Yellow lady's-slipper orchid in Happy Hollow Park

Here's a single yellow lady's-slipper orchid happily growing in Happy Hollow Park. Probably the large yellow lady's-slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens).  It would be quite a find to encounter one of these growing wild within the city limits.  But then it occurred to me that someone could have decided to plant this here, so who knows?  It's close to a well-traveled area.  The needle-leaved plants surrounding it are Equisetum.

Pictures taken April 26, 2012.

Link to Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens:

Link to Cypripedium parviflorum:

Another place to find yellow lady's slipper is at Clegg Gardens, just east of Lafayette.  At Clegg Gardens the lady's slipper is not wild but has been planted.

Box turtle at Scifres-Maier Woods

A box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina), in Scifres-Maier Woods, part of Celery Bog Park.  Is it a female laying eggs?  Looks like it could be.

A human step away from the turtle is this freshly overturned dirt on the forest floor.  Is it another turtle nest?

Pictures taken April 12, 2012.

Link to previous post on box turtles:

Another link to Terrapene carolina:

Camassia scilloides at Prophetstown State Park

This slope at the end of the motorway at Prophetstown State Park is home to a large population of Camassia scilloides plants.  Camassia grows thick like this for hundreds of yards along the trail here.

 A closer look at some of the Camassia scilloides at the park.

More Camassia scilloides along the trail, with some fire pink (Silene virginica).  All pictures taken April 22, 2012.
 
Link to previous post on Camassia scilloides:

Link to Silene virginica:

Red Admiral butterflies on Deutzia gracilis

The Deutzia gracilis shrub at the east entrance to Lilly Hall has begun blooming and today is swarming with dozens of red admiral butterflies (Vanessa atalanta).


Link to previous post on this Deutzia gracilis:

Link to Vanessa atalanta:

Reports the last few days are that red admiral butterflies are unusually prevalent, here is a link:

Pictures taken April 18, 2012, Purdue campus.

Erodium cicutarium

Erodium cicutarium, sometimes called cranesbill.  Plants in the Geranium family typically have fruits with this kind of a beaked look to it.

Link to Erodium cicutarium:

Link to Erodium cicutarium:

Link to Erodium cicutarium:

Link to Geranium family:

More Erodium cicutarium outside of another groundhog hole.

Big Boy the Groundhog waits to go outside.

Link to Marmota monax:

Pictures taken April 16, 2012, near the Harrison Bridge, Lafayette side.

Tree frog on mayapple leaf

A tree frog finds its spot on a mayapple leaf.  In Scifres-Maier woods in Celery Bog Park.  I am guessing it is a gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor).  Picture taken April 12, 2012.

Link to gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor).

Link to gray tree frog  (Hyla versicolor).
 
Link to gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor).

Link to previous post on mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum):

Celandine poppy

Celandine poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum), at Purdue Wildlife Area, along entrance road.  PWA is in Tippecanoe County, about 6 miles west of the Purdue campus.

Picture taken April  9, 2012.

Link to previous post on Stylophorum diphyllum:

Link to Stylophorum diphyllum:

Link to Purdue Wildlife Area:

Red Buckeye

A red buckeye tree (Aesculus pavia) planted on the front grounds of the Purdue Wildlife Area, west of West Lafayette.  Picture taken April 9, 2012.

Link to Aesculus pavia:

Link to Aesculus pavia:

Link to Aesculus pavia: