Seen in the Bog
I visited Volo Bog shortly after a morning rainstorm this Sunday. The air was humid, the horsetails were sparkling with droplets, and the boardwalk was partially submerged. No tours were led on the treacherous trail.
Tamarack branches were sporting cones. These conifers are monoecious plants—each plant has both male and female cones. Monoecious means "one house." If an individual plant has only male or only female flowers or cones, the species is dioecious ("two houses"). The cones you can see here are the female cones, which will produce seeds.
Vegetation was lush at the eye of the bog. Pickerelweed, which doesn't mind when the water level changes, was standing tall despite the storm.
It is a great time to see berries forming. These photos were all taken Sunday, but the berries pictured are seen in the bog every year. Do you recognize them from past summers? (Mouse over to find out.)
Finally, floating in the restoration area were a few fine-looking bladderworts. These carnivorous plants use bladderlike traps to suck in prey.
Seen Around the Bog
Milkweed was blooming among the cattails. The water level was quite high in the marsh, overtaking the boardwalk near the end of the trail. Watch your step!
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