Neil Smith Reserve

[guppiecat]

One of my favorite places in Iowa was the Neil Smith Prairie Reserve. Neil was a congressmen and has his name all over the state. This bit of the state, however, is an attempt to reconstruct the original prairie and has three different hiking loops. It's very strolly and not very hikey at all, but if you ever need to hike in a wheelchair, this is totally the place to do it. They also have bison and elk and is a great place to go to see spring happen.

My last hike there is in this set. (Set has bugs in it.)

The light wasn't great, so the photos are a bit grainy.

This is my favorite:

I think they're aphids of some sort.



Close up


The path was flooded with the rain. Why would I put a picture of a flooded path in as a highlight? ...


... Because it allowed this guy to go hiking right along with me.


This is what the non-flooded path looked like.


Eggses!


You know that clover flower honey that tastes so good? In progress.


I really like these guys.


Meeting.


It is rare that I can get a shot like this so crisp.


Did you know that some dragonflies have furry backs? That's so you can still be confortable when riding them bareback.


Yes, this is a nice photo of a fruit with a drop hanging off it.. but did you notice the snail?


No idea what's going on here.


I like his colour. Also the fact that he's on a leaf that has adapted serrated edges to prevent non-toothed, likely amphibious, animals from eating it, but then had to produce chemicals to defend against those with teeth... chemicals that animals like us evolved to think were yummy.


See? Bison.

Comments

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

I love these. Thank you.

[mplsfish.livejournal.com]

What's going on is probably an insect larva or eggs in the stem causing the plant to deform in self defence. Wish I knew more, like what bug.