WILDFLOWER continued from 48 woody, rather leafy, so no cambium is created. But it’s the time of blooming for both flowers and trees that scientists claim is occurring earlier each year. This may not mean much, unless you are a bee or other insect anticipating food, or a bird searching for insects or nectar. Insect food sources in the form of nectar and pollen are available at the flower head, some in small quantities, and some with loaded nectar and pollen sacks. If plants are flowering earlier, the food search may not correspond with insect arrival. Some insects aroused early from a winter sleep may assume activity before food is available. If the host insect specific to the plant doesn’t arrive, can others fill in? Maybe. But in both cases, poor pollination may result and the fruit or nut crop will be affected. Research also indicates some plant sites are heavily competed for and change can occur. The early bloomers on the forest floor react to warmth and daylight length before the forest canopy overhead is established. But early “leaf-out” of the more dominant trees may shade the ground prematurely and result in poor conditions for herbaceous plants. A delicate interplay between food availability, food consumer, and insect predator is discovered. And so the lowly flower reveals its importance, maybe more now than ever. We knew it all along its importance ecologically, and now it serves as a tool for the climate researcher. You can observe these changes, too— not only in types, variety, and numbers, but also in the recording of their bloom times. And this is one accomplishment among many of the upcoming 28th annual Brown County Wildflower Foray, April 26–28, 2013. Wildflower author and artist, Kay Yatskievych has helped record and document wildflower occurrence in Brown County for most of the 25+ years of the Foray. Her observations and records along with others help us learn what hardy flowers remain and what changes have occurred. This year’s Foray has been planned to incorporate visits to many natural areas in Monroe and Brown counties. And don’t forget Brown County State Park’s 7th annual Morel Mushroom Festival, slated for May 4, 2013. If you aren’t lucky in finding the morels yourself—no problem. Plan on buying them at the Friends of Brown County State Park morel mushroom sale, Saturday morning, May 4, at the Nature Center. It’s spring in the hills o’ Brown—a great time to get out and enjoy the beauty and color of nature all around us.
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March/April 2013 • Our Brown County 51