Back at it

After last week’s sweltering hot temperatures and absolutely atrocious air quality, Team Echinacea is finally back in the field at full force (minus Alex, we miss you!)

My morning consisted of a quick phenology trip to the few sites left on our Northwest loop. We needed to make the hike out to landfill for the six plants still flowering, but it meant I got to see a plenty of fun butterflies flitting about, and certainly plenty of monarchs. I seem to be seeing more and more of them recently.

Butterfly at landfill, a tailed-blue, I believe.

After lunch we spent most of the afternoon measuring P2. With 40 rows left, we were hopeful that we’d be able to finish, and let me tell you, we came tantalizingly close. We had to pack up and head back around 4:30 to make sure we finished work on time, but it was truly and agonizing experience to leave just four and a half rows for the next day.