It was very nice to see human friends at the NPSOT Trinity Fork plant sale this morning. Additionally the chapter sold almost all the plants. Yeah! If you missed it, put it on your calendar for next year to get your native plants! However get there early to get the best selection. 🙂
Now on with the Caddo NG adventure and the non-human friends which includes the rest, fauna and flora!
So we started along a shady old maintenance road and the first find was this plant. The leaves are really big! Hopefully it will be blooming in a few weeks. It is the Great Coneflower (Rudbeckia maxima)! It will be magnificent! If you are the Denton area you can see it at Lake Ray Roberts SP Isle du Bois Unit. None in Wise County that I am aware of.
Did you notice the folded leaf above? Of course I had to look. It was the home of a spider. I was not a total home wrecker and only peeked (this time). 🙂 They are my friends after all.
In the middle of dirt road were plenty of the Self Heal (Prunella vulgaris).
Ferns in the understory!
It has been quite wet over here in Fannin County so the slugs were out too!
In fact the slug had been hiding with the mosses. Look carefully, it’s in there.
So it was still a bit chilly. And early. Here the soldier fly (Stratiomyidae) had found a nice overnight shelter. The small whitish spot/nub on the fly is its haltere. This takes the place of a hind wing and helps with balancing during flight.
So since it was still chilled, I was able to get this shot of its cool eyes!
Indeed, friends are everywhere, eh! And I for one, need all the friends!
I’ve never seen the great coneflower. Cool.
The octopus photographer is great! Thoughtful words to go along with it.
Yes!😊
Beautiful friend!