Minnesota Biological Survey: News from the Field 2013

Janeen Ruby, Plant Ecologist

May 14-20: MBS worker Janeen Ruby observes spring emerging in a Jackson County wetland.

Crystal Boyd, Entomologist

May 16: "My first two days of field work with the Minnesota Biological Survey were full of wonderful discoveries. I traveled to Chippewa Prairie Preserve and Lac Qui Parle Wildlife Management Area near Montevideo. I'm surveying native bees this summer, so I wanted to test the collecting protocols. Luckily my pan traps didn't blow away in the 35 mph winds!"

"This pan trap shows our first bee specimen of the season. We're trapping native bees so MBS can learn more about long-term bee monitoring."

"This transect shows bee bowls of different colors stretched out across the prairie."

"Prescribed burns clear away duff from the prairie, but this deer shed survived the flames."

"Spring came late to Chippewa Prairie this year, so the pasqueflowers are blooming in mid-May."

, "Marsh marigold also known as cowslip, is another flower that signals "Spring is here!"

"This seven-spotted ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata) is a cousin of the native nine-spotted ladybug (Coccinella novempunctata). The seven-spotted ladybug was introduced from Europe in 1956, and it started spreading around the time when the nine-spotted ladybug began to decline."

Carol Hall, Herpetologist

May 8-15: "Bullsnakes/Gophersnakes (Pituophis catenifer) are associated with sand prairies and sand savannahs. The loss and fragmentation of these unique habitats greatly threatens the future of this species in Minnesota. Local populations require large tracts to feed, lay their eggs, and find suitable overwintering sites. MBS is initiating a monitoring program at selected sites, where snakes are captured, measured, and marked for future identification. A pair of snakes was recently found and processed. In addition, two Bullsnake egg shells were found, remnants from a 2011 or 2012 clutch. Females lay their eggs in the sand where they are incubated by the sun. Slits in the shells mark where the hatchlings emerged. Identifying these sites can be useful in the management of this species, since females may return to the same sites year after year to lay their eggs. Roads located between tracts of sand prairie can be death traps for Bullsnakes."

Two bullsnakes, a male and female, recently emerged from their winter den sites.

A bullsnake nest site within a prairie/sand savannah. The snakes may return to the same location each year to lay their eggs.

These shells are the remains of clutches from 2011 or 2012.

Roadways between tracts of suitable bullsnake habitat take their toll.

Derek Anderson, Plant Ecologist/ Botanist

May 13: The late arrival of spring also meant a late start to our annual Minnesota dwarf trout lily monitoring (2-3 weeks later than usual!) in southeastern Minnesota. Five volunteers assisted with the work at Nerstrand–Big Woods State Park. The day was also documented by the Rochester Post-Bulletin, highlighting the efforts of a local volunteer, Ron Taallerud.

The Minnesota dwarf trout lily. Photo by Ron Taallerud

Two volunteers help scan and flag individual flowering plants in this colony at Nerstrand–Big Woods State Park. Photo by R. Taallerud.

The volunteer crew at Nerstrand–Big Woods State Park pause for a moment to pose for a photo in front of a large group of dwarf trout lilies. Photo by R. Taallerud.

News from the Field 2012