Flora Posts

A Lady, a Snake, and a Late Bloomer by , Ranger

November 4th, 2011

An American Lady (Venessa Virginiensis) was spotted in the aster patch in Catch the Wind yesterday (11/3). In fact, there were several butterfly species and both bumble and honey bees working the tiny asters. An Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) was seen slowly crossing the path in Explore the Wild near the Red Wolf Exhibit. [...] Read the rest of this entry »

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There was Frost on the Pumpkins… by , Ranger

November 1st, 2011

this morning. And down in the Wetlands…     In the bird news, both White-throated Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos have arrived. The sparrows came in last week, the juncos with the same cold front that brought the frost. I saw a dozen or so Chipping Sparrows last week as well but they typically don’t stick around, [...] Read the rest of this entry »

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Fall by , Ranger

September 14th, 2011

There’s little doubt that fall is here. Warblers and other migrant birds are trickling through, the raccoons, groundhogs, and fox are feeding more heavily, and, as mentioned in a previous post, snakes are moving about more. Here’s just a few more signs of the season before us. And, not necessarily a sign of fall but [...] Read the rest of this entry »

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Treefrogs Arrive!! by , Ranger

June 23rd, 2011

It’s that time of year again when we start to see newly morphed treefrogs on the vegetation surrounding the Wetlands. Yesterday (6/22/11), I was out walking the “Wild” with a group of Summer Campers. The sharp-eyed campers spotted the treefrogs pictured here on the branches of the now blooming Buttonbush which grows along the south side [...] Read the rest of this entry »

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Horsetail, you say? by , Ranger

June 23rd, 2011

If you’ve been to the Dinosaur Trail and walked past the Troodons, you’ve seen horsetail. There are more than twenty species of horsetail (Equisetum) some of which grow straight and tall with little branching, some branch out extensively from the hollow central stem, some grow in water, and some grow in dryer habitats, but they [...] Read the rest of this entry »

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Mystery Tree Identified! by , Ranger

May 12th, 2011

Earlier this spring I noticed a small tree or shrub at the bottom of the boardwalk just as you make the turn towards the Black Bear Exhibit, where the boardwalk levels out. I didn’t know what the tree was and I don’t remember seeing it last summer. It was either a very fast growing tree [...] Read the rest of this entry »

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Spring Happenings by , Ranger

April 8th, 2011

There’s been much excitement over the past few days about the Red Wolves and the expected new residents here at the Museum. In the next few days many of you will hike out to the Red Wolf Exhibit to check on our female (1287) to see how she’s doing. I don’t blame you, I’ve been spending [...] Read the rest of this entry »

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Early Blooming Willow and Violet by , Ranger

March 12th, 2011

There are willows currently in bloom on the north side of the Wetlands. Not the Black Willows which will be in flower next month and which dominate the Wetlands, but much smaller trees of a different species. There are only five of these slender trees on the property. Each year as these trees come into [...] Read the rest of this entry »

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Where’s Spring? by , Ranger

March 4th, 2011

There’s still a few weeks to go before it’s officially spring, but as far as I’m concerned, it has arrived. So, here’s some springtime happenings out in Explore the Wild and Catch the Wind. Alders are one of the earliest of woody plants to bloom and the plants here at the Museum have had flowers [...] Read the rest of this entry »

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