One of the Many Reasons

One of the many reasons I am very grateful for the protection of the Soapstone Ranch ( http://www.fcgov.com/naturalareas/soapstone.php ) by the City of Fort Collins, CO. This image is of the Meadow Blazing Star (Liatris ligulistylis), a plant that is globally pretty seucure but quite rare in Colorado (this was my first time ever seeing this plant in CO). Monarch butterflies love these wildflowers. Dr. Tom Barnes of the University of Kentucky writes in an article ( http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/for/for98/for98.htm ) on attracting butterflies with native plants that claims Liatris ligulistylis emits a specific odour for attracting monarchs. Wow! Soapstone is 18,764 acres (an area greater than 29 square miles) of sublime nature near the Wyoming border that serves as important ecological and cultural treasures for Colorado. Look for more photographs from my fieldtrip to the area soon. View 'One of the Many Reasons' Large On Black ( http://flagrantdisregard.com/flickr/onblack.php?id=224927391&size=Large )

WildflowersNativeColoradoSoapstone Natural AreaFort CollinsNatureMacro105NikonD70PinkBokehexcellenceBOKEHSONICEAUGUSTBOKEHSONICEAUGUST28LiatrisLiatris ligulistylisMeadow Blazing StarSoapstoneSoapstone Prairie Natural AreaLarimerFloraFlowerflowers2006grasslandgrasslandsprairieFortCollinsCOCLFF

From The Variety Collection