We are rounding out Pollinator Week, and what a week it has been! June is always an incredibly busy month here at NCF with field work keeping us moving in all directions. I can’t stress this enough: Junes on Nantucket are beautiful. They are filled to the brim with blooms of all sizes, colors, & shapes. If you haven’t been out walking any of our trails, do yourself a favor before the heat of the summer sets in. In the mean time, we’ve collected some pictures from our busy travels of some native pollinators and the flowers they are buzzing for right now!
Mating Cecropia Moths (Hyalophora cecropia), the largest native moths in North America, found recently on a Mornings For Members walk, Photo: Neil FoleyPale Beauty Moth (Campaea perlata) resting on a Scrub Oak leaf, photo: Neil FoleyNative Pasture Thistle (Cirsium pumilum) is very important for bees while it flowers and finches once it goes to seed. photo: Danielle O’DellPearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos), photo: Neil Foley
The wetlands of Windswept Bog and Stump Pond have been filled with Slender Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor). The bogs that were once used to cultivate millions of cranberries provide wet soils that these showy irises prefer. A whole bog filled with purple is quite the sight!
The gorgeous bloom of Iris versicolor, photo: Neil FoleyThis plant loves the wetland soils around Windswept and Stump Pond, photo: Neil FoleyNot pictured: my jaw on the floor, photo: Neil Foleyphoto: Neil Foleyphoto: Neil Foley
Speaking of Cranberry Bogs, the cultivated vines at Milestone Cranberry Bog are sending out flowers! The bees are very happy and we hope that these flowers get well pollinated so they turn into millions of Cranberry for harvest in October.
Cranberry took on it’s name after the term “Craneberry”, because the shape and color of the flower resembles the red and white head of a Sandhill Crane. photo: Neil FoleyA honey bee needs to visit a cranberry flower 4-5 times in order to pollinate it properly, while the larger bumble bee only needs to visit a flower once. photo: Neil Foleyphoto: Neil Foley Cranberry flowers are clustered in vine sections called uprights, photo: Neil FoleySeveral different Rubus Sp. have been in bloom while vining throughout the open grasslands, photo: Danielle O’DellBushy Rock-rose (Helianthemum dumosum) blooming around the paths of the Middle Moors, photo: Neil FoleyYellow Thistle (Cirsium horridulum) supporting lots of bees along the South Shore, photo: Neil Foley
