I am always amazed at how many different plants there are in the prairie and how many different ways they flower. Pollinators have to be very creative in the ways they go to each plant. Some plants have to have specialized pollinators to get the job done. I will just show some pictures of each plant's flower, sometimes with a pollinator and give its name and maybe a few details.
Wild bergamot or beebalm is a very common native prairie flower that grows throughout the park. All sorts of interesting bees and other pollinators are attracted and feed on this plant's flowers. It is a member of the mint family and is an ingredient of Earl Grey tea.
Lemon beebalm. This relative is less common in the park and elsewhere. We found some behind the row of trees across the road and a little northwest from the parking lot by the cemetary.
Butterfly weed is a member of the milkweed family
Whorled milkweed. Zoom in on both of these milkweed flowers and notice how individual flowers are shaped similarly but have different sizes and colors.
Culvers root
Leadplant is a member of the pea family.
Pale jewelweed has a very unique flower.
Creeping bellflower. Notice the little bee coming in to pollinate in the middle of the flowers.
Tall bellflower with bumblebee. This flower is found at the edge of wooded areas and in many places in the woods as well where light filters through the canopy.
Orange day lilies cover a large area near the woods by airplane hill. It is not a native plant so someone must have planted them there and they spread all over the area.
Hoary alyssum
White prairie clover
Narrow-leaved purple coneflower
Black-eyed Susan
Grey-headed coneflower
Showy tick trefoil
Fleabane.
Canadian thistle with a monarch on it, The park is trying to control and limit the spread of this thistle. It spreads very easily and often crowds out native prairie plants.
Hoary vervain
Anise hyssop. Another member of the mint family but this one smells like anise or licorice.
Prairie phlox
American germander
Many of you have heard about the push for planting native plants for pollinators. Most of you know that monarch butterflies need milkweed plants to lay their eggs on and their caterpillars use them as their only food. I contribute to a group on iNaturalist called Invertebrates on Milkweed. I have contributed 29 observations and 21 different species. So far the group has 751 observations and 237 species. I will share below some of the bugs I have seen on milkweed and then on beebalm. I will also share some on some other random prairie plants like lead plant. I hope you find it interesting to see the diversity of size, shape and color of these bugs. Scientists are still finding how some of these bugs contribute to our ecosystem.
Tiny Oleander aphids on common milkweed. Lady bugs eat lots of these aphids
I thought these were lady bugs at first, but it turns out they are swamp milkweed leaf beetles. They eat the leaves of swamp milkweed as you can see above and not aphids.
Milkweed tussock moth caterpillars in these numbers skeletonize a milkweed plant very quickly. These are still small as you can see from the veins of the milkweed.
Red milkweed beetle
Large milkweed bug
Small milkweed bug
Bumblebee on beebalm
Small bee on beebalm. Compare its size to the flower and bumblebees to the flower in other pictures in this update
Black and gold bumblebee on beebalm. This is one of the biggest sized bee of all bees in Minnesota.
Black and gold bumblebee and grasshopper on same beebalm flower
Harvestman or daddy long legs spider on tall bellflower
Crab spider on milkweed
A small leaf cutter bee on s plant called motherwort. Notice the hairy underbelly of this bee, Pollen gets caught on the hairs there and this is a way for them to carry it to the next flower and pollinate it. It also carries it on to their nest.
Eastern scaly mining bee on leadplant. Notice the color of its leg and the color of the pollen on the leadplant. Many bees like this one have pollen pockets on their legs that they stuff pollen into to take back to the nest.
In the April 30 Update I mentioned that we hoped to monitor and improve the bluebird houses at Fort Ridgely. Becky and I were encouraged in May when we found bluebird eggs in three of the boxes (5 eggs in two and 4 in the third).
Bluebird nest and eggs.
Another bluebird nest
This bluebird was on a branch of a tree not far from one of the nests
Another view of the mother or father bird.
A week or so later one of these nests had baby birds that hatched and were developing.
4 bluebirds shortly after hatching and one egg didn't hatch.
3 days later they are much more protected with feathers.
In the meantime, the eggs in the other nests were gone when we looked. We were not sure if some predator got in and ate the eggs or if another bird pushed them out. We saw no broken eggs below the boxes, I am sad to say that we found this batch of bluebird babies dead about a week later. There had been some heavy rains in this time so maybe the mother got hurt or the babies got wet and died. In, I would say, half of the 20+ boxes, including one that had bluebird eggs, we found twig nests inside, Wrens use twigs in their nests. Though they are small birds they are very aggressive and territorial. I have had one buzz by right over my head when I assume I got too close to its nest. Bluebird people have told me that they are mean to bluebirds and have actually killed bluebirds. Maybe also they are at least part of the reason bluebirds were unsuccessful in the May laying and hatching
.On a brighter note, we had at least one successful hatching in the second laying of eggs in June and early July. There is also sometimes a third batch of eggs by some birds in late summer.
5 bluebirds with eyes still closed on June 30.
On July 4 only 2 birds were left in the nest with eyes open. I assume the other 3 had "flown the coop" or fledged. A couple days later these 2 were gone from the nest too.
I have been in contact with the Bluebird Recovery Program of Minnesota (BBRP) about fixing and updating the 20+ bluebird houses at Fort Ridgely. I have applied for a grant for them to supply 10 new boxes next year for the park. Staff at the park has also said they could possibly make some new boxes to replace dilapidated ones. I gave them plans that were on the BBRP website.
On September 14, Nancy Engel and her husband from BBRP are coming to give us advice on what boxes need to be replaced or moved and what are good new locations. We may need help taking down old boxes and putting up any new ones they may be able to bring. Let me know if you would like to do this as the DNR has some new regulations and forms we need to fill out before working with staff at the park on this. Nancy, her husband, Becky and I will need to fill out these forms too. I will give more details in the next update or two.
There is much interest in native plants and planting them for pollinators and other native insects and animals. Walk with Bix Baker, volunteer naturalist for Fort Ridgely, and see how many of these plants are in the park and how they give us a picture of what life was like hundreds of years ago in this area. You may see some plants, insects and animals that you have never seen before. Meet in the chalet parking lot. We will walk through the prairie in the valley below the chalet.
Technology, like cell phones, can be used to help you appreciate the natural things at Fort Ridgely. Meet Bix Baker, volunteer naturalist for Fort Ridgely, at the park office to download a few apps onto your cell phones. We will then take them out to help us identify birds (by their song or a picture) with one app (Merlin). ANother app (iNaturalist) will identify all living things including plants, animals, insects, mushrooms and lichens. Good information about each item is often there on the app to give you new insights into how they fit into the beautiful ecosystem we live in.
Imagine journeying thousands of miles to a new home in the southern reaches of the world. Now imagine you are the size of a golf ball and only use your wings to get you there! Monarch butterflies migrate every fall and by tagging them, we can join them in their cross-country adventures.
Participate in citizen science with a park naturalist and learn first-hand how to tag monarch butterflies and find out how scientists can use this information to help protect these beautiful sky travelers.
To join, please meet at the Upper Picnic Shelter near the Amphitheater at 10 a.m.
Discover what natural treasures you may find in the park by going on an adventure with a park naturalist! We'll visit a variety of habitats, including prairies, woodlands, wetlands, and more! Each has its own set of plants, animals, and bugs to find. This hike is designed for families with children and is appropriate for all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
The trip will be about 1 mile on gravel trails. Bring water, sunscreen, and bug spray if preferred. It is also recommended to wear sturdy and comfortable footwear.
To join, please meet at outside of the Chalet at 2 p.m.
Embark on an exciting family adventure with a beginner canoe program with Minnesota State Park staff! We will dive into the basics of canoeing while discovering the beauty of nature from the unique perspective on the water. Whether you're new to canoeing or looking to improve your skills, our program offers the perfect blend of education, excitement, and exploration for families. Participants must be 8 years of age or older and children 15 years of age or under must be accompanied by an adult.
To join, registration is REQUIRED , please email Kelsey.M.Moe@state.mn.us . Once registration is confirmed, additional information and details will be emailed before the day of the program.
Dean Urdahl will show the third film in his series of films about the Dakota Uprising at the Fairfax library from 5 - 7pm on August 20.
Another event for kids is being put on by Kelsey at the Fairfax Public Library on September 20 at 4pm. She will be doing a nature craft with them and giving a presentation on fall colors and leaves. I will give more details when I get them.
In closing here are two pictures I took of and energetic deer momma near the museum building. She had a fawn but I did not get a picture of it.
