Slender lady's tresses: Spiranthes lacera var. gracilis

The slender lady's tresses started blooming about a week ago at the Main Prairie. These flowers are fairly abundant this year.  I would estimate a total of 20 to 30 flowering stems are blooming throughout the Main Prairie.

Before today I have never seen butterflies utilizing spiranthes for nectar.  Pictured above is a pearl crescent butterfly.  In this same area I spotted 2 small hairsteak butterflies which were also actively feeding on this orchids flowers.

Stiff goldenrod: Solidago rigida

The stiff goldenrod and gray goldenrod populations at the Main Prairie are responsible for the prairies current color scheme.

Back to the Main Prairie

The Main Prairie at Big Hollow

 

Compared to mid July the Main Prairie has entered a lull period in its flower phenology.  The slight haze of yellow in places foreshadow the flowering of several species of goldenrod later in August.

and has

Cirsium discolor patch

 

 

In areas along the woods edge field thistle has started blooming. These areas have become a fixture for nectar foraging insects.

Hemaris thysbe: Hummingbird Clearwing

Big Hollow Mesic Prairie

Northern blazing-star: Liatris scariosa

The Liatris scariosa plants at the Mesic Priairie at Big Hollow are blooming presently. 

Heliathus strumosus

Pictured above is a large colony of sunflowers that grow out onto the footprint of a sewer line right of way.  This area looked more less like bare mineral soil last winter from heavy equipment activity.  Fortunately the disturbance in this area was very superficial and the prairie and this adjacent sunflower patch were not damaged.

The Sporobolus Grassland

Today I visited a unique grassland not far from the Big Hollow Prairie.  I've come to call it the Sporobolus Grassland, be cause poverty dropseed or Sporobolus vaginiflorus is the dominant graminoid at this site. 

Allium cernuum was blooming in abundance

 Poverty dropseed leaves are long and wiry and create a beautiful wispy texture in grasslands where it predominates.  Unfortunately this seems to be last remaining dropseed grassland in the area.  Most grasslands in Pennsylvania are not stable and are changing to woodland and invasive shrub thickets.  Black walnuts are encroaching upon this grassland.  In addition, the exotic invasive bush honeysuckles and autumn olive are problematic invaders at this site as well.

Flowering spurge: Euphorbia corrollata

Flowering spurge is blooming in abundance in this habitat.

A small colony of Pale indian plantain: Cacalia atriplicifolia, grows at this site