"Maybe all the people who say ghosts don't exist are just afraid to admit that they do."
― Michael Ende
I took an unplanned day off work today. Last night's torrential downpour made a mess of my patio hummingbird plants, though we really needed the rain. However, I had to replace some broken pots and get more soil from Bruce Company this morning for a restoration project. Once finished, I decided to head up to Sauk County in search of tiger beetles.
I didn't see a single Ghost Tiger Beetle Ellipsoptera lepida on June 12th when I last visited Sauk Prairie Recreational Area, but today they were out! This afternoon I would estimate around twenty of the adorably petite beetles were combing the sandy area on the hunt. This species can be pretty tricky to detect if you're not paying close attention ― they blend into the sandy habitat and are extremely difficult to track whenever they make an escape flight. Look for their shadows as they run!
There's certainly so much more to explore at this awesomely huge natural area, but after visiting the beetles for a few hours it was getting too hot. On my way home I made a quick stop at the Sauk City Canoe Launch to look for Sandy Stream Tiger Beetles, but found only Bronzed, Festive, and Big Sand. There was an impressive assortment of other insects at both locations including robber flies, sand wasps, butterflies, and grasshoppers, but my nature-y mission for the day was done ― lunch, beer, and a nap was in my near future.
All images © 2021 Mike McDowell