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The last half of August is, perhaps, the best time of year to visit a sand prairie, like this one at BigEastern's Lena Park. A few areas of these small prairie remnants have never been plowed, and have had minimal human disturbance. The sand looks barren, but supports an amazing natural flower garden. Earlier in the year prickly pear cactuses and puccoons bloom profusely, but in August the composites take over.
Here, a swallowtail feasts on the nectar of a rough blazing star (liatris aspera), one of the most important and characteristic plants in a xeric sand prairie.
The sand prairie in August hosts a profusion of insects as well. Some of them feast on the abundant nectar the liatris provides, including several types of butterflies - swallowtails, fritillaries, skippers and the like.
The sand also hosts some fairly fierce types of wasps; they aren't looking for trouble with human visitors but it's wise to keep your distance, especially from the blue-black metallic spider hunting wasps. They rarely sting humans, but if you should happen to sit on one or rub up against one accidentally you'll get a shot of neuro-toxin that will definitely be a memorable experience.
This patch of prairie is also home to a colony of seven-lined skinks. These fast running little lizards are one of the few kinds of reptiles seen in this xeric environment.
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