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Bicyrtes quadrifasciatus
17-19mm
West Ridge Nature Park in the heart of Chicago's northside, about a mile west of Lake Michigan, contains approximately 20 acres of woodland, wetland, and lagoon habitat. This natural area offers meandering pathways, boardwalks, and fishing areas. In 2015, the Chicago Park District and City of Chicago dedicated Park #568 which is now known as West Ridge Nature Park. The 21-acre site lies at the northwest corner of Rosehill Cemetery. One of Chicago’s oldest burial grounds, Rosehill Cemetery was dedicated in 1859. Landscape gardener William Saunders, a national leader in the Rural Cemetery Movement, created Rosehill Cemetery’s original design which included curving drives, swaths of lawn, and several water features. Through the cemetery’s history, the area at the northwest corner included a pond. Until its recent conversion to parkland, however, the 21-acre site remained an undeveloped part of the cemetery that had never been used for burials. That heavily wooded corner had been used as a dumping ground for excess dirt and debris. After acquiring the site in 2011, the Chicago Park District hired Hitchcock Design Group to create a plan that combines ecological restoration goals with park enhancements. The improvements include a multi-purpose trail that loops throughout the park, boardwalks that cross over environmentally sensitive areas, removal of invasive plants, and the addition of more than 500 native trees and shrubs.
Alighted on a Indian plantain (genus Arnoglossum). probably a pale Indian plantain (Arnoglossum atriplicifolium), but it might be a tuberous Indian-plantain/groovestem Indian plantain/Prairie Indian plantain (Arnoglossum plantagineum). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnoglossu...
Thanks. I will look at the info you provided. I have an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail spotting from last weekend that I have yet to post. Very striking butterfly, but the hind edges of the wings were all tattered--it had seen better days. Keep your eyes out for that one soon.
Ornithoptera is actually a genus of Birdwing butterflies. I am very interested in Swallowtail butterflies, but especially Birdwings. My profile pic. is also a Birdwing, (Ornithoptera priamus poseidon). The wasp that was "photobombing" seems to be a Yellowjacket of some sort, (Vespula sp.). Hard to tell the species, because they are many species in Illinois, here is the list.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ornithopte...
Thanks Ornithoptera! BTW, is your screen name inspired at all by the Dune sci-fi series, or does it just come from naturalist lingo? Also, any idea what is the bee or wasp in this spotting: https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/19... (photobombing a hummingbird-HAHA).