Naturalist Notes November 2017 The changes in temperature mean changes for us here at Lakeshore State Park. The seeds on our prairie plants have started to drop, and will be ready to undergo cold-stratification. Cold stratification is an important step for nearly all of our native plants in Wisconsin, as it allows the plants to survive through our cold winters. We …

Naturalist Notes October 2017 Fall has officially arrived at Lakeshore State Park, and our plants are beginning to seed. While there may only be a few forbs (flowering plants) left, the park remains beautiful as the wind can be seen sweeping through the drying grasses. Insects and birds are starting to make preparations for the colder weather, and are migrating …

Naturalist Notes September 2017 As summer comes to an end and fall begins, our native warm-season grasses can be seen swaying in the wind. These grasses provide many ecological benefits to the park. While they may not attract as many pollinators as our prairie forbs, they are, undoubtedly, an equally important asset to the Park. Habitat: During warmer months, these …

Naturalist Notes August 2017 As we transition from July to August here at Lakeshore State Park, our Green Darner Dragonflies (Anax junius) have metamorphosed into adults. These dragonflies are one of very few species that are migratory to Wisconsin. In the spring, adults from the south fly to our lakes to mate. The female will then lay her fertilized eggs …

Naturalist Notes July 2017 Our Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) has caused an explosion of color in the park this month. While much of it is bright orange in color, there are some variations from prairie to prairie, and plant to plant. In our demo gardens on the north end of the park, you can observe some that are more of …