2024-04-04: Pollinators at Schafer State Park

A beautiful day, so once I determined I could get away with it, I clocked out for a long lunch break and headed over to Schafer State Park. Several picnickers out. I crossed the bridge and headed up the trail alongside the river. All sorts of flowers blooming. Not just the Trillium and Cardamine that I'm seeing everywhere right now, but checkerlily and some buds I couldn't recognize. I'll need to go back to find out what they'll be!

It was a bit cool, and at first I thought I was going to get skunked on pollinators -- until I came upon a stand of blooming Oregon-Grape with daisies beneath it. I spent a good 20 minutes watching the bees and flies at that spot (though most of them were too fast for me, and the bees vacated the Oregon-Grape when I arrived and didn't return while I was there). On the Bellis perennis I saw Dialictus, Pieris marginalis, Bombylius major, and some syrphids I didn't manage to get photos of. On the Oregon-Grape, I saw Bombus, Andrena, and a small syrphid. There were also some dandelions nearby and I was fascinated to notice that nothing visited them.

After determining that I was unlikely to see anything new at that site, I headed a little further up the trail, where I saw what looked like an Andrena approaching some trillium. I watched, curious, but the bee veered hastily off at the last moment. When I approached the flower, I saw a crab spider feasting happily on half a fly.

Further investigation at this site revealed couple lovely little ichneumonids. I photographed one for a little while, then decided against heading uphill - the higher ground seemed a bit windy and it was getting towards time to head back. I returned to the Oregon-Grape stand, pausing to admire a very attractive Red-Breasted Sapsucker. Back at the stand, I found a nice jumping spider and some tachinids.

It was at this point much later than I should have stayed, so with immense regret, I returned to the car and went to finish my work day.

Posted on April 6, 2024 09:18 AM by wildnettle