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Buterflies

Up a Creek: Part Three

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The best thing about creeking is that there is no rush.

You are there.

You have arrived at your destination.

You have reached your goal.

Ta Da!

There is no next goal coming up.

You can reward yourself and actually enjoy the reward of relaxing and just enjoying each and every moment. 

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You can look for butterflies on the sandbars. 

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Find a feather covered in rain drops. Wonder if maybe there really are fairies and we are just too old and cynical to see them. 

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Or just dip your toes in the cool water while listening to the creek burble and the angry kingfisher chitter.

Hike Often. Live More.

Great Spangled Fritillary

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Okay, for some reason that name just cracks me up.

On a recent hike at Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge, I hiked the Chestnut Ridge Trail which exits into a butterfly garden. What a great way to end a hike. While the hike isn’t long (0.5 miles) or hard there is a lot going on in the woods.

On the edge, in the butterfly garden are two predominate milkweeds: Butterfly Weed and (her plain Jane friend) Common Milkweed.

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Zebra swallowtail on butterfly weed at Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge right behind the nature center.

The butterfly weed is bright neon-ish orange with clusters of flowers packed tightly together creating a large landing pads. Kind of looks like an open umbrella turned upside down. However, common milkweed looks like sad melting pinkish snowballs.

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Great spangled fritillary on common milkweed. There is also an ant and I think a blue bee. If you know what kind of bee this is let me know on facebook 6060cincyhikes!

Both are sources of nectar for the butterflies, a safe place for the eggs to develop, and a food source for the caterpillar.

When you are hiking in open meadows or along the roadsides, look for milkweeds and the variety of critters they play host to.