Buttonbush/ Sugarbush and LedgesTrail

1.6, 0.6, 1.1 miles completed today
67.75 miles completed total

I didn't really care for the buttonbush or sugarbush trails.  I think had I gotten there earlier I would have liked them  They are supposed to be very good for birding but by the time I got there it was too late  Birds were gone.  The ledges now that was a different story.  I found a few things I had never seen.
Squirrel corn.  This was one of the wildflowers I had on my list to look for this spring.  I have never seen it before and have been looking for it.  It is named squirrel corn because the way the roots look.

It was all over this park.  Everything I have read says that Dutchman's breeches blooms close by but I didn't see any.  That was another plant I have been looking for.  The leaves of both plants are similar so I figured I would check back soon.  I was rewarded later in the day though at a different park.

 The park has some nice rock formations.  Unfortunately,  people have climbed on many of these  and are damaging the moss and lichens.  There is also talk that it has caused the spread of the white nose bat disease. The metro parks are trying to keep the people on the trails but the people aren't used to the new rules and it will take a little time for them to get used to it.

Glacier cave is where the bats are located.  Unfortunately, the cave has been closed because the bats are infected now.  It's really to bad because this disease affects the fat stores of the bats and wakes them early in winter and they die.  Biologists have been called in and hopefully they will be able to do something.

This is the entrance.  You can see the entrance that is blocked.

We listened to the signs and continued on our way.

red fungus

And this.  A six-spotted emerald tiger beetle.  I was very excited to be able to identify this guy.  He is quite a monster.  He grabs ants and caterpillars and such.  Beats them against the ground until they are dead then sucks out their soft parts and munches on their crunchies.  He's a beast.  Beautiful; but a beast.

 And this lone mushroom.  I had to uncover is a little to get a good picture.  I did cover it back a little after I left to protect it. lol  Long live the mushroom.