native orchids, colorful insects and lupines!

[cnycharles]

this was a trip ken hull and I made to new england to try and find the very rare isotria medeoloides in flower. we went to the area and found a few plants, but none with flowers or buds. the plants were tiny, and we were told that's how tall they get! they are called the 'lesser whorled pogonia', and it's true. the larger or greater whorled pogonia is both more colorful and much taller. there were tiny black specks where flower buds would develop, so it's possible that there were buds thinking about developing but all the rain aborted the buds. the plants were in a very rich spot in amongst cinnamon ferns. all around in drier areas were small, seedling-size isotria verticillata, not in flower

one of the lesser whorled pogonia 'seedlings'

another nearby seedling, this one a greater whorled pogonia


on the way back to the car, I spotted a black swallowtail butterfly and went off in pursuit. it was very cooperative and sat on several flowers not far away, allowing me to get a few nice pictures

a bit further down the trail we saw this very colorful insect hanging around (and moving about very quickly) in the sunny, sandy areas of the trail

on the drive back towards binghamton, we noticed something unusual in a distant field from the road. ken asked if it was worth heading over to check it out, to which I replied 'what could it hurt?!' imagine our surprise when we discovered that there was a ditch and field filled with multi-colored lupines! I had never seen this many differently colored lupines before much less filling a whole field so we had to take many pictures of them. they were in prime bloom and the day was perfect, so....

ken hull happily taking a pic of the lupines

ken and charles in the field of dreams

 

[cnycharles]

the next day I went to a group orchid club picnic at piping rock orchids. the day ended early enough so I decided to check out the nearby spot where ken and I had been directed to search for putty root in new york state. we had found nine or so plants last year, but none had flowered then. I thought it was a bit early for this species in upstate ny, but figured that I would easily be able to tell if it was going to flower this year and when. was quite surprised to find that there were three flowering stems, but that the tops of the flower spikes were all brown and twisted, and the flowers that had survived to flower had already gone to seed! (hmph) so much for my timing skills. I took a few pics anyhow as these are the first flowering putty root orchids that we have seen in new york state

 

[SlipperFan]

Another great field trip.

 

[Yoyo_Jo]

Your photos are great! That irridescent bug is particularly cool :clap:

 

[tocarmar]

Very Nice!!

 

[JeanLux]

Very cool pics again, thanks Charles!!!! Were there no insects along where you are down with the lupines ? Jean

 

[biothanasis]

Wonderful Charles!!! :clap: :clap:

 

[goldenrose]

Field of lupines is too cool! :drool::drool::drool:

 

[Shiva]

Looks like a really nice excursion. Nice postiing.

 

[cnycharles]

thanks! Jean, I was surprised that there were very few insects around the lupines. I think there may have been a few here or there, but nothing trying to pollinate them. I didn't see any moths or butterflies flying around the flowers at all.

by the way, I forgot to upload one of the nice lupine pictures, ....

 

[NYEric]

That looks like someone planted wild flower mix. thanx for posting.

 

[Clark]

Lupine has alot of pop.
That field went nuclear.

 

[W. Beetus]

Beautiful field of lupines!