Diario de bkis

Barnes Prairie and remnants consist of several areas of tallgrass prairie, original to southeastern Wisconsin, USA. Over time, these areas have been systematically lost to farming, grazing, housing, commercial and industry use, and infrastructure. In the 1960s, there were dozens of prairie remnants; to date, only a scattered few remain.
Bombus affinis, rusty patched bumblebee, was frequently found at Barnes Prairie during the 1980s through 1990s. They were also found at flower gardens adjacent to the prairie remnants, and on the roadsides near these prairies.
A short summary of native prairie flowers that these bees were observed and/or photographed on follows. The greatest number of rusty-patched bumblebees were seen on Monarda fistulosa.

Month/Year Flowering plants that bees were seen/photographed on Comments

July 2011 Cirsium discolor, field thistle ID MPM

July 2021 Cirsium discolor, field thistle
Monarda fistulosa, wild bergamot
Echinacea purpurea, purple coneflower planted at edge of prairie in
the 1970’s

August 2021 Solidago juncea, early goldenrod abundant on this remnant
Monarda fistulosa, wild bergamot abundant on this remnant
Veronicastrum virginicum, Culver’s root
Helenium autumnale, sneezeweed

July 2022 Monarda fistulosa, wild bergamot
Echinacea purpurea, purple coneflower planted at edge of prairie in

the 1970’s
August 2022 Solidago rigida, rigid goldenrod
Eryngium yuccifolium, rattlesnake master Plants scattered in the prairie
Symphyotrichum sp. (Aster sp.) aster Possibly sky blue aster

September 2022 Symphyotrichum sp. Aster

Plants that Araneus pratensis, openfield orbweaver, were found on at Barnes Prairie Remnants, Racine Co., WI. 2020-2022

Araneus pratensis, a small, colorful orbweaver, was most easily found by me on southeastern Wisconsin tallgrass prairie remnants in late summer. Most of the spiders observed were located relatively close together, within a 15 acre area. I have been documenting these spiders on the remnant prairies and adjacent fields beginning in 1990. Summaries of plants these spiders were found on during the last three years are listed below.
Date Plants webs were attached to/comments

Sept. 21, 2020 Web attached to goldenrod sp. Flowers

Sept. 1, 2021 Web attached to common milkweed leaves

Sept. 4, 2022 Web attached to grasses

Sept. 13, 2022 Web on common milkweed leaves

Sept. 13, 2022 Web on grasses

Sept. 13, 2022 Spider on grass leaf

Sept. 14, 2022 Web on grasses

Oct. 4, 2022 Spider on common milkweed leaf

Oct. 4, 2022 Spider on common milkweed seed pod