Predatory insects control insects that damage native plants on World Peace Wetland Prairie after lengthy drought in July 2009

Please click on image to ENLARGE view of predatory insect on rattlesnake master on World Peace Wetland Prairie on July 25, 2009.

Viceroy butterflies rest on barren new parkland northwest of World Peace Wetland Prairie on July 25, 2009, while swamp milkweed nears full bloom

Please click on images to ENLARGE view of Viceroy butterfly resting on bare fill dirt covering rich prairie soil in new parkland adjacent to World Peace Wetland, another resting in oak tree nearby and a swamp milkweed about to burst into bloom. The milkweed is one of many varieties of milkweed on World Peace Wetland Prairie and Pinnacle Foods wet prairie on which monarchs must leave their eggs to become caterpillars and then the next generation of monarchs. The new parkland had a mix of seed that includes fescue spread on the fill dirt on Friday. No milkweed or other native species is likely to appear there this year.

Insects pollinate, nectar and serve as predators of smaller, more harmful critters on insecticide-free World Peace Wetland Prairie

Please click on images to ENLARGE view of some harmless, even beneficial insects and bugs on World Peace Wetland Prairie peace-circle garden on July 25, 2009.

Butterflies love World Peace Wetland Prairie because of variety of native species available there

Please click on images to see images of butterfly opening and closing wings on World Peace Wetland Prairie on July 22, 2009.

Coneflowers in full glory and an American basketflower trying to bloom under drought conditions on WPWP on July 19, 2009

Please click on images to ENLARGE flowers on World Peace Wetland Prairie on July 18, 2009.


On the coneflower below, a Japanese beetle does his best to reduce the quality of the crop of wildflowers on WPWP in summer 2009.

Tiny pollinators make a big difference in the future of flowers on World Peace Wetland Prairie on

Please click on images to ENLARGE pollinators nectaring and spreading pollen on World Peace Wetland Prairie on July 17. 2009.

monarch butterfly finds a buttonbush west of World Peace Wetland Prairie on July 10, 2009.

Please click on image of monarch butterfly nectaring on button bush on July 10, 1009.

Wild things rule World Peace Wetland Prairie

Gray catbirds haunt ice-storm downed hackberry on edge of World Peace Wetland Prairie

Please click on images to enlarge view of photos from July 6, 2009.

Monarch butterfly on buttonbush on Pinnacle Prairie only 75 feet west of World Peace Wetland Prairie on July 5, 2009

The portion of Pinnacle Foods Inc.'s wet prairie shown here is between the trail being built from the Hill Place student-apartment complex and the west end of 12th Street and western edge of World Peace Wetland Prairie.