September 10, 2022 From a distance, this sparse patch of sunflowers looks nondescript. You’d have no idea that it’s the stage for a gripping insect […]
Montana’s mini wildlife in the Carroll College native plant garden
September 7, 2022 If you’re familiar with the Carroll College campus, you’ve probably walked past it countless times. It’s a small, bushy patch of plants […]
Getting to know western aster (Symphyotrichum ascendens)
August 29, 2022 It’s a patch of pale purple among late summer’s dry crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) and the buzzing songs of the insects. A […]
Five late-summer wildflowers and the complex world of their bees
August 18, 2022 Sometimes, a day in the field doesn’t go as planned. I had started out this morning thinking that it would be a […]
Fly killer, bee lover: the secret life of Mentzelia decapetala
July 31, 2022 I’m standing along Helena, Montana’s Centennial Trail on this hot summer evening, contemplating a mystery. The mystery is a plant: Mentzelia decapetala, […]
Bumblebees of Helena: getting to know our fuzzy neighbors
July 27, 2022 She’s fuzzy and yellow, the size of my thumb. The pollen basket on her hind leg holds an orange loaf as she […]
Creatures in the milkweed: searching for Montana’s monarchs
July 21, 2022 I first notice the scent from 40 yards away, subtle but powerful. The milkweed is fragrant, almost like carnations. I’m at the […]
How to attract more bees: plant milkvetch
June 23, 2022 Last week I found a surprising diversity of pollinators feeding on leafy spurge, a flower that everyone hates. But I also noticed […]
This horrible weed feeds pollinators
June 16, 2022 I think I may be the only person in Helena with a fondness for leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula). Yes, I’m talking about […]