07-23-13 Field Note

07-23-13 Field Note

July 23, 2013

Rebecca Durham's latest phenology field note provides images of both natives and non-natives including Moth mullein, Serviceberry, Blazing star and Silky lupine along with some of the insects that frequently occupy them.

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Plant Field Note MPG Operations Rebecca Durham July 2013
Moth mullein, a non-native species, blooms with pastel elegance (Verbascum blattaria, Corral).Luscious serviceberries ripen in woody draws. The flesh of the fruit tastes mildly sweet, but the seeds release a delicious vanilla flavor (Amelanchier alnifolia, Whaley).
Blazing star blooms like a firecracker (Mentzelia laevicaulis, Corral). A spider’s abdominal cardiac mark creates a focal point with a withered balsamroot flower (Balsamorhiza sagittata, North Ridge).
The striking contrast of pink horsemint with grey prairie sagewort catches my eye (Agastache urticifolia, left, Artemisia ludoviciana, right, Baldy). A vesper sparrow nest beneath a yarrow plant reveals tiny mottled eggs (Achillea millefolium, North Center Pivot).
Dried salmon petals cup tiny black seeds (Lewisia rediviva, Native). Blister beetles feed, mate, and fight on silky lupine (Lupinus sericeus, North Ridge). 
Noxious hawkweeds plague much of North America. This Scouler’s hawkweed is native to Montana (Hieracium scouleri, Boondocks). Deptford pink, a non-native member of the Caryophyllaceae family, appears in low density throughout western Montana (Dianthus armeria, Native).
A juba skipper perches on a fading blossom of horse mint (Hesperia juba on Agastache urticifolia, Whaley).

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