Observations by illinoisprairiemonk

On West Chicago Prairie, flitting from tall plants and feeding.

Several beautiful patches in Big Woods. Still considered rare. Focus of re-planting efforts at Fermi. Feathery leaves are first sign.Then come the soft white flowers that llok like a little pants!

Emerging in Big Woods among early flowers. Onion smell when rubbed.

The Illinois state flower. One of the first to show up in the spring. More purplish than blue. Great ground cover.

Big Woods wildflower walk

No flowers yet but Ryan pointed them out in walk in Big Woods. Whitish design on green leaf.

While I saw many more on Mississippi River two weeks ago, there was a large crowd on a lake at Fermi, just for a few days.

Spreading around Kingnut Woods. First major flowers this spring.

Huge turtle in creek at Kingnut Woods. I thought it was a boulder in the water but then it began to move. All green on top of shell. Stared at me and seemed unperturbed.

Planted these in woods near Robert Betz Prairie. Apparently, this plant feeds on roots of other invasives or aggressive plants and helps keep a balance. Nice ground cover.

I am doing restoration work in a woods with numerous hickory trees including the Kingnut. We call the woods Kingnut Woods.

Surprised one as we were planting in a restored wood near Robert Betts Prairie

Saw 5 on Heritage Trail in Arboretum. two males, three females.

In Kingnut Woods at Fermilab, John showed me the plants, now without flowers, but still green under the leaves. Large patch of them. Some will be transplanted to other parts of the prairie.

Picking seeds for this aster. Single stem with head of seeds, fluffed out rather than dried out ones.

Picking seeds for this aster. Single stem with head of seeds, fluffed out rather than dried out ones.

Picked seeds--fluffy ones--of this plant in woods at Fermilab. Wider leaves rather than narrow ones. leaves mostly dark red by this time of year.

Spared a fairly tall Silky Dogwood bush on the West Chicago Prairie while cutting out numerous other invasives. Under the power lines where we cannot burn. leaves had already turned reddish-brown.

Stripped seeds off stems in seed house at Fermilab. Gathering for re-seeding areas where they are not yet present in sufficient numbers.

Sorting huge piles of seed heads that have been drying out for weeks since being picked. Now sending them into the hammer mill. Ready for re-seeding by Ryan and Jacques.

I came across at least 10 turtles in a small pond sunning themselves on logs in the water. Sunny, quiet day with no one else around. They seem relaxed and did not dive under water when I came by.

Found in prairie where we were collecting other seeds. Good sign to these plant. Antidote to spread of buslrushes and canary reed grass. Tall, no branches, long seed head.

Found them in prairie while collecting other seeds. A high indicator of prairie health.

Found along road in swampy ditch area at Fermi Seeds are in a box shape. Not sure if this is native.

Collected seeds from vines in shrubby area with numerous fallen logs in Fermilab. Leaves turned yellow. Three sided seed.