Took a walk yesterday down to the South Fork River in central Illinois. There were rough trails to follow to give access to some oil wells situated there. This wild area supports a healthy population of wildflowers, especially Queen Anne's Lace. Additionally, noted a fair amount of blackberries, elderberries, chicory, goldenrod, wild grape vines, ragweed, fleabane, and milkweed.







Queen Anne's Lace
< about to unfurl < unfurled


Pink flavored lace included -


< bugsville closer >


Other wilds -
< clover < berries < elderberries

Milkweed > Grape vine >


Flybys - < Moth < Buckeye

That is very pretty J, thank you for posting.

Nothing like a nice walk through nature.

Jmorth, thanks once again for the flashbacks your photos elicit in me of my childhood stomping grounds. I can feel the air, hear the insect sounds, and the intense activity when one gets upclose, how the grasshoppers never seem to collide with anything though they don't always stick their landings.

I have access to a similar natural area here with the same plants you have noted, though the feel is different to me. Here in the coastal Mid Atlantic on our hot humid days of summer there seems to be almost a daily pause when almost all activity ceases (even the ants aren't out!) which I don't remember from growing up there.

If you can tell me more about the dark stemmed milkweed you pictured, I would appreciate it.

@MariposaMaid
I believe it is Asclepias syriaca...here's a link -
http://www.illinoiswildflowers...