August 2024

I have identified 684 species in the prairie.
Newest species that was the most surprising was a Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis).

I saw the bobcat a few days ago, glad he/she is still around.

The following are blooming at this time:
Cup plant is almost over
Boneset is starting
Partridge Pea (Bumble bees and carpenter bees)
Frogfruit is the star!

I mowed the ditch a couple of months ago and the frogfruit exploded. There are 100's of skippers and crescents visiting the area. Also a lot of sweet bees, leaf cutters and furrow bees.

The partridge pea has attracted little yellows and larger yellows mostly, Cloudless Sulphur
Phoebis sennae

There is a markedly lower number of larger butterflies this year. I have seen a few viceroys, a decent number of Gulf Fritillary (Dione vanillae), and a decent number of larger yellow butterflies Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae ) (Partridge pea). But very few swallowtails, or other butterflies I counted in my 2023 butterfly count.

Weather was extremely hot and dry until the last two days of the month. We had zero rain until August 29th. We are at 1.26" for the month. There are definitely plants that suffered due to the heat and drought.

Posted on August 31, 2024 11:47 AM by fstins1