Absolutely purty weather!

 Ah, the temperature was so nice this afternoon. No breeze and 62 degrees, I could not have asked for better. Today’s mission on the grasslands was to check if the Trout Lilies (Erythronium mesochoreum) were blooming.

The first critter was this Dainty Sulphur. A delightful find! I have not seen the usual numbers this winter. Yes, they are out in the winter here. There was a Goatweed Leafwing but I didn’t manage to get its photo. My shadow scared it off. The Leafwing was the first of the season for me.

Cymopterus (Vesper macrorhizus) was a nice find. This one has a dirty lavender color.

This Cymopterus is more of a dirty white color. Both the same species. Can’t wait for their cool seedheads. That is my favorite part of the flower of this species. It was Shirley’s too. 
We found multiple fallen paper wasp nests. This one was as wide as my shoe.

I can see an eye on this “critter” and it is smiling!  LOL

This was the first Trout Lily discovered today! Its bloom was not fully open.

Another paper wasp nest! Eventually we saw one still in a tree.

Moss and a crustose lichen on limestone!

This unit has a lot of limestone that is embedded with fossils..

Clam fossils!

A Cymopterus with no bloom and a Missouri Primrose’s (Oenothera macrocarpa) seedpod. The seedpod was a bit shiny.

Grama grass seed heads on the ground next to the greenery that is starting to spread on the prairie.
Low temperature this morning was 32. After all that cold, the plants can not be stopped. Nature is wonderful!  I will do more photos from today in tomorrow’s post.

Keep looking!

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