Photo of the Week – June 20, 2013

Purple poppy mallow (Callirhoe involucrata) is a common wildflower in our prairies.  It is responding well to last year’s drought and this spring’s moisture.  The  flowers are a startling fuschia color, and they typically abound in areas where grasses are weak and short.  The combination of those factors means purple poppy mallow stands out in the prairie.

As a photographer, I’m easily drawn to the kind of striking color poppy mallow flowers provide.  And, since I like to photograph small creatures, I have a pretty good array of little invertebrates sitting on or in purple poppy mallow flowers.  Here’s one from a couple years ago.

A snout beetle (weevil) inside a purple poppy mallow flower.  The Nature Conservancy's Platte River Prairies.

A snout beetle (weevil) inside a purple poppy mallow flower. The Nature Conservancy’s Platte River Prairies.

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About Chris Helzer

Chris Helzer is Director of Science and Stewardship for The Nature Conservancy in Nebraska, where he conducts research and supervises the Conservancy’s preserve stewardship program. He also helps develop, test, and share prairie management and restoration strategies. Chris is also dedicated to raising awareness about the value of prairies through his photography, writing and presentations. He is the author of The Prairie Ecologist blog, and two books: The Ecology and Management of Prairies and Hidden Prairie: Photographing Life in One Square Meter. He is also a frequent contributor to NEBRASKAland magazine and other publications. Chris and his family live in Aurora, Nebraska.

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