PRAIRIE LILY A RARE PLANT FOUND ON HAYEN PRAIRIE AND LEROY PRAIRIE

PALE PURPLE CONEFLOWER

PURPLE CONEFLOWERS

COMMON MILKWEED HAS SMELLS ALMOST LIKE LILACS

QUEEN ANNE'S LACE (WILD CARROT) IS AN INVASIVE SPECIES

THIMBLEWEED ON OUR PRAIRIE

LEAD PLANT A TRUE PRAIRIE PLANT

BEARDTONGUE FOXGLOVE ON LEROY PRAIRIE

SPURGE IN OUR DITCH

HYSSOP SMELLS LIKE LIKE THE OLD BLACK CROW CANDY

RATTLESNAKE MASTER IS A TRUE PRAIRIE FLOWER AND RESEMBLES THE CACTUS FAMILY

MORE BUTTERFLIES

CRAP IS GOOD FOR SOMETHING

ANGLE WING BUTTERFLIES LOVE ANYTHING THAT IS ROTTEN OR STINKS-PROBABLEY AFTER THE MINERALS

PAINTED LADY BUTTERFLIES ARE JUST THAT

SULFUR BUTTERFLIES

SULFUR BUTTERFLIES LIKE TO FIND DRIED UP PUDDLE AREAS TO FEED ON THE MINERALS LEFT BEHIND-THEIR ARE SEVERAL SPECIES OF SULFURS AND I THINK THIS ONE IS CALLED THE PINK EDGED SULFUR

BRONZE COPPER BUTTERFLIES ARE ONLY ABOUT 1.5 INCHES

FRITTILARYS LIKE MILKWEED

DRAGONFLIES ARE ALSO EMERGING

THIS YEARS NEW RED ADMIRALS HAVE HATCHED

RED-SPOTTED PURPLE TOP WING VIEW

RED-SPOTTED PURPLE UNDERWING VIEW

BABY WRENS LEAVE THE NEST

red-spotted purple butterflies(top view of wings)

Red-Spotted Purples feed on cherry trees in the larva stage and are very common right now , if there are cherry trees in the area.

fritillary butterfly

THE FRITILLARY FAMILY includers several species found in out area. This is a Great Spangled Fritillary on a common milkweed in flower. They also feed on violets a larva.

mourning cloack butterfly

one of the few butterflies to overwinter and come out early in the spring. I assume the name comes from it's colors-like a death robe??

cresent butterfly about 1.5 inches across

note the small half-moons or cresents at the bottom of the wing. this gives the butterfly it's name.

cresent butterfly on black-eyed susan

male and female

male and female rose breasted grosbeaks now common at feeders

female is quite dull colored as will the young when they start comming to the feeders.

butterflyweeds now just starting to bloom-great for butterflies as the name implies

early sunflowers now common

hemlock blooms in wet areas

hemlock is deadly-especially the roots

indigo on forestville prairie

indigo comes in two species, a white flowered, and a cream colored species. roots were used for dye.

SPIDERWORT ON FORESTVILLE PRAIRIE

SPIDERWORT CAN ALSO BE FOUND ALONG FILLMORE CTY RD #2 (EAST OF THE CTY #1 AND CTY#2 INTERSECTION).

THE COUNTY PLANTED PRAIRIE MIX ALONG THIS STRETCH OF ROAD WHEN THEY REDID COUNTY 2 SEVERAL YEAR AGO. THIS ROAD SHOWCASES WHAT A GOOD QUALITY UNMOWED DITCH CAN PRODUCE FOR FLOWERS AND WILDLIFE. MANY OTHER PRAIRIE FLOWERS BLOOM ALONG THIS ROAD DURING THE SUMMER.

SOLOMAN'S SEAL IN UNMOWED DITCHES OF AREA

PRAIRIE PHLOX

PRAIRIE OR DOWNY PHLOX ARE FOUND IN UNMOWED DITCHES THAT WERE ONCE PART OF THE GREAT PRIRIES THAT COVER MOST OF SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND IOWA.

CANADA ANEMONE

THIS FLOWER IS A FLOWER OF UNMOWED DITCHES AND PRAIRIES AND WOODLAND EDGES.

OX EYE

THE EARLY SUNFLOWER OR OX-EYE IS A TRUE NATIVE PLANT OF PRAIRIES AND UNMOWED DITCHS OF THIS AREA.

OX EYE DAISY

THIS DAISY IS AN ALIEN THAT HAS ESCAPED FROM GARDENS AND NOW POPULATES MANY DITCHES IN S.E. MINNESOTA AND N.E. IOWA.

GOAT'S BEARD

THE GOAT'S BEARD FAMILY LOOKS LIKE A HUGE GLOBE SHAPED DANDILION WHEN IT GOES TO SEED.

YARROW FAMILY

WILD PARSLEYOR DILL

THIS PLANT IN AN ALIEN INVADER OF DITCHES AND PRAIRIES. IT CAN GROW UP TO 5+ FT. AND CAUSES A BURN LIKE RASH TO THE SKIN. THE COMBINATION OF JUICE FROM THE LEAF OR FLOWER OF THE PLANT, SUNLIGHT, AND SWEAT CREATES AN ALMOST ACID LIKE COMPOUND THAT BURNS THE SKIN. I HAVE HAD THESE BURNS LAST OVER A YEAR. NOTE THAT IS LOOKS SOMEWHAT LIKE THE NATIVE SPECIES OF PRAIRIE PLANT CALLED GOLDEN ALEXANDER.

BLUE FALG IRIS??? ALONG CTY 44

WE ARE NOT 100% SURE THIS IS BLUE FLAG, BUT IT DOES APPEAR TO BE.

yellow sweet clover in ditches

SWEET CLOVER COMES IN BOTH YELLOW AND WHITE.

IT WAS USED MANY YEARS BY FARMERS AS A CROP FOR CATTLE AND ESCAPED INTO OUR DITCHES. CAN BECOME A PROBLEM PLANT AND REACHE 4+FT. IN HEIGHT.