Oct. 28,2011 Pelicans at Goose Island

Pelican flock on the Mississippi south of La Crosse

There are many Brown Creepers cleaning the insects from our trees with their curved bills.

October along the South Branch of the Root River in Forestville State Park.

LATE BLOOMING ASTERS AND GOLDENRODS SUPPORT LIFE

Red Admiral butterfly on New England Aster. Red Admirals have two hatches with this later fall hatch being both larger and darker colored that the earlier hatch. Red Admiral larve feed exclusively on nettles. Yes nettles do serve a purpose in this world.

No this is not a bee. This is a beefly. There are at least 3 species of beeflies that are currently in our prairie using the last of the blooming flowers-the New England Asters, frost aster, sky-blue aster, and Stiff Goldenrods as food. Notice the wings are held like a fly and not as a bee does(bees hold their wind folder back-see next picture.)

Bumblebee on Showy Goldenrod

Ambush bug hidding in a Stiff Goldenrod flower and waiting for other insects to eat.

Still have a few Monarch. This one is one a New England Aster.

Monarch on Frost Aster

Yellow sulfer on New England Aster

Painted Lady butterfly on New England Aster

Milkweed bugs on Stiff Goldenrod

This Green Darner dragongly put up for the night just outside the kitchen window on our Norway Spruce.

Red Meadowhawk Dragonflies mating. The female is under the red male.

Upper Iowa and Root River sightings

Canoeing the Upper Iowa River

Shadow of Water Strider on river bottom. The Water Strider itself is just to the right and up a little from the shadow.

Young Wood Ducks

Hills South Branch Root River

Fall on Root River from Moen Bridge

Puffball fungi

Last hummer left Sept 26,2011