Still weeding the lupine

As it turns out, the weeds are pretty rife around the McFarlin's lupine, but I'm making progress in clearing the immediate areas around the plant and opening a couple of isolated plants to better sunlight.

The main offender was Pokeweed, but I did have to remove some resprouting trees as well. Some large sedges and grasses went for good measure.

I think the regular lupine crew will notice a difference this week.

Weeding the Lupine

I received a plea this week to take a look at the Scrub Lupine planting. It seemed some of it was becoming overrun with other plants.

I went out this afternoon and did what I could, including digging up some trees that would shade the plants out. I pullled a lot of this sedge, the name of which I can't remember, as well as some Natal grass and a few other plants to clear the ground a bit. I dumped all of it except the Natal grass into one of the fire lanes, hoping it will outcompete something less desirable.

The sedges wouldn't be problem if it weren't for the lupine planting, I think.

Meanwhile, looking across the landscape, I see the Natal grass increasing. This could be serious. I don't think Mike's idea that the other plants will outcompete it will hold.

I'll know by fall, I suppose.

Ceraunnus Blues cubed

I was recently surprised to find more than 100 Ceraunus Blue butterflies in the north tract. Today I found more than 300.

They were nectaring on whatever was available, though Polygonella myriophylla was where the large concentrations lay. They were also on two species of Asclepias, Solidago sp. and Polanisia tennufolia and other assorted plants.

I did this survey in the afternoon heat. Next time I'll bring more water. It was brutal out there.

Hogs still present

The two hogs that took up residence in the south tract a couple of months ago are still there. I saw one in the fire lane the other day.

They seem to like to rest in the wooded area along the right of way of Avenue Q, but will run into the woods if startled, which doesn't take much.

I haven't been inside to check lately on the amount of damage they've done. At least for now there aren't any more.

Trash pickup progressing

I think I'm actually making some headway cleaning up the trash along the widened fire land along the residential neighborhood in the north parcel.

I've picked up about 10 bags of trash and recyclables as well as a few wheelbarrow loads of scrap over the past couple of weeks.

Eventually, it will be under control, just as the other piles became. It just takes time and patience.

Is it time to expand?

I've been thinking about connections and corridors. I mean more places for lupines, more places for newly discovered potential endangered species. That kind of thing.

What I envision is a corridor of sorts from the two tracts, a kind of L-shaped affair. There are two tracts of land involved. One is privately owned. The other is owned by Winter Haven, but has a CSX easement on it, though that may not matter if there's no railroad line to expand (they ought to spend their money on fixing the Hobbs Road crossing,; it's the one of worst in Polk County).

This will not be cheap, but there isn't much intact scrub left on the Winter Haven Ridge. Maybe they should take anolher look at the Lake Fannie property and maybe they should look at the property on both sides of the tracks in south Winter Haven east of Pollard Road.

Maybe they should look on the south end of Gerber Dairy Road.

Time is running out. The recession will be over some day and the property will be bulldozed forever.

Blue for another reason

I had been seeing quite a few Ceraunus Blue butterflies and wondered what I might encounter if I put some effort into it.
Late this afternoon I tallied 103 Ceraunus Blue (and 1 Cassisus Blue). Amazing. It is Lake Blue.