On the north side of an impenetrable white vinyl fence, unseen and likely forgotten by those who built the fence, a little micro-habitat of opportunists thrives just out of reach of the trailside mower.
Horseweeds, sowthistles, fleabane, dock, amaranth, a spiky flatsedge, and an enterprising grapevine are just a smattering of the dozens of plants making a community in this shady, 65-foot span. Even late in the season, into October, there were still some flowers available on the horseweeds and fleabane to bring an assortment of tiny pollinators, including a stunningly-patterned moth.
 |
Spotted Beet Webworm Moth (Hymenia perspectalis, tentative) |
Earlier in the season, this scrappy little patch would have barely merited a glance, when just opposite the Greenway was glowing with big, beautiful flowers everywhere. But squeezing out the last bits of summer, before the last flowers fade and the last insects disappear for the long winter months, it's a low-expectation oasis.
Life happens when we give it a chance.
No comments:
Post a Comment