The Prairie Ecologist

Essays, photos, and discussion about prairie ecology, restoration, and management

Photo of the Week – September 22, 2016

Posted on September 22, 2016 by Chris Helzer

I was looking through some photos from earlier this year and found one that I’d meant to post back in June but hadn’t. I like it, and even though it’s a few months late, I hope you like it too. Better late than never, right?

Prairie spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis) and morning dew drops in the Nebraska Sandhills.

Spiderwort is a gorgeous prairie wildflower with a name that might sound off-putting to some. Of course, other common names for the plant include snot weed and cow slobber (both related to the clear sticky goo that comes out of the leaves when you break them). Maybe spiderwort isn’t so bad, huh?

Photo of the Week – September 24, 2015

Posted on September 24, 2015 by Chris Helzer

I showed up a little early for a meeting at our Platte River Prairies field headquarters this week. While waiting for the others to arrive, I took advantage of morning sunlight filtering through the fog to photograph a few insects stuck in the dew. I found a few big robber flies and dragonflies that were so cool and wet that I was able to stick my lens as close to them as I liked. Here are four photos, two each of a robber fly and dragonfly.

Robberfly. TNC Platte River Prairies, Nebraska.

Robber fly. The Nature Conservancy’s Platte River Prairies, Nebraska.

A more up close and personal view of the same robber fly.

Dragonfly and dew. TNC Platte River Prairies, Nebraska.

A meadowhawk (dragonfly) in a patch of western ragweed. This is migration season, and there were several of these nearby.

A second look at the same dragonfly.

Nothing like some dew and nice light to make me look like a great photographer!