Our staff phenologist John Latimer is known for his extensive vocabulary, and today I enjoyed learning a new word: heliotropic. Heliotropic flowers, such as the yellow salsify, turn or move to follow the sun during the day.
As a sun-loving person myself, I identify with this terminology. Like a lazy house cat, I’m known to bask in the sunshine as much as I can (with plenty of sunscreen, of course). Now, at least I’ll have a fancy science term to describe this foible.
Also in this week’s Phenology Report, John describes jewelwing damselflies that appear near running water at this time of year, the pleasant scent of basswood flowers, and the defensive behaviors of Ruffed grouse. Listen to the full conversation above!
Topics
- Introduction (0:00-0:24)
- Long summer days (0:24-1:01)
- Wildflowers (1:01-11:38)
- Shrubs and trees (11:38-14:16)
- Frogs and turtles (14:16-14:14)
- Birds (14:14-16:09)
- Insects (16:09-18:10)
- Conclusion (18:10-19:02)
What have you seen out there? Let us know: email us at comments@kaxe.org or text us at 218-326-1234.
That does it for this week! For more phenology, <b>subscribe</b> to our Season Watch Newsletter or visit the Season Watch Facebook page.
Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
