Michigan’s Wild Strawberries

 

Fragaria vesca Fragaria virginiana  Woodland and Wild Strawberry

Woodland-l-and-Wild-r- Strawberry flowers

Michigan has two species of native Strawberries. The Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) and Woodland Strawberry (F. vesca). If you have never eaten a native Strawberry you simply have not experienced life. The fruit is about 6mm (1/4 inch) long and all the flavor of a large commercial Strawberry is packed into its small size. I found a handful of each species last weekend near Grayling. Michigan. Wild Strawberries are sweeter and juicer than the Woodland Strawberry but I will eat both.

Fragaria vesca Fragaria virginiana  Woodland and Wild Strawberry

Woodland-l-and-Wild-r- Strawberry Fruit

The two species normally are easy to tell apart. Wild Strawberries have more or less spherical fruit. The strawberry fruit is called a fruiting receptacle and this species’ seeds are on the surface of the fruit in tiny depressions. Fruiting Wild Strawberries have their fruit held beneath the leaves. The terminal tooth on the bluish-green leaflets is smaller than the adjoining teeth.

Fragaria virginiana Wild Strawberry Fruit

Wild Strawberry Fruit

Woodland Strawberries have elongate fruit and its seeds stick-out from the surface of the fruit. Their fruit is held above the leaves. The terminal tooth on the bright green leaflets is the same size as the adjoining teeth.

Fragaria vesca   Woodland Strawberry Fruit

Woodland Strawberry Fruit

Wild Strawberries grow in many habitats. When they are found in old orchards or under Wild Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) trees, Grape Ferns (Botrychium spp.) often grow with them. Wild Strawberries tend to be semi-evergreen. Sometimes they still possess last year’s leaves when the plants flower in the spring.

Get out and look for strawberries along the edges of abandoned farm fields. They are ripe now and worth the time it takes to find, pick, and eat them.
Copyright 2014 by Donald Drife

Webpage Michigan Nature Guy
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Spring Insects in Central Michigan

I recently (May 24) found four species of insects that I had never identified before. I came upon them in an area a little east of Grayling, Michigan in Oscoda County. This area that we call Diane’s Bog is a favorite place of mine to photograph nature.

Callophrys niphon  Eastern Pine Elfin

Eastern Pine Elfin

The first species is a butterfly, the little Eastern Pine Elfin (Callophrys niphon or Incisalia niphon by those who split the genus). Its wingspan is about 2.5cm (1 inch). It is similar to the Western Pine Elfin, which is darker and lacks the gray stripe on the hindwing. The larva are found on White Pine (Pinus strobus) and Jack Pine (P. banksiana).

Celastrina lucia  Northern Spring Azure

Northern Spring Azure

The next species is Northern Spring Azure (Celastrina lucia). It is another small butterfly and is similar to the Spring Azure. The Northern Spring Azure has gray inside of the blue stripe on the hindwing.

Erynnis lucilius  Columbine Duskywing

Columbine Duskywing

Our third butterfly is the Columbine Duskywing (Erynnis lucilius). Its wingspan is 3.5cm (1.5 inches). The larva feeds only on columbine (Aquilegia sp.). It is a brown butterfly with tiny semi-transparent windows in its wings.

Carabus nemoralis  European Ground Beetle

European Ground Beetle

Our final insect is a large black beetle, the European Ground Beetle (Carabus nemoralis).  I was in what I thought was a fairly undisturbed section of the county and was surprised when I learned that this was an imported beetle. Its antenna are segmented, it has a series of dimples on the wing covers and iridescent purple corners on its pronotum. The pronotum is the covering of the thorax, which is the section behind the head. It is 3.5cm (1.5 inches) long. I found the tracks of this beetle interesting. Thanks to the gang at bugguide.net for the identification.

Carabus nemoralis  European Ground Beetle

European Ground Beetle Tracks and Pronotum

I found four insects that I had not identified previously in two hours. I have been to this site many times but there is always something new to see and notice.
Copyright 2014 by Donald Drife

Webpage Michigan Nature Guy
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