Orchids to 'weeds Tour

• Sunday June 28, 1:00 PM: Seven vehicles roll out of the Lowe-Volk Park of Crawford County, with a mixed assemblage of park and Greater Mohican Audubon members. We are in pursuit of flora.
  

Prairie Fringed Orchid, Platanthera leucophaea, a bird's-eye view reveals individual flowers look a bit like an doll wearing a large prairie bonnet.

• This Federally Endangered species resides at Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area under the management of ODNR- remember to purchase a Wildlife Conservation license plate to help support them, as our legislature is hacking their funds to balance a budget. My wildlife diversity plate says: Shovler.
  
  

In its full glory, 50 dancing angels. These beautiful flowers are moth pollinated; lose the lepidoptera and you lose the orchid. Diversity of species is important, and many seemingly insignificant players, have a vital role.


Here is our group, at least the not-shy ones, we were 17 in total. Warren Uxley was the leader of this flora foray, and a knowledgeable fellow to have about. This photo was from our second stop- the 'weed portion of the tour: Castalia Resthaven Prairie Wildlife Area.

A portion of the group scours the field, while others practised photography in the glorious sea of orange: Butterfly-weed, Asclepias tuberosa. This is the same prairie famous for Small White Lady's-slipper orchid in late April and a spectacular display of tall grasses and native sunflowers in late summer.

Our Hairstreak butterfly du jour was a dime sized Coral Hairstreak nectaring on Butterfly-weed, in fact every time I have seen Coral Hairstreak it has been in conjunction with Butterfly-weed. This is native plant you will want to have in your yard or garden, as a host plant for Monarchs and nectar spa for many other species.