June

6/1/23

6/6/23

Common Milkweed (A. syriaca) seed pods sighted in Redbanks prairie.
Rattlesnake Master (E. yuccifolium) flower heads are up, sighted in Fireworks West prairie.
Black Eyed Susan (R. hirta) is the dominant flowering plant in all Firework Prairies.

Black Eyed Susan Variation found in Prairie Five.

6/9/23

First flower of Starry Rosinweed (S. asteriscus) sighted in Fireworks West Prairie
First flowers of Roundleaf Thoroughwort (E. rotundifolium) sighted in Fireworks West Prairie.
First Purple Coneflower (E. purpurea) sighted in Fireworks West.
Black Eyed Susan (R. hirta) with phenological variation sighted in Prairie Five. Additional petals seen growing in the center of flower.

6/12/23

Bobwhite heard calling twenty-three times in ~12 minutes, Fireworks East Prairie.
Dense Blazing (L. spicata) star flower buds present in Firework Prairies.
Hole found in Rattlesnake Master (E. yuccifolium) – possible plant boring insect.

Common Milkweed (A. syriaca) seed pods.

6/13/23

Walked Fireworks West Prairie with Dr. Travis Knowles and Dr. Nathan Harness. Black Eyed Susan mutation sighted. The individual had a wider stem and elongated center.

6/14/23

Black Eyed Susan (R. hirta) and Erigeron species are dominant flowering plants in Steele Jax prairie.
Two Buckeye Butterflies were sighted mating in Steele Jax Prairie.
Butteflyweed (A. tuberosa) seed pods sighted in Steele Prairie.
Partridge Pea (C. fasciculata) leaves sighted in Indian Mound Prairie.

Black Eyed Susan (R. hirta) color mutation.

6/15/23

Black Eyed Susan plants (R. hirta) in halfmoon, specifically prairie one, have heavy mutations with various red patterns appearing on the flowers. Over 25 individuals photographed in prairie one.
Bumblebee species (Bombus) sighted feeding on Horse Nettle (S. carolinense) flower.
First flower of Grey-Headed Coneflower (R. pinnata) sighted in Prairie Five.
First flower of White Morning Glory (L. lacunose) sighted in Prairie Five along edge.
First flower of Virginia Buttonweed (D. virginiana) sighted in Prairie Five.
First flower of Creeping Eryngo (E. prostratum) sighted on the prairie floor in Prairie Seven.

6/19/23

First flower of Seedbox (L. alterniflora) sighted in Fireworks West Prairie.
First flower of Virginia Meadow Beauty (R. virginica) sighted in Fireworks West Prairie along the edge of Fireworks Pond.
Additional holes found in Rattlesnake Master (E. yuccifolium) plants with two caterpillars being retrieved. Caterpillars were photographed and sent to entomologists for identification.

6/21/23

Received 1.38 inches of rain from 6/19-6/21. Halfmoon prairies are extremely wet, frogs can be heard in the puddles along prairie edges.
Dogbane (A. cannabinum) seed pods present in Prairie Four.

Grey Headed Coneflowers (R. pinnata) found in Francis Prairie.

6/27/23

The first flower of Grey-Headed Coneflower (R. pinnata) was found in flower in Francis Prairie.
The first flower of Dense Blazing Star (L. spicata) was found in Francis Prairie.

6/28/23

Tracked turtles with Sydney Grant
Red mushroom species found in a pine stand, possibly the Blood Red Webcap Mushroom (C. sanguineus) but not confirmed.

Rainfall Review