Sizzleing Summertime

Boy, it's been hot, hasn't it? So hot it just makes you want to stay in the air conditioning, right? I really can't blame you. I like to stay in the cool nature center, and one can often find Tom in the even cooler basement! Many of the animals we like to see at the preserve cannot be seen when it is this hot. Turtles, snakes, and frogs are staying in the water to keep cool. Many of our feathered friends are done nesting and are pretty quiet.

There are a few animals that LOVE the hot weather. They are particularly colorful and engaging too. Dragonflies and damselflies are the most active during the hottest part of the day, and we cannot forget the butterflies.




The best place right now to observe all of these animals is the boardwalk. The button bush has just begun to bloom, and it is one of the best butterfly attracting plants that I have come across. Also on the boardwalk trail are tons of dragonflies and damselflies.



Adjacent to the boardwalk trail is the wet meadow. Although the best is yet to come (in terms of flowers) it is still an interesting place. Just the other day I observed a Monarch Butterfly laying eggs on some Swamp Milkweed.


It's a little early this year, but our native Rhododendron is blooming now. This is not a blow-out year, but there are many very nice clusters of blossoms.


Here is my list of current bloomers:
Lizard's Tail
Trumpet Creeper
Swamp Rose
Monkey Flower
Swamp Milkweed
Button bush
Enchanter's Nightshade
Great Laural Rhododendron
Red and Pink Bee Balm
Rosinweed
Purple Coneflower (just starting)