APRIL
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April 4th
​This northern paper wasp female (Polistes fuscatus) was catching some rays on a south-facing wall today. Female nest foundresses (or reproductive females) are beginning to emerge as temperatures warm. In the next month, they will search for a nest site, often establishing a nest with a sister. However, one female ultimately will become the dominant egg-laying queen of the nest colony while the other either becomes subordinate and stays to help her sister rear offspring or leaves to found her own nest. Northern paper wasps are social wasps and build single celled open nests, often attached to a horizontal object.
​Photo by Heather Holm.

April 6th
The mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) adults are emerging now. This one was spotted basking in a sunny spot at Cullen Nature Preserve today. These butterflies overwinter as adults in insulated sites such as behind tree bark or under leaf litter. Few if any plants are blooming when they emerge so adults seek out food from tree sap flows such as maples. Females lay eggs on their host plants including willow, poplar, and less often elm. The first generation of adults emerge in mid to late June or early July, forage for a short time for nectar on flowers, then go dormant. Adults remain dormant through the hot, dry month of August, then come out of dormancy in September as temperatures cool. These adults fly late into the fall on warm days, then when temperatures drop, find a secure, insulated site in which to overwinter. Photo by Heather Holm

April 7th
Ramps are up! What are ramps? They’re wild leeks, and they are among many spring ephemerals that grow early, before the trees leaf out. But in this case, they are a prized, edible variety. Ramps, or Allium tricoccum, grow from onion-like bulbs. The leaves, stems, and bulbs are all edible. Park rules prohibit foraging in Minnetonka parks, so if you see them there, please leave them. The ramps in this photo are on private property. Photo by Linda Russell