During the 12 days since last visit here, the meadows surrounding fenced organic gardens were mowed. Seemed surprising since that's usually done just in the Fall. Also puzzling because this is a conservation area, where quite a few Monarchs are seen every year on common milkweeds growing throughout the meadows. About 30 or more milkweeds were spared by the mowers, but many times that number were cut down, along with goldenrods, Queen Anne's Lace, Joe-Pye Weeds, Carolina Rose, mint, various ferns and many more. In addition to a few milkweeds, mowers spared a field poppy, a few patches of Northern Bayberry, and an extensive patch of Stinging Nettles that thrives under a small Black Walnut tree near the small parking lot. I imagine it would have been dangerous for the mower operator to drive over those tall nettles, but it's surprising they haven't been removed yet, since they are right beside a well-used walking trail. I barely touched a leaf once while photographing an insect, and the stinging pain lasted for many minutes.
It's still early in the growing season, so many of the plants will probably grow back, I'll be looking forward to that, and a return of the many species of bees, flies, dragonflies, butterflies, beetles, and true bugs that thrive here every summer.
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