The Karner Blue Butterfly

( Hey viewers, I'm pretty sure I'm wrong about this being the Karner Blue. After a bit more research, I'm concluding  it's an Eastern Tailed-Blue, a rather common butterfly in the eastern US. I've sent this photo to the Miller Woods Educational Center of the Dunes National Park Service and asked for help with the ID. When I hear from them I'll edit the entire post. Thanks for the views.)
  
Pulling grass from my wild flower patch, when I saw a tiny blue butterfly flirting with the flowers. I ran to the house to fetch my camera, knowing the chances were slim to none the butterfly would be there when I returned. With camera in hand, I intensely searched the flower bed. Luck day, I was able to get this shot of not only one of the smallest butterflies in the USA but also, more importantly, an ENDANGERED SPECIES.. The Karner Blue Butterfly.

A native butterfly to the dry dune environments of the Great Lakes region, the Karner Blue became a threatened species because of habitat loss, due to urban and industrial development in the region which resulted in the range reduction of the only plant the Karner Blue uses for food as a caterpillar, the Wild Blue Lupine. In 1992 the Karner Blue was added to the Endangered Species list.

Here's a link to a US Fish and Wildlife fact sheet if you would like to know more about the Karner Blue ~ http://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/insects/kbb/kbb_fact.html

Ranger's Marsh 4-6-2013

Took a short hike at Ranger's Marsh on the Little Calumet River. Warm, windy day. The marsh is dry as a bone. Water only in the Dead Cottonwood grove. The flooded wood is holding a few ducks and boy are they spooky. The first group of ducks began to get in the wind when I was 100 yards away. Group after group followed. I saw about 300 ducks catch the strong south wind for the next step north.

Drake Mallard Duck

Hen Mallard Ducks

Mallards

Mallards

Gadwall Ducks

Blue-Wing Teal 

Blue-Wing Teal in dead Cottonwood Grove

Blue-Wing Teal Drake

Mink carcass 

How dry is the marsh? Well, here's a photo of Mink ( Neovison vison ) jerky. A sun dried carcass of the nocturnal American Mink. Years ago, this little guy would have been worth his weight in gold.

Dry Marsh

This photo shows the condition of the marsh this spring, bone dry. Typically, there would be two foot of water covering the cattail humps.  

Author

Me after a the hike. I'd like to thank you for viewing my blog. Thanks!