Ruby Meadowhawks

Ian planted a Monkshood plant, which has lovely flowers and is very poisonous. I think he got the idea from Cadfael, a PBS Mystery series about a crusader turned monk/herbalist. Whatever the reason, it flourished and now has died back, leaving stalks and seedpods. I think we'll be seeing more Monkshood next year.


I was going to trim back the stalks last weekend but was lazy. Now I am glad, as two Ruby Meadowhawks (Sympetrum rubicundulum) were hanging out on the top of the stalks this afternoon. Two males, still dogfighting periodically, mostly were sitting on the tops of the stalks, pretty much oblivious to me except when I actually touched one to see if he would perch on my fingers, like damselflies often will. Nothing doing, they'd take off, hover, and set down again in the same spot. I put my finger in place of a stalk, and they'd land on a different stalk.

So if you're tempted to clean up your yard, here's a good reason not to.

Happy September,

Canoelover

NOTE:  I misidentified these beauties.  They are not rubys, they're yellow-legged meadowhawks.  Bloody sympetrums are so hard to identify...