Ames Free Library

"Where the Community Connects"

A Glimpse of Nature

See what’s happening on the grounds of the Ames Free Library or nearby areas with “A Glimpse of Nature.”  Offered by Lorraine Rubinacci, the library's resident naturalist, this weekly photo blog is a gentle reminder to enjoy the wonders that surround us.

A Glimpse of Nature - A New Twist

A Glimpse of Nature --  A New Twist

September 17, 2021

Last week I lamented the difficulty of photographing night-singing insects.  Whenever I approached, they became silent and “disappeared” into the dark foliage. . . until I walked away.  Well, not long after I completed the post on “Night Music,” the insects became more cooperative.  One tree cricket was sitting on the picnic table where I settled down for dinner.

A Glimpse of Nature -- Common Milkweed

Two weeks ago, I shared an image of an eastern tiger swallowtail perched on a plant.  The butterfly got the spotlight.  Butterflies always get the spotlight.  Today we’re going to give some attention to the extraordinary plant:  common milkweed.  Most of the time when I read about milkweed, people describe it as a necessary evil to support monarch butterflies.  The pitch goes something like this:  “milkweed is unattractive but we must allow it to live, or even plant a few in our gardens, if we want to prevent monarchs from going extinct.”  I just don’t get it.  I love milkweed!

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