Monarch Butterfly American Goldfinch
(Danaus plexippus) (Carduelis tristis)
Identification Identification
• Large butterfly (wingspan of 3.5- • Length: 13 cm, wingspan 23 cm.
4.0 in.)
• Breeding males are bright yellow, with black
• Adults have orange and black wings, white wing-bar, black forehead.
wings
• Females and nonbreeding males are duller
• Adults can be confused with with yellow-brown plumage, dark wings and Breeding male
viceroy butterflies, which have a light wing-bars.
black stripe across their lower
wings. Monarchs do not have Habitat
that stripe.
Brushy thickets, weedy grasslands, and
• Monarch caterpillars are nearby trees.
distinctive, with yellow, black, and
white stripes. Interesting Fact
Viceroy butterfly Brown-headed cowbirds sometimes lay eggs
Habitat Nonbreeding male
in American goldfinch nests. However, the
Found anywhere milkweed grows, including meadows and disturbed cowbird young rarely survive, probably
habitats like roadsides and agricultural fields. because goldfinches feed mostly seeds to their
nestlings, and this diet is inadequate for
Interesting Fact cowbird development.
The caterpillars feed on milkweed and store plant compounds that
Phenophases – Do you see…?
make them poisonous to predators.
Adult bird? Adult(s) in flight or at rest.
Phenophases – Do you see…?
Occupied nest? Adult(s) entering, sitting on, Breeding female
Active adults? Adult(s) in flight or at rest. or leaving nest.
Courtship? A male approaching a female, even if it is rejected or Nestlings being fed? Adult(s) carrying food to nest.
otherwise fails to copulate.
Eating fruits or seeds? Individual(s) eating fruit or seeds from a
Copulation? A male and female coupled via copulatory organs. Can cone, plant, or the ground.
be at rest or in flight.
Male in breeding plumage? Adult male(s) in full summer plumage
Caterpillars? Caterpillars (larvae), usually found on milkweeds.
Quaking Aspen Staghorn Sumac
(Populus tremuloides) (Rhus hirta)
Identification Identification
• 40-70 ft. high, 1-1.5 ft. diameter, and • 30 ft. high, 8 in. diameter, leaves 1-2 ft. long,
leaves 1.25-3 in. long. and leaflets 2-4 in. long.
• Leaves roundish, abruptly short-pointed, • Leaves pinnately compound. Leaflets lance-
rounded at base, finely saw-toothed, and shaped, saw-toothed, nearly stalkess, and
turn golden-yellow in autumn. turn bright red with purple and orange in
autumn.
• Bark whitish, smooth, and thin, becoming
gray, furrowed, and thick on large trunks. • Bark dark brown, smooth to scaly. Twigs
covered with velvety, brown hairs.
• Flowers occur as drooping catkins 1-2 in.
long. Fruits similarly occur in drooping • Flowers have greenish petals and occur in upright clusters up to 8
clusters. in. long. Fruits rounded, 1-seeded, dark red, covered with long,
dark red hairs, and also occur in upright clusters.
Habitat
Habitat
Many soil types, especially sandy and gravelly slopes.
Open uplands, edges of forests, roadsides, and old fields.
Interesting Fact
Interesting Fact
Quaking aspen is the most widely distributed tree in North America.
Native Americans made a lemonade-like drink from the crushed fruit.
Phenophases – Do you see…?____________________________ ______________________________________________________
Unfolded leaves? A leaf is “unfolded” when the leaf stalk or leaf All leaves fallen? For the whole plant, virtually all (95-100%) of the
base is visible. leaves have fallen.
≥ 50% leaves colored? For the whole plant, at least half of the Open flowers? The reproductive parts of at least one flower are
leaves (including any that have fallen to the ground) have changed to visible between unfolded or open flower parts. Do not include spent
their late-season colors. (wilted) flowers that remain on the plant.
All leaves colored? For the whole plant, virtually all (95-100%) of Full flowering? For the whole plant at least half of the flowers are
the leaves (including any that have fallen to the ground) have open and still fresh.
changed to their late-season colors.
Unripe fruits? An unripe fruit is visible.
≥ 50% leaves fallen? For the whole plant, at least half of the leaves
Ripe fruits? A ripe fruit is visible.
have fallen.
Common Elderberry Rough-stemmed Goldenrod
(Sambucus nigra) (Solidago rugosa)
Identification Identification
• 16-25 ft. high, 6-12 in. diameter, leaves • 1-6 ft. high, leaves 1.5-5 in. long.
5-9 in. long, and leaflets 1.5-4 in. long.
• Leaves rough, sharply toothed, very hairy,
• Leaves opposite, pinnately compound. and wrinkled.
Leaflets elliptical, sharply saw-toothed,
• Stem rough, hairy with divergent or
and stalkless or nearly so.
arching branches that bear flowers on the
• Bark light gray or brown with raised dots. upper side.
• Flowers 0.25 in. wide, fragrant, white • Flower heads are small (0.17 in. long) and yellow with about 6-11
with 4 or 5 lobes, in upright, flat-topped ray flowers and 4-7 disk flowers.
clusters. Fruits black or dark blue berries, juicy with 3-5 nutlets.
Habitat
Habitat
Fields, roadsides, and borders of woods.
Wet soils, especially in open areas near water at forest edges.
Interesting Fact
Interesting Fact
Physicians in ancient times believed that goldenrod had healing
Most plant parts, including the berries, are poisonous when raw, but
powers.
are often used for making jelly, preserves, pies, and wine.
Phenophases – Do you see…?____________________________ ______________________________________________________
Unfolded leaves? A leaf is “unfolded” when the leaf stalk or leaf All leaves withered? Virtually all (95-100%) of the leaves are dried
base is visible. and dead.
≥ 50% leaves colored? For the whole plant, at least half of the Open flowers? The reproductive parts of at least one flower are
leaves (including any that have fallen to the ground) have changed to visible between unfolded or open flower parts. Do not include spent
their late-season colors. (wilted) flowers that remain on the plant.
All leaves colored? For the whole plant, virtually all (95-100%) of Full flowering? For the whole plant at least half of the flowers are
the leaves (including any that have fallen to the ground) have open and still fresh.
changed to their late-season colors.
Unripe fruits? An unripe fruit is visible.
≥ 50% leaves fallen? For the whole plant, at least half of the leaves
Ripe fruits? A ripe fruit is visible.
have fallen.
All leaves fallen? For the whole plant, virtually all (95-100%) of the
leaves have fallen.