June 27

Tuesday, Remi stayed home while I accompanied longtime friend and colleague, Eric Johnson for a nature hike at Montcalm County’s 25-acre, Krum Memorial Plant Preserve (formerly Krum Park), located 5 miles east of Stanton. The early morning weather was sunny with a temperature of 60 degrees and a gentle breeze from the west. Leaving the car parked off Stanton Rd, we headed north into a mature woods of mostly Sugar Maple and Beech where I spotted a resting Mustard White Butterfly, displaying it pure white color phase of summer. Continuing north, we noticed a clump of Ostrich Ferns among the lush vegetation as well as the wispy seed heads of Yellow Nut Sedge. Further ahead, we came upon a Goldenrod nutgall as well as a Swamp Milkweed that was beginning to display its flower buds. Soon, we came to the edge of 10-acre, Millmine Lake and paused to admire this peaceful limnetic landscape as well as observe a few pond lilies floating near shore. Also, nearby we noticed a young Tamarack tree, renown as a rare deciduous conifer. Turning around and heading back toward the car, we ventured east to further explore the woods where Eric found a piece of bark containing an inch long Dusky Slug. The bark also contained some of the yellow fruiting stage of a slime mold called scrambled egg slime or dog vomit fungi. Nearing the car, we spotted a patch of Tiger Lilies as well as a Goldenrod stem showing the white froth of a Spittlebug. After picking the stem and clearing away some of the froth, I found the tiny spittlebug which is the nymph stage of an insect called a Froghopper. The froth serves a number of purposes. First, it hides the nymph from the view of predators and parasites. Second, it insulates against heat and cold. Third, because of its acrid taste, it deters predators. Finally, after a wonderful hike, we found the car and took off for home.

Your time has come

Babe of the nest

Take to flight

Like all the rest

From grassy cradle

To branch below

Warm your wings

Away you must go

No hovering parent

To keep you alive

Into the wild

A will to survive

D. DeGraaf