Western Fox Snake

This western fox snake (Elaphe vulpine) are common in river and stream valleys like the Skunk River Greenbelt  where I found this confident reptile!  This snake is a valuable consumer of rodents and kills its pray by constricting.  Young western fox snakes feed on frogs (this one was hunting frogs) or young mice.  Adults have been know to eat birds and their eggs out of nests.

Prairie Phlox

Prairie phlox (Phlox pilosa) was everywhere in bloom at Doolittle Prairie in white and dark pink!

Great Spangled Fritillary

Sweet find by my good friend Jake of a great spangled fritillary (Speyeria cybele) avoiding the rainfall by hiding under an eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) branch.  This abundant butterflies is found throughout the state, and its larvae host on violets!

Wave that Flag

Wow found my first, blue flag iris (Iris virginica)!  It's an incredibly beautiful breathtaking flower one I've been hunting for awhile!

Smooth Green Snake

The smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis) is a threatened species in Iowa.

Twelve-spotted Skimmer

This is a twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella).  Without the white spots (on the wings) that males have we know its a female.

Spiked Lobelia

Spiked lobelia (Lobelia spicata) roots were used by native americans for purgatory purposes.

Prairie False Indigo

Prairie false indigo (Baptisia leucantha) is a wonderful prairie plant that grows 2-5 feet on rich tailgrass prairies.  Its seedpods have been used by pioneer children for toy rattles!

Loess Hills

Excavating Snapper

Woodhouse Toad

woos

Sweet Sunrise

Large-Flowered Beardtongue

Yucca

Chickapin Oak

This sweet chickapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) was released from competition from other trees when the remnant underneath was restored!

Blue-eyed Grass

Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium campestre) is common on mesic to dry prairies, also on sandy and moist prairies and in woodland openings.  

Ground Plum

Ground plum (Astragalus crassicarpus) is a food used by native americans, they have the flavor of a pea.  Ground plum is a legume, and like most legumes harbor beneficial bacteria called rhizobia on their  roots.

Hoary Puccoon

Hoary puccoon (Lithospermum canescens), puccoon is an Algonquian word for a plant that yields dye.

Waning Rays

Spiderwort

Spiderwort

Sea of Gold

A sea of Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea)

Giant Swamp White

Swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor)

Canadian Anemone

Canadian Anemone (Anemone canadensis)

Wild Columbine

Wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) - wow, notice the maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum) in the background!

May Apple

May apple (Podophyllum peltatum) flower is located under the may apple's leaves pointing down.  I have heard this flower can be spread by turtles!  

Strawberries Soon!

Wild strawberries (Fragaria vesca) in flower.  This means strawberries soon!

Garter Snake Baskin

Wild Geranium

Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) patch!

Red Admiral

The Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) is an abundant forest butterfly.  It's larvae consumes nettles.  At dusk Red Admirals gather in sunny woodland openings and make circular flights of joy around a perch.

Spring Prairie Burn

Burning a remnant prairie, can't wait to check out the regeneration in June!

Butternut

Closed for Business

Bloodroots waiting for sun!

Way it used to Be

A Beaver (Castor canadensis) dam on Bear Creek.

Spring Beauty

First Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica) of the year!  Can't believe I'm finding ephemerals so early this year!

Dutchman's Breeches

Found this Dutchman's Breeches (Papaveraceae Dicentra cucullaria) last Friday!  My first of the year!

Toadshade

The first Snow Trillium (Trillium nivale) of the year.

Hydroroot

The first Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) of the year.  Notice the Virginia Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum) in the background!

Rue Anemone

The first Rue Anemone (Anemonella thalictroides) of the year!

Green-Winged Butterfly

I should of got the name of this sweet butterfly at Reiman Gardens!  

Multi-Bud

These buds of Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) are awesome! Many low ones were chewed off by deer.  I tried one and wouldn't recommend it!

Three Monks

Slippery stones, balanced self!

Spring Burn

Its great to seen prescribed fire being return as a mechanism to maintain our native ecosystems.  Native americans were a keynote species for ecosystem in that they burned them all the time.  Our ecosystems evolved with fire and without it are quickly changing to something different.

Butternut

Butternut (Juglans cinerea).  Lots of info soon!

1st Hepatica

My favorite phenological event of spring is when I find my first Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis) flower.  Found these at Reactor Woods today! 3/26/15

Notice the fuzzy (pubescent) stems.  I great way to identify Hepatica nobilis.

Woodcock

American Woodcocks (Scolopax minor ) are the Dave Chappelles of birds.  I'm on the hunt to witness their epic mating dance and flight.  Which should be starting anytime now!  I tried to find a good flight video but there isn't any good material available maybe I can capture one!

I can't help thinking who I know he dances like (you know who you are)!

Bluebird Return

This is a cool calendar I found online at NorthRaccon.org.  It give relative dates of important events going on right outside your door!