September 9

The early morning air is cool with temperatures in the mid 40’s while I face the rising sun, hiking through private wooded property near the northern border of Gratiot County. Along the trail, I notice tall Canadian Goldenrod plants with their spreading stems of yellow flowers growing beside the shorter, Flat-top Goldenrod plants with their bushy yellow flowers and lance-like leaves. Also, growing among the Goldenrod are Ragweed plants with their stalks of green flowers. While Goldenrod pollen gets the blame for seasonal allergies, including itchy eyes and runny nose, the culprit is actually the less-noticeable Ragweed. Both plants grow in similar habitats and bloom at the same time. However, Goldenrod flowers produce large, heavy pollen grains carried by insects while Ragweed flowers produce small, lightweight pollen spread by the wind.  A single Ragweed plant is capable of producing over a billion pollen grains that can blow for miles. Up ahead, I pause to watch a Monarch Butterfly perching on white blossoms of Boneset, opening and closing its wings to sun-dry them. Upon a closer look, I determine it’s a Viceroy Butterfly due to its smaller size and presence of a black line on the hindwing, not found on a Monarch. Unlike Monarchs, Viceroys do not migrate. Their caterpillars grow on willows instead of Milkweed and can survive winter. Viceroys are Monarch mimics. Since Monarchs are toxic, any mammal or bird that might wish to take a bite will regret the decision. Because Viceroys have similar bright flashy colors, it warns predators to leave them alone as well. Approaching a large pond, I watch a Whitetail doe on the far shore looking at me and then giving out a warning call as she darts into the woods. Exploring the pond perimeter, I first spot a couple of tiny instars of Milkweed Bugs crawling on seed pods of a Common Milkweed plant and then pods of a Swamp Milkweed plant, some splitting open to reveal their white flossy seeds while others are covered with tiny orange oleander aphids. Turning back toward the car, my attention is drawn to a nearby pine tree where I hear the call of a Red-bellied Woodpecker. Next, my ears perk up to a “chipping” sound coming from the underbrush. Upon further investigation, I determine it originates from an Eastern Chipmunk rather than a similar sound of a Northern Cardinal. Hiking along and pausing to look skyward, I spot long female cones hanging from tall Norway Spruce trees while at my feet, I can barely see a 3-inch Leopard Frog well-hidden in the grass. 

Swan song of summer

Nature has her way

Swallows are swarming

Wish they could stay

Queen Anne’s Lace

Fold up their flowers

Meadow shines golden

In daylight hours

Fungi are frequent

Berries abound

Frogs of the marsh

Surrender their sound

 

D. DeGraaf