Today was pretty chilly and cloudy. I decided to work on a bug that had been dead in a collection jar for a few days. And so the time really flew by as I tried to ID it. However, this afternoon I had enough of the indoors. So I hopped in the car to go look at a plant in Cooke County. Moreover, I hoped the plants would be in bloom.
And yeah, they were! Jeanne and I had come across the patch a few years ago, but they were not in bloom at the time. So this trip was to determine which species they were. Success! They are the Trout Lilies (Erythronium mesochoreum). I was a little disappointed because I had remembered them being more bunched up. Obviously, I had been hoping for the other species, Erythronium albidum. I collected a few plants for BRIT anyways.
No ants on these, however a spider had used this one to anchor a web.
This was their habitat. After gathering my specimens, I decided to head to the Becker Prairie and check on the Shooting Star rosettes.
OMG, just down the road I found the Erythronium albidum! They were all crunched together and huge compared to Erythronium mesochoreum. It was just like Suzanne had described them to me, BIG! I got my shovel out again to get BRIT some specimens.
When I got home, I laid them out for comparison. The small Erythronium mesochoreum were a third smaller than the Erythronium albidum!
Additionally, I found the Erythronium mesochoreum was blooming at the Becker Prairie. This was exciting too because I didn’t know they were there too. At least, I didn’t remember them there. LOL
Ground-plum (Astragalus crassicarpus) at the Becker Prairie!
Another Trout Lily (Erythronium mesochoreum) and Ten Petal Anemone!
Prairie Groundsel (Packera plattensis)!
Last photo at Becker’s was the Robber Fly (Hadrokolos texanus). The chilled Robber Fly was only six to seven millimeters! Indeed, the Robber Fly was exciting as it was only my second sighting of one ever!
Final photo was of the Clove Currant (Ribes aureum) which is just down the road a mile or two from the Becker Prairie.
What an exciting afternoon! Tomorrow, maybe I will get to the Curry foster home residents.
You did have an exciting day. So many treasures. That clove currant sure is striking. Did you see many insects?
The Robber Fly was the only one I think. I did look tho. 🤷🏻♀️
Wow!! Both kinds!! So cool.
Wow, what an amazing day! Looks like Heaven to me!
What a great find on the trout lilies! Congrats!