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Species of the Week |
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Plant of the Week Critter of the Week Bird of the Week Insect of the Week
Epilobium: from 2 Greek words epi, "upon," and lobos, "a pod or capsule," as the flower and capsule appear together, the corolla being borne on the end of the ovary angustifolium: Latin for "narrow leaf" This showy perennial grows 2 to 6 feet tall on single stems. The hot-pink flowers are 4 parted, stalked, and 3/4 to 1 1/2 inch wide. They grow on a long terminal cluster, flowering over time from the bottom to the tip. The seedpods are long and narrow, with tufts of hair at the tips. The alternately-growing leaves are long and narrow, crowded on the stem.
Native Americans of the Northwestern US used the tough stem fibers of Fireweed to make twine and fishnets. The Flambeau Ojibway used the outer rind soaked in water and pounded to make a poultice to draw out boils. Fireweed is edible and, when properly prepared, a source of vitamin A. It can be used in salad in the spring, when the first tender shoots appear, until late in the summer when the blooms are at their peak and can be made into fireweed honey, jelly and tea. Click here for a recipe for Fireweed Honey and other recipes. Fireweed is also found in the old world, and many sources cite information about it showing up after the Great Fire of London of 1666, growing profusely around burned-out buildings. It appeared again in great numbers in bombed-out areas of London in 1944: "There is a brilliant rose-purple plant that Londoners call rose-bay willow herb. Americans call it Fireweed because it blazes wherever a forest fire has raged. It will not grow in shade, but there is little share as yet in the London ruins. It likes potash, and the ruins are full of wood ash. It sweeps across this pockmarked city and turns what might have been scars into flaming beauty." ~ Lewis Gannett, New Your Herald Tribune, 1944.
The Eastern kingbird is a medium-sized black and white flycatcher. It's head and back are dark, and the underside of the throat, chest and belly are white. The tail-feathers are tipped with white. Males have a bright yellow-orange to red crown patch that may be seen during the breeding season (most of the time it is hidden). Males and females are very similar, and the juveniles have the same pattern but the white tips on the tail feathers are less prominent. Eastern kingbird is a common sight at Crex Meadows. It nests in small trees in both prairies and wetlands, along roadsides, in open fields with scattered trees, and in forest clearings. They feed on flying insects, swooping after them from perches, then returning (often) to the same perch. It may occasionally feed on berries as well, but usually only during the winter. Eastern kingbirds are aggressive defenders of their territory, often attacking crows, hawks, and other intruders that pass through it's territory. They will chase off the intruder, pecking at them until they are satisfied that the threat has passed. During the breeding season, they will only socialize with their mate and offspring, but in their wintering grounds, they stay in loose flocks of many birds.
Franklin's ground squirrels are larger than the average ground squirrel. They have a slender and elongated body that measures 14-15 inches in total length, tail length measures 5-6 inches. The head and tail are grayish as a result of alternating bands of black and white on the individual hairs. The feet are pale gray and the ears are short and ovate. Males are heavier than females and winter and summer weights vary significantly. Franklin's ground squirrel can be found in the tallgrass prairie areas of the north central United States and adjacent parts of Canada. They live at the border between grassy areas and woody vegetation because of the diverse food sources available (Baker, 1983). These squirrels are not often seen because of their preference for densely vegetated areas. They are a semi-colonial species. Mating occurs from the late April to mid-May and young are born between late May to mid-June. A few squirrels have been identified in Crex Meadows this year, but had been noticiably absent in the past few years. They are listed as a species of Special Concern in Wisconsin, mainly due to their declining habitat. Go to Previous Critters (mammals, reptiles, and amphibians) INSECT OF THE WEEK Thank you mn-windchill, again, for the photo and information for this week's species of the week! June 25, 2010: Edwards Hairstreak Satyrium edwardsii Edwards hairstreak identifying characteristics are the circular brown spots on the underside of the forewing, which are outlined with white. These spots become more irregular shaped on the underside of the hindwing, but are still outlined with white. For a beginner, the Banded hairstreak is the most similar species on Crex Meadows but the Banded hairstreak has rectangles topped with white lines on the forewing, with the first three of these rectangles almost in a straight line, where the Edwards has circles/ovals. The Banded hairstreak rectangles continue on the hindwing also. The Acadian hairstreak is gray rather than brownish and has no rectangles, only circles and black lines/dashes. The Edwards hairstreak (and Banded Hairstreak) have a submedian rectangle on the forewing underside and the hindwing underside that the Acadian hairstreak does not have.
Rectangles and brown indicate Banded. Circles, lines and gray indicate Acadian. The Edwards hairstreak wingspan is 1 1/8 - 1 1/2 inches (3 - 3.8 cm). They have one flight in Wisconsin and fly the meadows most of the month of July. Hairstreaks begin to appear on Crex Meadows in late June. The Edwards hairstreak is common most years but often found only in twos or threes. Look for them where butterfly weed (orange milkweed) and oak (their host plant) are close together. Often an Edwards hairstreak will move between the nectar source and its host plant, the oaks, usually around 2-3 feet off the ground. They also defend their territory against other Edwards hairstreaks, and are known to head buzz a photographer on occasion. These hairstreaks reportedly have a symbiotic relationship with ants, the ants guard the caterpillars and later caterpillars (3rd instar) produce a honeydew that the ants eat. What is not understood yet is why the ants protect the earlier caterpillars, which do not secrete the honeydew treat. Early caterpillars feed during the day, older caterpillars spend the day at ground level in care of the ant colony, coming out at night to feed. The Edwards hairstreak also pupate at the base of their host tree again under protection of the ants they rely on. Photos of caterpillars with ants: http://bluejaybarrens.blogspot.com/2010/05/edwards-hairstreak-eggs-and-larvae.htmlCLICK HERE FOR WHAT IS BEING SEEN IN THE WILDLIFE AREA THIS WEEK! REFERENCES (for all Species accounts) Coffey, Timothy. The History and Folklore of North American Wildflowers. Houghton Mifflin Co. Boston, MA. Crudishank and Crudishank. 1958. 1001 Questions Answered About Birds. Dover Publications, Inc., New York, NY. Cutright, Harriman, and Howe. 2006. Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Wisconsin. Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, Inc., Waukesha, WI. Elphick, Dubbibg, Sibley. 2001. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. National Audubon Society. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York, NY. Janssen, Tesson, and Kennedy. 2003. Birds of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Lone Pine Publishing, Auburn, WA. Ladd, Doug. 2001. North Woods Wildflowers. Globe Pequot Press. Guilford, CT. Ladd, Doug and Oberle, Frank. 2005. Tallgrass Prairie Wildflowers, 2nd Edition. Globe Pequot Press. Guilford, CT. Mead, Kurt. Dragonflies of the North Woods. Kollath+Stensaas Publishing. Duluth, MN Tekiela, Stan. 2000. Wildflowers of Wisconsin. Adventure Publications, Inc., Cambridge, MN. Weber, Larry. 2006 Butterflies of the North Woods, 2nd Edition. Kollath+Stensaas Publishing. Duluth, MN http://www.answers.com/topic/crab-spider http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/PUBL/wlnotebook/bear.htm http://www.enature.com/fieldguides http://www.henriettesherbal.com/eclectic/kings/scrophularia.html http://www.gpnc.org/goldenro.htm
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July
25, 2010: Fireweed:
Epilobium angustifolium Evening Primrose Family Onagraceae;
a.k.a. Great willow herb
Fireweed
responds well to burning. It grows mainly in wet areas, and will
show up in good numbers after a sedge marsh is burned by the Crex crew
in the spring. The blooming period at Crex is late-June to early
September, reaching it's peak near the end of July. Look for it
along Main Dike Road east of the pumphouse (the photos here were taken
on July 24 at this site) and along other wet areas throught Crex Meadows
and Fish Lake Wildlife Areas.
July
July
25, 2010: Mink Spermophilus franklinii
