Today’s cool, cloudy weather is a welcome relief after the many hot days this summer. Standing beside Iris Pond this early morning, I hear and see a multitude of birds. Swallows swoop overhead, cardinals chip and two ruby-throated hummingbirds zip past.
I use my Merlin Bird ID app to see what it can pick up, and within five minutes it’s identified nine different birds by sound. This app, developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, has brought countless people into the birding world. While not perfect, it identifies most bird calls and songs accurately and offers a treasure trove of information about each species. (A birding friend who spent hours in her youth memorizing bird songs and calls using cassette tapes is a teensy bit resentful of this tech marvel.)
The Merlin Bird ID app is a great way to discover what birds you’re hearing in the field, like this goldfinch.
I make my way around the pond; the plants have grown so tall and thick that I can’t see the trail, but I know it’s there, and eventually I find my way into the Dayton Wildflower Garden. I feel a tickle on my hand, and look down to see a tiny, translucent blob, moving along like an inchworm; likely something I picked up while bushwhacking through all the lush growth. A sawfly larva, I’m guessing, and not a very old one! It will go through five instars (distinct growth stages separated by molts) before pupating into its adult form.
Sawfly larvae start tiny and translucent.
In the Johanna Frerichs Garden for Wildlife, I come across another species of larva, this time a monarch caterpillar. It too will go through multiple instars, often eating its shed skin for extra nutrients. The fifth and final molt turns the caterpillar into a chrysalis. If you’ve never seen this transformation, you can watch a time-lapse video from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — it’s amazing!
Monarch caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed. Given that monarch numbers have been declining for some time, lovers of these beautiful butterflies might consider planting milkweed in their home gardens. Minnesota has 14 native milkweed species; swamp and common milkweed are the monarch’s preferred varieties.
This monarch caterpillar will go through five instars before becoming a chrysalis.
I love spending time at the Arb with my camera, where I allow myself to slow down and pay attention to often-overlooked details — the bright orange anthers on purple prairie clover; the fuzzy yellow buttons at the center of arrowhead flowers; the fireworks-like blossom of the buttonbush; the dozens of tiny flowers that cluster together to make butterfly weed so attractive to pollinators.
A close look reveals interesting details.
Field thistle is in full bloom right now. The nectar of this native plant draws bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, and its high-protein seeds are a favorite food of goldfinches.
Field thistle is an important food source for many creatures.
Goldfinches are the last songbirds to nest in Minnesota. They use milkweed silk and thistle down to line their nests, and feed their young a regurgitated slurry of seeds, all of which are more abundant toward the end of summer.
Goldfinches are the last songbirds to nest in Minnesota.
The Annual Garden is gorgeous right now. Come enjoy its colorful brightness and then take some time to notice the smaller details and tiny creatures that offer a beauty of their own.
Holly Einess is a Minnesota Master Naturalist Volunteer. To learn more about the University of Minnesota Extension’s Master Naturalist program, visit their website.