Boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata)

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boreal chorus frog

Photo by Bill Reynolds

Boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata) is one of the smallest frogs in Minnesota. It is found throughout the state in shallow wetlands, shallow parts of lakes, temporary pools, and grasslands near wetlands—always near woodlands. With their short legs they are not very acrobatic and do not climb well. They are the first frogs to appear in spring, emerging in late March or early April when snow and ice may still be present. Males call from when they first emerge to late July. Their distinctive call sounds like a person running their thumb across the fine teeth of a pocket comb.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Amphibians/boreal_chorus_frog.html

red milkweed beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus)

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red milkweed beetle

Photo by Bill Reynolds

The red milkweed beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus) is a common flat-faced, longhorn beetle. It feeds only on the leaves of milkweeds, possibly only common milkweed. It stores poisonous glycosides from the milkweed in its body, making it unpalatable to potential predators. The bright, black and red coloration is thought to signal predators of its unpalatability.

There are three longhorn milkweed beetles in eastern and central North America. This species is identified by the large, black spot near the center of each wing; the all black legs; the all black antennae; and the host species, in this case common milkweed.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Insects/red_milkweed_beetle.html

Hunchback bee fly (Lepidophora lutea)

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hunchback bee fly

Photo by Bill Reynolds

The hunchback bee fly (Lepidophora lutea) is a medium-sized bee fly with a distinctly hunch-backed appearance. It is fairly common and widespread in eastern North America. It’s unusual shape mimics the robber fly. The larvae are kleptoparasitic, eating the collected food in the nests of solitary wasps, and possibly also parasitic, eating the larvae in the host’s nest.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Insects/hunchback_bee_fly.html

White admiral (Limenitis arthemis arthemis)

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white admiral

Photo by Bill Reynolds

White admiral (Limenitis arthemis arthemis) is a common, large, brush-footed butterfly. In is found in forest edges and openings, on trails, and on roadsides. It is often seen sunning itself on gravel roads. Caterpillars are found mostly on birch, willow, quaking aspen, and chokecherry but sometimes also on other trees. Adults feed mostly on sap flows, rotting fruit, aphid honeydew, carrion, and dung, rarely on flower nectar. The appearance of this butterfly is distinctive and there are no similar butterflies in Minnesota. However, the range overlaps that of the red-spotted purple in the lower third of the state. Where the ranges overlap the subspecies interbreed and produce offspring with intergrading characteristics.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Insects/white_admiral.html

Plains prickly pear (Opuntia macrorhiza)

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plains prickly pear

Plains prickly pear (Opuntia macrorhiza) is one of only three cactus species found in Minnesota. It is diminutive, hugs the ground, and has flattened pads. It looks nothing like the other two cacti, brittle prickly pear and ball cactus. It is common on dry, rocky or sandy prairies, dunes, and lakeshores in the southwestern part of the state. Large, showy, bright yellow flowers appear from mid-June to July. They are replaced by fleshy, juicy, red fruits, which mature from mid-July to mid-September. The pads become wrinkled with the approach of winter.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/plains_prickly_pear.html

Milbert’s tortoiseshell (Aglais milberti)

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Milbert's tortoiseshell

Photo by Bill Reynolds

Milbert’s tortoiseshell (Aglais milberti) is a fairly common, medium-sized, brushfooted butterfly. It is found in woodland openings, open areas near woodlands streamsides, trails, and roadside ditches. In Minnesota, stinging nettle is the only host plant for the caterpillars. There are two broods each year. Adults of the second brood hibernate, sometimes in groups, in bark crevices or on human structures. When they emerge from hibernation in the spring they are pale and appear tattered.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Insects/Milberts_tortoiseshell.html

Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

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eastern hemlock

Photo by Laurie Grimm

Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) is rare and imperiled in Minnesota. There are only 10 known sites in Minnesota where the tree occurs naturally (not planted). This is a long-lived tree, lasting 500 years or more, but it is very slow growing and it seldom regenerates. The root system is shallow, which makes mature trees vulnerable to windthrow. Young trees are vulnerable to deer predation. Old trees are vulnerable to beavers, which sometimes girdle hemlocks to kill them and make room for more desirable trees. The species is also susceptible to the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid. Hemlock woolly adelgid commonly causes 70% to 80% mortality, and sometimes 100% mortality, among the hemlocks in forest stands in New England.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/eastern_hemlock.html

Wild oats (Uvularia sessilifolia)

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wild oats

Photo by Bill Reynolds

Wild oats (Uvularia sessilifolia) is native to the eastern half of North America. In Minnesota it blooms in April and May in the edges and openings of moderately moist forests. The leaves are stalkless but do not surround the stem at the base. A solitary, cream-colored flower is produced near the end of the stem but is easy to miss. The flower has three petals and three petal-like sepals (six tepals). It droops downward near the end of the stem and is somewhat concealed by immature, drooping leaves. In late spring the flower is replaced by a greenish to egg- or pyramid-shaped, yellowish-brown, three-celled capsule.

Wild oats is much less common than its close relative, large flowered bellwort. The latter is a taller plant with larger leaves that surround the stem at the base, up to three flowers per plant, and yellow, twisted tepals.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/wild_oats.html

Prairie blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium campestre)

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prairie blue-eyed grass

Photo by Bill Reynolds

Prairie blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium campestre) is misnamed. It is not a grass but a member of the Iris (Iridaceae) family. It is found in full sun in dry to moderately moist upland prairies, meadows, and sometimes woodland openings. It appears as a tuft of 2 to 6 narrow, grass-like leaves and one or more narrow flowering stems. The stems are leafless and conspicuously winged. From May to July a cluster of 1 to 11 flowers appears at the end of the stem. The flowers are pale violet, light blue, or white and have a yellow center.

There are four species of blue-eyed grass found in Minnesota and they can be difficult to tell apart. To identify the species take note of the waxiness of the leaves; the flower color; the number of flower clusters; the color of the bracts below the flower cluster (spathe), strongly tinged, lightly tinged, or not tinged at all; and whether the margins of the outer spathe bract are united at the base.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/prairie_blue-eyed_grass.html

Northern small yellow lady’s slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum var. parviflorum)

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northern small yellow lady’s slipper

Photo by Bill Reynolds

Northern small yellow lady’s slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum var. parviflorum), also called lesser yellow lady’s slipper, inhabits wet areas. It is found in the northeastern Minnesota in rich conifer swamps on moss-covered peat. In the lower Minnesota River valley it is found in calcareous fens. In northwestern Minnesota it is found in wet prairies, wet meadows, and wet aspen woodlands. It is also found in hardwood swamps, upland hardwood forests, and roadside ditches. The large showy flowers appear from May 20 to June 30, with peak blooming time June 5 to June 15.

Do not touch. The hairs on the stems and leaves cause dermatitis in some people.

http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/northern_small_yellow_ladys_slipper.html