Swenson Logging LLC

10/10/2023

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06/18/2023

Common milkweed, well known for its important relationship with monarch butterflies, is about to bloom in the prairie!

As caterpillars, these iconic insects rely on milkweed plants as their lone food source. Milkweed is toxic to most animals, but monarch caterpillars spend their time munching on it and, when they’re adults, they have toxic properties too. Female monarch butterflies will not lay their eggs on any other plant, so it’s vital that we protect milkweed to support their population.

Recent efforts to grow more habitats for monarchs across the U.S. has led to an increase in milkweed in both community and personal gardens. Gardeners are encouraged to grow milkweed native to their region so, in Wisconsin, look for common milkweed, swamp milkweed, or showy milkweed. It is best to avoid planting non-native milkweed species because long bloom periods can prevent monarchs from migrating on time and can spread parasites to the butterflies.

Other ways to support monarch butterflies are to avoid using pesticides in your garden and to provide food for adult butterflies by planting nectar flowers. Those who are especially interested, can look into the Monarch Waystation program, which provides seed kits, a registry of monarch waystations across the continent, and general advice on planting gardens for monarchs.

What signs of late spring do you see? Visit us for a hike or take a walk around your neighborhood looking for cyclical events influenced by seasonal changes.

Photo: Stephanie Briand, Aldo Leopold Nature Center

11/20/2022

08/05/2022

Turk's-Cap Lily (Lilium superbum) is a North American native perennial wildflower. It is also known as the Turban Lily, Swamp Lily, and American Tiger Lily. Red or orange in color, this lily has speckled, downward-facing petals that curve back up towards the sun. It is beloved by pollinators and is sure to attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your mid-summer garden. Be sure to plant Turk's-Cap Lily in moist but well-drained soil for optimal growing conditions.

07/01/2022

An unforgettable experience

05/19/2022

Close your eyes and imagine the oldest tree in Wisconsin. When I would do this, I used to picture something like a massive red oak with limbs the size of telephone poles, or a towering white pine missed by the loggers of the 19th Century. But that’s not it at...

04/22/2022

Happy Earth Day!!