Kabby Photography

Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta) on Goldenrod

Tawny-edged Skipper (probably male) on Goldenrod

Goldenrod Soldier Beetle on Goldenrod

Common Buckeye butterfly (Junonia coenia)

Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus) on Blue Mist

Eastern Bluebird (male) in Tree. This guy has been scoping out my Bluebird box. If he finds a misses and has a brood, it will be the third this year.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Part of my family of Goldfinches I had feeding in my backyard prairie earlier this afternoon. The first one is a female and the second one (more vibrant colors) is a male. There was at least one other male hanging around.

Dense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)

American Senna (Senna hebecarpa)

This little fen packs a punch for its size.

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

Fun Facts:
• Unique in that it is red as red color in a plant is somewhat rare. Swallowtail butterflies with their compound eyes (and long tongues) are attracted to the flower since they can see the color red. Bees cannot see red, so they aren’t attracted to them.
• While it is easy to assume this common name is in reference to the Cardinal bird, it is in reference to the bright red colors of the robes worn by Roman Catholic Cardinals.
• Was voted the most beautiful wildflower in a 1940 survey of 1,000 botanists and naturalists.
• Finely ground roots are said to be an aphrodisiac (since plant is potentially poisonous, it is not recommended to test this)
• Indian to***co is in the same genus (Lobelia)
• Not so fun fact, plants tend to last just a few years, so it is important to continually let it self-seed.

Pollination Method: Hummingbirds and swallowtail butterflies. Its long tubes require the use of a long tongue in the pollinating species to get to the nectar.
Seed / Propagation: Seeds are important to its propagation as they tend to be short lived. It can also propagate through shoots. The shoots will form a basal rosette the first year and bloom the second.
Edibility: Not edible, all parts are poisonous when eaten in large quantities.
Medicinal: Native Americans used the root tea for stomach aches, typhoid, and worms. The leaves were used for headaches, respiratory issues and digestive problems.
Host for: Several moths will use this plant as a host.
Season: Summer

Name Descriptions
• Cardinal Flower: In reference to the bright red color of the robes of the Roman Catholic Cardinals.
• Genus: Lobelia, named for Flemish physician and botanist, Matthias de L’Obel
• Species: Cardinalis, of Latin cardo “serving as a hinge” or interpreted as “very important.”

Picture of Mother or Father Bluebird getting ready to land to feed their babies. It was getting dark, so the quality of the photo wasn't the greatest, but it was cool watching live.

Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) on Butterfly Milkweed

Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly (Phoebis sennae) on Lance-leafed Coreopsis

Foxglove Beardtonge (Penstemon digitalis):

Fun Facts:
• Since the nectar is at the bottom of this tubular plant, bees will disappear into the flower searching for it.
• Its name, Beardtongue, comes from the tuft of “hairs” that is attached to its lower (one of its five) stamen. This stamen is sterile. See the comments for a close-up of these stamens.
• The hairs of the “beard” hook-like feature to them. These hooks make it a little more difficult for the pollinator to escape. As they struggle to escape, the anthers of the flower wrap around the body of the bee, transferring pollen to it, where it will be given to the next flower.
• The flower consists of five lobed petals. The bottom three act as landing pads so pollinators, such as bumble bees, can land and then craw inside to get to the nectar.
• In addition, these three bottom lobes have purple stripes or runway lights or nectar guides along the bottom inside to help guide insects to it.
• These plants form an important food source to bridge the gap between spring and summer flowering species.

Pollination Method: Primarily from long-tongue bees although butterflies and hummingbirds will visit.
Seeds/Propagation: Seeds and rhizomes.
Edibility: Is known to be toxic.
Medicinal Properties: None known
Host for: Common Buckeye Butterfly, Baltimore checkerspot (although not its preferred plant)
Season: Later Spring, Summer

Name definitions:
• Foxglove: The flower cluster is said to look like the fingers of a glove.
• Beardtongue: A tuft of small hairs sterile stamens protrude from the flower that give the appearance of a fuzzy tongue.
• Penstemon: From Penta or five that relates to the unusual, sterile fifth stamen.
• Digitalis: Latin for finger-like, flowers resemble fingers of a glove

Common Whitetail Dragonfly, male (Platbemis lydia): I happened to notice this on some tree branches I had trimmed. I don't live close to any bodies of water so it would be interesting to know from where it came.

My Lance-leaf Coreopsis started blooming just in time to celebrate Bee Day with my little friend the Sweat Bee. Just look at that pollen on its leg (you might have to click on the picture depending on your device). It must be having gettings its fill.

I hope you were able to get out and see some bees today. With the right native plants, you can just step outside you door like I did this afternoon.

Lance-leaf Coreopsis is a good start and easy to grow. I consider it a great Daylily replacement. Later in the year when it goes to seed, it will attract birds such as the American Goldfinch.

Sunset from the Deeds Park Connecting Bridge

Cut-leaved Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata)

Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium reptans)

Wood Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum)

Pink Rue Anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides) and friends sharing a tree stump.

Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris)

Fun Facts:
• The upper part of the Sepal contains ultraviolet pigments only seen by certain insects. To the insect, the yellow flower looks purple.
• They can be pollinated by “rain-pollinations.” The flower, or cup, will fill up during a rain. The pollen floats up to the stigmas where it self-pollinates. Unfortunately, these seeds tend to be infertile.
• Seedlings don’t flower until the third year.
• Was used in medieval churches at Easter as a tribute to the Virgin Mary; hence, the name “Mary Gold.”
• Plant is not in the family of Aster to which most Marigolds belong but is considered a Buttercup.

Pollination Method: Most common by hoverflies and also native bees. They can also undergo “rain-pollination.”
Seeds/Propagation: By seed. When rain hits the open follicies, the seeds are ejected. The seeds have a spongy coating that allows them to float. Seeds should not be allowed to dry out before planting.
Edibility: The foliage contains alkaloids and glycosides, so it is toxic. Plant juices can cause blistering and toxic in large quantities. The leaves boiled in a couple of changes of water will remove the toxins and can be eaten like spinach.
Medicinal Properties: Native Americans have used it to induce vomiting. A cough syrup was made from maple syrup and a tea made from the Marsh Maragold.
Host for: None known.

Name definitions:
• Marsh: Typically grows in wet or marshy locations
• Marigold: Was used in medieval churches at Easter as a tribute to the Virgin Mary
• Caltha: Latin for calathus, a cup or goblet
• Palustris: Latin, of swampy, marshy, or wet places

Dutchman’s-Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)

Fun Facts:
• The “breeches” are constructed form its four petaled flowers.
• Related to the poppy so it contains alkaloids that can suppress the nervous system
• Cows that eat it will stumble as if drunk.
• Some Native American cultures would treat this plant as a Love Charm due to its hallucinogenic affects.
• Related to Squirrel-corn (D. canadensis). Before developing the flower, these two species are almost impossible to tell apart.

Pollinated: Long-tongue Bumblebees, other bees will visit just for the pollen
Edibility: No. Poisonous.
Medicinal: None recommended. Can cause paralysis.
Host for: None known.
Propagation:
• Seeds have elaisomes so they are carried by ants to their nests to eat the elaisomes. The remaining seed is then left to grow in area away from the mother plant so it will not compete with it.
Season: Spring

Name Descriptions
• Dutchman’s-Breeches: similar in shape to the traditional Dutch pantaloons
• Genus: Dicentra, twice spurred
• Species: cucullara for hoodlike

Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica) at Carmody Park (in Warren County adjacent to the Twin Creek)

False Rue Anemone (Enemion biternatum)

Fun Facts:
• Plant does not have nectar. It only produces pollen which is collected by the bees and ate by flies.
• Similar to and often confused with Rue Anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides). Rue Anemone tends to be more solitary where False-Rue tends to grow in colonies.

Pollinated: Small bees and flies.
Edibility: Not known.
Host for: None known but due to its delicate nature and short life-cycle, most likely none.
Propagation: Ants carry away the seeds. Root system is considered weakly rhizomatous.
Medicinal: No uses known
Season: Spring

Name Descriptions
• False Rue: It looks very similar to Rue Anemone
• Anemone: See Genus below
• Genus: Enemion: From Greek, Anemos, wind
• Species: biternatum, Latin twice in sets of three referring to is leaf pattern.

Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis) sharing the spotlight with some Dutchman's-Breeches leaves.

Fun Facts:
• Early herbalists believed that plants with shapes resembling parts of the human body were effective on diseases of those parts. For instance, the “Doctrine of Signatures” suggested that the three-lobed leaves of hepatica would prove effective on diseases of the liver. (It wasn't.) (www.nps.gove/miss)
• Leaves stay green most of the year. In the spring, they have a purplish look to them. Because the flowers are dainty, looking for the leaves in the very early spring can be easier than looking for the flower.
• The Petals are really Sepals.
• The petal colors can vary from white to pink to blue to purple.
• Produces pollen but no nectar.
• H. nobilis can be treated two species: H. acutiloba (Sharped Lobed Hepatica) or H. americana (Round lobed Hepatica)

Pollinated: Probably ants and some bees although bees during their blooming season prefer nectar also. Flower self pollinate if necessary.
Edibility: Not edible as a food source. Poisonous in large dosages. Cherokees made a tea from it to induce vomiting if they had a bad cream about snakes.
Host for: None known.
Propagation: Seed (will take several years to bloom) is carried away by ants through a process called myrmecochory. The ant eats the outer coating, leaving the seed.
Medicinal: Slightly toxic but in the past thought to treat diseases of the liver (not true). Chippewas use it as a treatment for convulsions.

Name Descriptions
• Hepatica
• Genus: Hepatica, Latin hepaticus, pertaining to the liver (shape of leaves)
• Species: Nobilis, noble or high born