I think it’s safe to say that Minnesota has broken its recent pattern of summer droughts. After three years in a row of unusually dry summers, this past June alone saw several inches of rain throughout the state. All that rain actually caused many of the state’s rivers to reach flood stage, something that doesn’t happen too often in Minnesota during the summer. Even in the first week of July another inch of rain has fallen in south-central Minnesota. This precipitation, of course, is a blessing to southern Minnesota’s farmers, as corn and soybeans require a lot of water during the growing season. Southern Minnesota’s wetlands will greatly benefit from this rainfall as they become full again, and it has been at least a couple years since the Linnaeus Arboretum looked this green and lush.
July is the time to observe insects, and unfortunately one of the effects of heavy summer rainfall is a large-scale mosquito hatch. In the past couple of weeks Minnesota’s other state bird has made its presence known in just about every corner of the state, so bad in some places that to step off a paved road means to unwillingly donate blood to a feasting hoard. But mosquitoes aren’t the only insects with an affinity for water surpluses; indeed, there is a much friendlier insect that has recently emerged in large numbers: the Red Admiral butterfly. Observers have been reporting them in gardens throughout southern Minnesota in recent weeks, and yesterday morning the perennial gardens behind the Interpretive Center were aflutter with them. They seem to prefer the blooms of Purple Coneflowers, as yesterday it was nearly impossible to find a single flower head without a Red Admiral nectaring on it. And they truly are friendly insects; it is not uncommon for one or two to land on you! These butterflies tend to do well in wetter years, and thus this summer’s rains have certainly provided the species with the right conditions.
Red Admiral nectaring on Purple Coneflower in Evelyn Young Gardens behind Interpretive Center, 7/7/10.
Here are some other highlights from this week in the Arb:
– Several varieties (colors) of Daylilies and Oriental Lilies blooming in perennial gardens behind Interpretive Center 7/8
– Butterfly Bush beginning to bloom in Bird and Butterfly Garden behind Interpretive Center 7/8
– Cliff Swallows flying above Interpretive Center 7/6
– Scissors-grinder Cicada buzzing in Green Ash in front of Interpretive Center 7/6
– Butterfly Weed and Common Milkweed in full bloom in Uhler Prairie 7/5
I really hadn’t paid much attention to the butterflies and esp. to the red admiral until this year.
One day I was sitting outside and one landed on my arm. A little while later another one landed on my leg.
I decided to get my camera and I took many pictures before I actually caught one on the phlox with its wings fully spread. It turned out amazing. Let me know if you want to see the picture. I could e-mail it to you.
We live in Redwood Falls. But, after this sighting, I did not see them again. There were 2 of them.
Thanks for sharing Joanie. The numbers of Red Admirals appear to be down in recent weeks following their June and early July peak, but you can still find some here and there in any garden. Right now the monarchs and several other species are becoming more prevalent. Keep watching!