Ramble through Prairie Park

Had a nice ramble at Prairie Park which is about 1/2 mile from my house. If you are ever in Lawrence it is worth a visit (map). There are about 5 miles of easily walkable trails, a nice little museum, a state fishing lake called Mary's Lake(Hey it's a large pond but very popular) and a small patch of native prairie.

This dragonfly is the only one of many that cooperated with me. The vertical pose of the abdomen caught my eye. Don't know if that is characteristic of this species, but this one would move and then take up that abdomen up pose.




I was pleased to find this carpenter bee(Xylocopa virginica). I don't think of these bees as being common in this area, but I have seen several around my garden and they were all over this legume.




Another tiger beetle, I know. But this one cooperated very nicely.



Finally a few flowers such as this small phlox. There was not a whole lot in bloom in the native prairie area.



A Prairie Mimosa.



Lastly, a very delicate prairie pink. I like the mottled petals:




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