Signs of Spring: Noon Rotary picking up trash along County TT and Door Peninsula Astronomical Society cleaning along Utah Street, and the Kingfishers are back.
Any day now, butterflies will be flitting around Crossroads at Big Creek. Mourning Cloaks are large dark butterflies that hibernate as adults in the cracks of tree bark. In spring, they become active and start searching for food. Admittedly, we have no flowers blooming yet, but Mourning Cloaks do not feed on nectar. They prefer tree sap….and the sap is running. As long as there are forests, these butterflies will do just fine.
But most butterflies have suffered due to loss of habitat. Crossroads and a growing number of people are landscaping specifically to improve butterfly habitat.
One man, a very nice, intelligent guy, came to the Monarch Tagging program at Crossroads last fall to learn how he could help butterflies. He really liked Monarchs and he had read that monarchs need milkweed plants to survive. Consequently, he explained to me, when he heard that migration was about to start, he pulled all of the asters and goldenrod from his property so that the monarchs could find the milkweed. Oh, dear.
I explained to him that Monarchs really do need milkweed. It’s the only plant their caterpillars can eat. Period. But female monarchs don’t need any help finding the plants. It amazes me each spring when the milkweed leaves have just come up, that Monarchs somehow unerringly locate them among the thousands of plants in our prairie area. Throughout the breeding season, female Monarchs will search out and find milkweeds.
But those same females will also search out flowers on which to nectar. Adult Monarchs can’t chew on milkweed leaves. They can’t chew on anything. Their mouthparts uncoil to resemble drinking straws. Adult butterflies can consume only liquids so they search out flowers which have lots of nectar. In September, when Monarchs are migrating, they have abolutely no interest in milkweed plants. Migrating butterflies are not in breeding condition, and milkweeds bloom in midsummer. What Monarchs required is fall flowers full of nectar to fuel their migration and to help them build up the fat reserves they need to make it through the Mexican winter.
Monarchs seem hyper-persnickety. They lay their eggs on one and only one species of plant. But monarchs are not unique. According to entomologist Douglass Tallamy, 90% of insects specialize, laying their eggs exclusively on one or two plant species. And native butterflies lay eggs on native plants. In Door County, most of the host plants are native trees or the flowers that grow in moist wooded areas or wetlands and shorelines.
Butterflies are less picky about their sources of nectar and they love prairie plants. According to Master Gardener Chriss Daubner, “Many of these plants are native to the southern half or south-western corner of Wisconsin, where there are natural prairies. Though Door County does not count them as natives, (we are a woodland area) prairie plants grow here and provide food and serve as host plants for butterflies.”
On Tuesday, April 21, The Door County Master Gardeners will bring Chriss Daubner to Crossroads to present “Prairie Plants for the Home Garden” Chris will discuss the reasons prairie plants are a great choice for home gardeners, particularly those concerned about sustainability and environmental responsibility. But there is a lot to learn. What’s the difference between a true native and a nativar? Is a wildflower just a wildflower? Chriss will illustrate her talk with stunning images of her own prairie plantings.
Butterflies are not the only insects to benefit from nectar-rich prairie plants. Bees–wild and domestic honeybees– thrive on the blossoms of prairie plants. Will bees come to non-native garden species? Sometimes. But often, the plants we put in our gardens have been bred to have stunning unusual colors, shapes or longer blooming seasons. Unfortunately, through breeding, these flower often have lost the scents and nectar that attract bees. And the stunning double and triple blossoms which are so popular and indeed beautiful make nectar collection next to impossible. Bees seem to like flat, simple blossoms….like prairie flowers.
Domestic honeybees have been in decline the last few years partly because of loss of habitat, but also, due to disease. The lecture, “Diseases of the Bee Hive and Their Treatments,” sponsored by the newly formed Door County Bee Keepers Club, will be offered Thursday April 16, 7:00. Presenter Ken Sikora is the president of the Brown County Beekeepers Association and has been a bee keeper for 25 year years in the Green Bay area. Ken presently maintains an 8 colony apiary, and is pleased that 4 of his hives made it through the winter. He enjoys his hobby tremendously and is eager to share his experiences and knowledge about diseases of the bee hive with both the novice and experienced bee keeper. Free will offering for DCBKC. This program is free and open to the public.
The Door Peninsula Astronomical Society will offer a Viewing Night on Saturday, April 18 at the Astronomy Campus at Crossroads. (2200 Utah Street in Sturgeon Bay). Join DPAS members to learn your way around Door County’s beautiful the night sky. DPAS members will bring telescopes and the Leif Everson Observatory will be open. Gates open at 8:00. Clear Sky Only Event.
At the end of the month, autism advocate Temple Grandin will speak in Door County. On Wednesday, April 22, at 6:00 in preparation for Grandin’s visit, P.A.T.H. (Promoting Access to Help for Families with Special Needs.) will host the movie: The Story of Temple Grandin’s Life. This is a great introduction to understanding the person behind the name. This video has captured the emotion, struggles, flight of her life and how she became the person she is today. It is powerful!! Popcorn and water will be provided. A free will offering will help defray the cost of the screening license.
Crossroads at Big Creek is a donor supported preserve welcoming learners of all ages to programs in science, history and the environment. The Collins Learning Center, located at 2041 Michigan Street in Sturgeon Bay, is open 2:00-4:30 daily and during scheduled activities. All trails are open to hiking and bicycles.
Thursday, April 16
7:00 Lecture: Diseases of the Bee Hive and Their Treatments
Presenter Ken Sikora is the president of the Brown County Beekeepers Association and has been a bee keeper for 25 year years in the Green Bay area. Ken presently maintains an 8 colony apiary, and is pleased that 4 of his hives made it through the winter. He enjoys his hobby tremendously and is eager to share his experiences and knowledge about diseases of the bee hive with both the novice and experienced bee keeper. This free program is sponsored by the Door County Bee Keepers Club. A Free will offering will go to support DCBKC.
Saturday, April 18
8:00 DPAS Viewing Night at the Astronomy Campus
Join the members of the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society and learn to find your way around Door County’s beautiful the night sky. DPAS members will bring telescopes and the Leif Everson Observatory will be open. Gates open at 8:00. Clear Sky Only Event.
Tuesday, April 21
7:00 Master Gardener Lecture: “Prairie Plants for the Home Garden”
Master Gardeners own Chriss Daubner will discuss the reasons prairie plants are a great choice for home gardeners particularly when gardeners are concerned about sustainability and environmental responsibility. But there is a lot to learn. What’s the difference between a true native and a nativar? Is a wildflower just a wildflower? Chris will illustrate her talk with stunning images from her own prairie plantings. Free and open to the public.
Wednesday, April 22
6:00 The Story of Temple Grandin’s Life
In preparation for Grandin’s visit to Door County, P.A.T.H. (Promoting Access to Help for Families with Special Needs.) will host this documentary which is a great introduction to understanding the person behind the name. This video has captured the emotion, struggles, flight of her life and how she became the person she is today. It is powerful!! Popcorn and water will be provided. A free will offering will help defray the cost of the screening license.
