Greetings Friends of the Prairie,
NEWS
August is a wonderful time to visit the Prairie. Dozens and dozens of natives are blooming, ticks are near non-existent, and little leopard frogs are leaping their greetings on every path. Short distances provide changes in colors, shapes and composition. In the above photo, the first goldenrods of the year fill the foreground followed by the lavender of the blazing stars with the taller sun flowers craning in the distance.
Buckthorn is a very invasive exotic shrub which is one of, if not the biggest threat to the natural area. Owing to a cathartic effect, birds and animals eating the berries spread the buckthorn seeds rapidly and widely. The photo above portrays very good news for the Prairie. It captures the defoliating work of a migratory moth’s larva. They fly up in spring, lay eggs, the larvae eat the buckthorn leaves top down, then pupate and the hatched moths fly back south! This cycle has, with repeated annual visits, killed the shrub in several areas. Ironically, the moths’ increasing presence at Chiwaukee is likely thanks to climate change and warmer winters.
EVENTS
CHIWAUKEE PRAIRIE WALKS 2018
Naturalist Kay McClelland will lead Chiwaukee Prairie Walks three times a month from June to September. Information includes a little history, a little geology and lots of plant names and facts. Over the summer we will look at and identify more than 100 different flowering plants, grasses and some sedges. Kay has a plant list available each time, as well as occasional other handouts.
| Third Monday | Third Thursday | Third Saturday |
| 6-8 PM or sunset: | 9-11 AM | 9-11 AM |
| August 20 | August 16 | August 18 |
| September 20 | September 15 |
For the August walks, we will meet at the intersection of 121st Street and 2nd Avenue. Park on 2nd Avenue. Wear good walking shoes or boots and long pants. Sun screen, insect repellent, and a hat are wise. We go in light rain but not if there is lightning.
Kay McClelland, Naturalist
262-994-1939 (Mobile)
kaymac1939 @ gmail.com
WORKDAYS
Chris Kemper is the King of Queen Anne’s Lace. Because he works weekends, Chris volunteers during the week and has single handedly pulled a truck load of QAL. Before that he pulled a truck load of Curly Dock. Before that it was Garlic Mustard. He is very special, and his many hours are much appreciated!
Also appreciated is the terrific work our volunteers did on the workday in July by pulling a truck load of Common St. John’s-Wort in the White Rock area south of 116th Street. This coming Saturday, August 18, we will be pulling Queen Anne’s Lace in several areas of the State Natural Area. It might be like a treasure hunt with maps to follow.
The weather forecast is for mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the high 70s with a 5-10 MPH NE wind. Wear old clothes, long pants and sturdy shoes. Also consider bug spray. We supply work gloves, tools, water, instruction and answers to all your questions about the Prairie. We will work unless there is lightning in the area.
The workday is from 10 AM – 1 PM. Come for part or all of it.
PLEASE NOTE:
We will meet on 2nd Avenue at 121st Street.
(Map of the vicinity at www.chiwaukee.org/about/where/)
If you would like to be notified about additional workday opportunities, plant scouting opportunities or plant identification walks, please email volunteer@chiwaukee.org.
Workday cancellations will be posted on our website and Facebook by 8 AM on scheduled workdays. If you are unsure whether a workday will take place, please use good judgment when deciding whether to attend.
If you have questions, email volunteer@chiwaukee.org or call 773-515-2772.
Thank you for your support,
Chiwaukee Prairie Preservation Fund, Inc.