On the Friends field trip this morning, exploring the Class of 1918 Marsh, Glenda Denniston spotted a bunch of Shaggy Mane mushrooms (Coprinus comatus) popping up in the athletic field along the path. She reported that they are edible and excellent when sliced lengthwise and fried in butter. These pretty fungi are aptly named for their frilly head dress. Photo G. Denniston.
Shaggy Mane mushrooms are common in late summer or fall. They tend to grow in fairly hard soil, rather than loose forest floors, and are found along roadsides or even compacted grassy areas such as the playing fields.
15 Comments
Wisconsin is part of the Upper Midwest spring breeding area for Monarchs. They generally arrive from Mexico in May and June, looking for milkweed to lay hundreds of eggs. The caterpillars developing from the eggs then enjoy the milkweed leaves for their food, building up poison from the milkweed in their system. This poison helps protect them and the cocoon they soon form against ants, spiders, and wasps. The poison later helps the adult Monarch emerging from the cocoon to fend off predators, such as birds.
Cold and wet weather, of course, diminish reproductive success of the Monarch.The early three generations of Monarchs live only six weeks after they emerge from the cocoon. Later generations live up to eight months and can make the trek back the Monarch's hibernation place in Mexico – if they find enough milkweed to feed on the way. Unfortunately, as we all know, in the monarch migration corridor to the south a large portion of the milkweed habitat has been eliminated – lost to the expanding corn belt and use of agricultural herbicide, as well as development. According to an estimate by the Director of the Monarch Watch at the University of Kansas, 5-15 million milkweed, via planting of seeds and plugs, will be required to offset the habitat losses for milkweed in the monarch migration corridor. Don't forget to pack milkweed seeds when you travel south. Gisela
The early spring ephemerals we have been waiting for so long are here to make you smile. This bloodroot on the Upper Bill's Woods trail opened its blossoms toward the sun today, just ahead of the delicate Dutchman's Breeches, the gently arching Virginia Bluebells, and simply shaped Trillium. Hepatica was blooming by the Tent Colony path. The spring flower show should be at its best at the time of the next field trip: Spring Wildflowers of the Preserve, May 4 (Sunday) 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm led by Glenda Denniston. Mark your calendar. And what flowers did you see? |
AuthorGisela Kutzbach and contributors Archives
May 2022
|