Another Beginning

Today was my first day back to work as the summer naturalist at Oakland Camp.  As usual, on my drive out to the camp I have to check on certain favorite spots for nature photography.  One of the best is a small patch of Showy Milkweeds, Asclepias speciosa, on Chandler Road.  As you can see in the top photo, they're not yet blooming.  I saw a touch of pink in some of the buds, so we're getting close.  I checked about 20 plants and finally saw my first Red Milkweed Beetle, Tetraopes basalis, of the year.  This beetle lives its entire life cycle in and on the Showy Milkweed.  The second photo of the beetle on a leaf was taken as I found it.  Then, I put it in my hand and included the base of a couple of fingers so you could judge its size, about 3/4" long not including antennae.  The fourth photo is a close-up, and you can get even closer if you click on it.  The last photo is of Cow Parsnip, Heracleum lanatum, in the carrot family, Apiaceae.  Today was the first day I noticed them blooming, just west of the bridge over Spanish Creek on Chandler Road.  They're in a shady spot below the road surface so are easy to miss.  The only thing that kept me from being late to work was that after this last photo, my media card was full.  Otherwise, I would have been tempted to hop the fence and photograph the great variety of bugs that this plant attracts.  Tomorrow!