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by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
Canada bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis) wet meadows vs. invasive stands of reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea). How to tell the difference...
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Animals,
Butterfly,
caterpillar,
Declining Species,
Endangered Species,
Farmland,
Flora,
grassland,
habitat,
Habitat Management,
Habitat Restoration,
Introduced Species,
iowa,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
Monarch,
Muscatine Iowa USA,
Native Plant,
Natural Areas,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
Pike Run Wildlife Preserve,
Plants,
Pollinators,
prairie,
RemnantHabitat,
Sand Prairie,
WetlandReserveEasementProgram,
Wetlands,
wilderness,
wildflower,
wildlife,
Wildlife Photography
-
by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
Fen wetlands of the Upper Midwest occur in areas where cold groundwater spills out onto the earth. The flow of water may seep out of a hillside, su...
Posted in
Farmland,
Fen,
Flora,
grassland,
habitat,
Habitat Management,
Habitat Restoration,
iowa,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
Native Plant,
Natural Areas,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
phlox maculata Marsh phlox,
Plants,
prairie,
RemnantHabitat,
Wetlands,
wilderness,
wildflower
-
by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
While manning a booth at the farmers market yesterday, I noted dragonflies zipping above the crowd. The dragonflies were providing what is called ...
Posted in
Animals,
Damselfly,
Dragonfly,
Ecological Services,
Farmland,
Grazing,
habitat,
Habitat Management,
Habitat Restoration,
illinois,
iowa,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
Natural Areas,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
Odonata,
Odonate,
Plant and Animal Interactions,
Prairie Pothole,
Wetlands,
wilderness,
wildlife,
Wildlife Photography
-
by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
To be, or not to be, that is the question. The viceroy butterfly is commonly mistaken for a monarch. Known as Mullerian mimics, the toxic monarch a...
Posted in
Animals,
backyard habitat,
BackyardHabitat,
Butterfly,
caterpillar,
Declining Species,
Farmland,
Flora,
grassland,
habitat,
Habitat Management,
Habitat Restoration,
illinois,
iowa,
michigan,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
minnesota,
missouri,
Monarch,
Native Plant,
Natural Areas,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
Plants,
Pollinators,
prairie,
Predators,
Wetlands,
wilderness,
wildlife,
Wildlife Photography,
wisconsin
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by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
Have you ever been on a ride with a naturalist who hits the breaks to partake in impromptu remnant prairie ramblings while fiddling with new equipm...
Posted in
compassplant,
Declining Species,
Exploration,
Farmland,
Flora,
grassland,
habitat,
Habitat Management,
Habitat Restoration,
illinois,
Introduced Species,
iowa,
michigan,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
minnesota,
Native Plant,
Natural Areas,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
Plants,
Pollinators,
prairie,
RemnantHabitat,
Right of Way Prairie Remnants,
silphiumlaciniatum,
wilderness,
wildflower,
wildlife,
Wildlife Photography,
wisconsin
-
by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
Monarch butterflies require milkweed (Asclepias spp.) as a larval food source. Just as important are nectar food plants to power adult monar...
Posted in
Animals,
backyard habitat,
BackyardHabitat,
Butterfly,
caterpillar,
Declining Species,
Farmland,
Flora,
grassland,
habitat,
Habitat Management,
Habitat Restoration,
illinois,
iowa,
michigan,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
Migration,
minnesota,
missouri,
Native Plant,
Natural Areas,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
Plants,
Pollinators,
prairie,
Prairie Cemetery,
RemnantHabitat,
Sand Prairie,
Wetlands,
wilderness,
wildflower,
wildlife,
Wildlife Photography,
wisconsin
-
by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
In 1870, twelve Eurasian tree sparrows (native to Eurasia) were released in St. Louis, Missouri in an effort to provide familiar sights and ...
Posted in
Animals,
backyard habitat,
birdfeeding,
birding,
Birds,
Birdwatching,
Farmland,
illinois,
Introduced Species,
iowa,
michigan,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
Migration,
minnesota,
missouri,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
wildlife,
Wildlife Photography,
wisconsin
-
by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
The common grackle is often thought of as a nuisance bird around yards, farmsteads, and businesses. But the grackle is experiencing significant de...
Posted in
Animals,
backyard habitat,
birdfeeding,
birding,
Birds,
Birdwatching,
Declining Species,
Farmland,
habitat,
illinois,
iowa,
michigan,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
minnesota,
missouri,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
wilderness,
wildlife,
Wildlife Photography
-
by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
Flocks of small brown birds, such as this Lapland longspur, can be seen landing in crop fields along Midwest country roads in the winter and spring...
Posted in
Animals,
birding,
Birds,
Birdwatching,
Farmland,
habitat,
illinois,
LaplandLongspur,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
Migration,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
wilderness,
wildlife,
Wildlife Photography
-
by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
Muflats in cropfields and shallow wetlands serve as vital foraging areas for migratory shorebirds, such as this Wilson's snipe. The snipe uses its ...
Posted in
Animals,
birding,
Birds,
Birdwatching,
Farmland,
habitat,
illinois,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
Migration,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
VernalPools,
Water Quality,
Waterfowl,
Wetlands,
wilderness,
wildlife,
Wildlife Photography,
WilsonsSnipe
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by Jennifer Anderson-Cruz
This beautiful prairie remnant located in Hancock County, Iowa was used as cow pasture for quite some time. This resulted in the proliferation of n...
Posted in
Farmland,
Flora,
grassland,
habitat,
HancockCounty,
iowa,
midwest,
MidwestWildernessConnections,
Natural Areas,
nature,
NaturePhotography,
Plants,
prairie,
RemnantHabitat,
Water Quality,
WetlandReserveEasementProgram,
Wetlands,
wilderness,
wildlife,
Wildlife Photography
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