Monarch butterfly mystery

By Kathy Bildner This female Monarch was very busy jumping from unopened flower to flower. I thought she was looking for nectar but was not succeeding so moved on quickly. Looking closer, I saw the eggs. I have never seen them put the eggs on a flower. Usually it is…

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Naturescaping Open House June 8

By Betty Struckhoff If you enjoy the informal learning opportunities of Wild Ones meetings, you will probably like the Naturescaping Open House sponsored by St. Louis Audubon’s Bring Conservation Home program. There will be knowledgeable volunteers throughout the half-acre native yard of Susan and Kei Pang in Richmond Heights. One…

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New web resource for rainscaping

By Betty Struckhoff The St. Louis area has incredible resources for native landscapers. A new addition promises to help all of us enhance our landscapes, attract wildlife, support the ecosystem and improve the water quality in our streams. ShowMeRainGardens contains tips and interactive tools to help you plan, design and…

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St. Louis Earth Day Festival in Forest Park

By Peggy Whetzel and Fran Glass Kids were excited to spot the stuffed barred owl that served as an ambassador to the booth shared by Wild Ones and the St. Louis Audubon Society at the 2014 St. Louis Earth Day Festival in Forest Park on April 27. With visions of…

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St. Louis City introduces ‘Milkweeds for Monarchs’ initiative

According to a recent press release from Mayor Francis Slay’s office, the City of St. Louis, as part of a national campaign to save the threatened monarch butterfly, is spearheading an initiative to help grow the monarch population. How? Plant milkweed. Monarch butterflies only lay their eggs on milkweed, and the caterpillars…

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April meeting minutes

PROGRAM Twenty-six Wild Ones members and seven guests attended the April yard tour and meeting at Marsha Gebhardt’s Ferguson residence. Marsha has new plantings in the front yard, designed and installed last fall by Simon and Monica Barker. Simon attended our meeting to talk about the project and answer questions….

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A magical moment in our woodland

By Margy Terpstra Wednesday, April 30, 2014, was a raw day, overcast and barely 55 degrees. The dawn chorus, however, was loud and clear. So, I was at my camera. Suddenly, a stunning bird with a bright yellow head and blue wings landed in a small American elm in our…

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Two more area native-plant sales

Two more chances to pick up native plants for Spring! Saturday, May 3, 9 am – 3 pm, at Whole Foods Market in Town & Country (1160 Town and Country Crossing Drive). A bountiful selection of native perennials, grasses, sedges, vines, shrubs, and trees supplied by Missouri Wildflowers Nursery. A…

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The polar vortex versus the emerald ash borer

By Nellie Brown In the past few months, several news outlets have suggested that this winter’s frigid arctic blasts (also known as the polar vortex) may stop or at least slow the spread of the emerald ash borer (EAB). A recent study in Minnesota exposed emerald ash borer larvae to…

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Master Gardener plant sale April 25-28

by Betty Struckhoff Spring is here, and many of you may be itching to add more native plants to your yard. Of course, the wonderful Shaw Nature Reserve plant sale on Mother’s Day weekend is already on your calendar. But if you want plants before then, come to the Master Gardener plant sale….

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