To celebrate the drier weather we’ve been enjoying, I took a walk through the front prairie today. It’s been so much fun to see what plants are coming up, and where, after the burn this spring. Prairie plants thrive with disturbances, and the composition of our prairie changes depending on how recently it has been burned.
There are so many Rattlesnake Master plants out right now! With a whitish green, globe-like flower head, they can be easily overlooked or mistaken for other plants on the verge of blooming. Once you see them, though, they are very attention grabbing! The state of MN listed them as a species of Special Concern in 1984, as the population has declined due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
Rattlesnake Master (Photo by Liz Sheppard)
The Butterfly Weed is also in bloom. It is a lesser known milkweed that is a pollinator favorite. We have already spotted Monarchs on them! Fun fact: While the more commonly known milkweeds have white sap, Butterfly Weed has clear sap. It is very eye-catching and we love to see it come back every year!
Butterfly Weed (Photo by Liz Sheppard)
During a visit to our pollinator hotel I had the good fortune to see a bright green, metallic pollinator enter into one of the hotel cells. Initial identification on iNaturalist lists it as a variety of cuckoo wasp, which is very exciting!
(Photo by Liz Sheppard)
(Photo by Liz Sheppard)
We hope that you have a great week and get outside to see these amazing sights! – Liz Sheppard, Naturalist