the west and the Carolinas in the east. Their larval host plant are varies violet plants.  

Purple Pitcher Plant

The purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea) is a carnivorous plant that is a member of the Sarraceniaceae family. It is found in the US along the East Coast and the Great Lakes regions as well as the south eastern two thirds of Canada. It is sometimes called the northern pitcher plant because it is the only member of its genus that is found in colder climates.  

The purple pitcher plant is found in boggy habitats. Because the soil in bogs is usually poor in minerals and other nutrients the pitcher plant has evolved to find an alternative source of nutrients. The leaves of the pitcher plant form a cup or pitcher shape. New leaves, which are green like in the first pic, can produce digestive enzymes which collect in the pitcher. The plants then produce a sweet smell which entices insects, like the purplish fritillary above. When smaller insects try to feed they often slip on the slick leaves and fall into the liquid in the pitcher where they are slowly digested. 

 As the leaves age they turn purple and can no longer produce digestive enzymes. Instead they collect rain water which drowns the small insects which fall into the pitcher. The insects are then devoured by insect larva that live in the water that has collected. pitcher plant mosquitoes larva, midge larva and flesh flies devour the trapped prey leaving small amounts of nutrients which the plant absorbs to survive.

The purple pitcher plant flower is also unique. As it blooms it forms an umbrella shaped style. The heavy bloom soon bends the stem over, leaving the style under the ovary where it catches pollen and nectar. Pollinating insects enter the flower through windows in between the leaves and the style where they land. This helps to ensure that the insect will attract pollen on to its body so that it will pollinate the next flower that it visits. In the photo above you get a good view of what the ovary looks like.  

Bird's-foot Trefoil

Bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) is a member of the pea family. It is an invasive species in North America that originated in Europe. It has small clusters of yellow flowers that turn often orange as they age.

Shooting Star

Happy Holidays