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Photo by Linda and Robert Scarth
Above; a hapless fly attracted to the Pitcher Plant lives dangerously on the edge.
Bogs are special by nature, but especially because they are where many of the northern native orchids can be found. The upper Midwest is home to about 50 species of native orchids, many more than Hawaii where all but a handful are imported (a nice way of saying ‘alien species’). Many of the northern orchids are little and inconspicuous except when one gets up close and becomes seduced by them as are their insect pollinators. Humans are intrigued by their intricacy and beauty while their pollinators often presume they are desirable members of the opposite sex. There are, however, several spectacular species; chief among them, the Showy Lady’s Slipper (Minnesota’s State Flower) and Grass Pinks (fantastic bright magenta beauties). Northern orchids occur in many habitats, some drier than others, but moist areas including bogs, are good places to search in June and July.
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