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Tag: nature

Vinca Meadow

Vinca Meadow

Some plants are pretty yet called invasive, but what can one harmless plant do? Somewhere in the 1950’s or maybe 60’s, long before the environmental movement came into being or used the word ‘invasive’ to describe plants or even really understood the consequences of planting certain non-native plants, Pastor Althouse planted a small area of his property with Vinca. Now, 60 years later you can see Vinca covering a large area of the 17 acre property. While beautiful, with periwinkle…

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Monarch Caterpillars

Monarch Caterpillars

We have Monarch Caterpillars on our milkweed!  This is the generation that will fly to Mexico for the winter.  More information about the life cycle of the Monarchs can be found at Monarch Watch Paula Ziegler is a local resident who has a concern for the fate of bees, butterflies and all wildlife which inspires her to find solutions to creating wildlife habitat gardens that fit into the look of the neighborhood.  Her hope is that you enjoy her blogs…

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Cicada Killer Wasp

Cicada Killer Wasp

I was startled to see this sight on our fence. A friend is known for keeping odd facts in his head and immediately identified the sight as a Cicada Killer Wasp killing a Cicada. Within a few moments the wasp flew off with the cicada! Amazing! Here is a website called “Cicada Mania” if you are interested in learning more   Paula Ziegler is a local resident who has a concern for the fate of bees, butterflies and all wildlife…

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New York Ironweed

New York Ironweed

Vernonia noveboracensis Common Name: New York Ironweed I am really enjoying how these purple flowered plants are framing our bird house. About 6 feet tall, New York Ironweed is great for the back of your garden. Although these plants prefer slightly moist soils, ours are doing fine in average conditions. New York Ironweed is native to Eastern United States. Information on New York Ironweed Paula Ziegler is a local resident who has a concern for the fate of bees, butterflies…

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Butterfly Puddle Area

Butterfly Puddle Area

Our native plants are attracting many butterflies! The Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’ is by far the favorite plant in our yard of Monarchs, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and Spicebush Swallowtails. This past Saturday I made a puddle station where these insects can cool down and get a drink. We followed the easy instructions as shown in the video below. Pick a shady area for your finished puddle. There are many online videos that show how to make a butterfly puddle area.  We…

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