Bergen Swamp Preservation Society

09/01/2026

Hover flies are incredible little insects that often mimic the yellow and black markings of bees and wasps, even though they are actually flies. Look closely and you can spot one clue: hover flies have just one functional pair of wings, while bees and wasps have two pairs. As adults move from flower to flower feeding on nectar and pollen, many species contribute to pollination, while the larvae of some species are important predators of aphids and other small insects. A tiny visitor with a surprisingly important role in the biodiversity of Bergen Swamp!

08/31/2026

Small-flowered false foxglove (Agalinis paupercula) adds a splash of delicate lilac to the wetlands of Bergen Swamp. This native wildflower thrives in wet, open habitats, including the unique marl fen communities found within the preserve. Another beautiful reminder that some of Bergen Swamp’s tiny treasures.

08/29/2026

Toads are an important part of the forest and wetland food web, feeding on insects and other small invertebrates while also providing food for larger wildlife.

Another reminder to slow down, look closely, and see who is sharing the trail with you.

08/28/2026

As summer transitions to fall, yellow seems to suddenly appear everywhere. Along roadsides, across old fields, in wetlands, and even in the bog, there are waves of yellow flowers. Goldenrods are certainly part of it, but so are sunflowers, cinquefoils, beggar-ticks, black-eyed Susans, and other late-blooming plants.

I became even more aware of it recently while helping with field research involving goldenrod. Spending hours looking closely at plants, identifying and counting them, and paying attention to where different species were growing made me start noticing yellow everywhere.

Then, while hiking, I found myself wondering: Why are there so many yellow flowers this time of year?

So I went home and started digging. As is usually the case with ecology, there isn't one simple answer. Part of what we're seeing is phenology, the timing of biological events such as flowering, migration, emergence, and reproduction. Plants don't all flower at once. As the seasons progress, the composition of the flowering community changes. By late summer and early fall, many earlier-flowering plants have finished while goldenrods and numerous other late-season species are reaching their peak.

But while I was hunting through journal articles, I kept thinking about something Robin Wall Kimmerer wrote in Braiding Sweetgrass.

In “Asters and Goldenrod,” Kimmerer describes noticing the brilliant purple of New England asters among the deep gold of goldenrod and wondering why the two so often appear together and why they are so striking when they do. Rather than dismissing beauty as something separate from science, she wondered whether there might be biology behind what she was seeing.

Her observation led her to consider the flowers from another perspective: What does that same meadow look like to a bee?

Bees don't see flowers the way we do. Their vision is sensitive to ultraviolet, blue, and green wavelengths, and flowers can contain ultraviolet patterns completely invisible to us. Kimmerer explored the possibility that the striking contrast between purple asters and yellow goldenrod might make the flowers particularly conspicuous to pollinators.

That sent me back to the scientific literature. I couldn't find a study demonstrating that asters and goldenrods grow together specifically because their purple-and-yellow combination attracts more pollinators. But I did find research that makes the question fascinating.

Studies have found that flower color and flowering phenology can help shape plant–pollinator interactions. Researchers have also investigated how seasonality, floral color, surrounding vegetation, and bee vision affect the conspicuousness of flowers. Studies of goldenrods have demonstrated connections among flowering time, insect visitation, and reproductive success.

And there is another important piece to the story: goldenrod is an important late-season floral resource. As the flowering community changes toward the end of summer, goldenrods provide pollen and nectar to bees and other flower-visiting insects at a time when many earlier-blooming plants have already finished flowering.

So perhaps all that yellow isn't explained by one thing at all.

What we are seeing is the visible expression of many ecological processes converging at the same time: phenology, flower color, pollinator perception, plant reproduction, and ecological interactions, all shaped by evolution. Late-blooming plants are completing their reproductive cycles during a narrowing seasonal window, and their bright yellow flowers may function almost like neon signs, helping them stand out to pollinators as both flowering plants and active pollinators become less abundant.

Works Cited

Albor, C., Ashman, T.-L., Stanley, A. M., Martel, C., & Arceo-Gómez, G. (2022). Flower colour and flowering phenology mediate plant–pollinator interaction assembly in a diverse co-flowering community. Functional Ecology, 36, 2456–2468. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.14142

Gross, R. S., & Werner, P. A. (1983). Relationships among flowering phenology, insect visitors, and seed-set of individuals: Experimental studies on four co-occurring species of goldenrod (Solidago: Compositae). Ecological Monographs, 53(1), 95–117. https://doi.org/10.2307/1942589

Martins, A. E., Camargo, M. G. G., & Morellato, L. P. C. (2021). Flowering phenology and the influence of seasonality in flower conspicuousness for bees. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11, 594538. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.594538

Kimmerer, R. W. (2013). “Asters and Goldenrod.” In Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants. Milkweed Editions.

Photo Credit: Shelley Walker, Location: Bergen Swamp.

08/26/2026

There is something about round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) that makes me stop and look every time I find it growing among the Sphagnum. It is such a tiny plant, but the closer you look, the more complicated its little world becomes.

The bog doesn't offer much in the way of nitrogen and other nutrients, so the sundew has found another way, those beautiful sparkling droplets aren't dew at all, but sticky mucilage designed to capture tiny insects. And apparently even that isn't the end of the story, because bog-dwelling ants have been observed stealing insects right off the sundew's leaves, essentially robbing a carnivorous plant of its dinner.

Then there is an entirely different story happening underground, where researchers have found fungal endophytes and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi living within sundew roots, and we are still learning exactly what those relationships mean.

I think that is what I love about looking closely at a bog, you start with one tiny plant sparkling in the Sphagnum, and suddenly you are looking at connections between plants, mosses, fungi, insects, nutrients, competition, and survival.

08/26/2026

Despite its delicate clusters of creamy white flowers, Death Camas is a plant that deserves both admiration and caution. This native North American wildflower belongs to the Melanthiaceae family and can be found growing in meadows, grasslands, open forests, and other sunny habitats.

Its ominous common name is well earned. All parts of Death Camas are poisonous, containing potent steroidal alkaloids that can affect the nervous and cardiovascular systems if eaten. The plant is especially important to recognize because its narrow, grass-like leaves and underground bulb can potentially be confused with edible plants such as wild onions. One useful clue: Death Camas does not have the characteristic onion or garlic smell produced when Allium leaves or bulbs are crushed.

Ecologically, however, "poisonous" certainly doesn't mean "without value." Its flowers are visited by insects, and the species is part of the biodiversity of the native plant communities in which it occurs. Toxic compounds are also a fascinating example of plant chemical defense plants cannot run away from herbivores, so many species have evolved chemistry that makes them considerably less appealing to eat.

08/18/2026

Beautiful day in Bergen Swamp. Found a new friend.

08/17/2026

Exciting news at Zurich Bog!

Did you know that Zurich Bog is home to an old-growth forest?

Old-growth forests are increasingly rare. These forests are characterized by large, old trees, multiple generations of trees, standing dead trees, fallen logs, canopy openings, and complex habitats that support biodiversity and important ecological processes.

Our discovery was aided by Dr. Bruce Gilman, Professor Emeritus of Environmental Conservation at Finger Lakes Community College and Curator of the Finger Lakes Herbarium, who helped us identify these old-growth characteristics. The fact that this forest is growing on a drumlin within Zurich Bog makes the site even more unique.
Zurich Bog has been accepted into the Old-Growth Forest Network, a national network dedicated to recognizing and protecting exceptional native forests.

Please join us on September 26th at 10:00am for a special event commemorating this important recognition and celebrating a forest that has been quietly growing here for generations. The dedication will be followed by a tour through the old growth forest, about a 2-mile walk.

Zurich Bog: 3809 Arcadia-Zurich-Norris Road, Lyons, NY 14489

Learn more about the Old-Growth Forest Network: https://www.oldgrowthforest.net/

Google Forms Sign-up: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeD9ny2yTe9bkOHFjJYaoxiXVJqX_2jigNevXiFcLmiQWrYow/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=109163920063011686278

Did you know that Zurich Bog is home to an old-growth forest? Old-growth forests are increasingly rare. These forests are characterized by large, old trees, multiple generations of trees, standing dead trees, fallen logs, canopy openings, and complex habitats that support biodiversity and important....

07/13/2026

**ATTENTION: Change to the July 18 Fern Workshop**

Due to low registration, we have decided to postpone the **July 18 Fern Workshop (10:00 AM–2:00 PM).**

Our new plan is to combine **Ferns & Fungi** into one workshop this **October**, making for an even more enjoyable fall field experience.

Please note:

* The July 18 workshop has been postponed.
* The new Ferns & Fungi workshop will be announced in early September.
* Registration will open at that time through a new Google Form.

If you were planning to attend but have not yet registered—or if you know someone who was planning to come—please help spread the word that the July event has been postponed.

Registering through the Google Form is the best way for us to communicate important updates like this directly to participants.

Thank you for your understanding. We look forward to exploring both ferns and fungi with you this fall!

07/05/2026

Join us on Saturday, July 18, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Zurich Bog Preserve for a guided Fern Discovery Walk. With cooler weather in the forecast, it should be a beautiful day to explore one of western New York's most unique natural areas.

Register for this event: https://forms.gle/xSFAveYK4nCTjftQ7

This walk is about much more than learning to identify ferns. Together we'll discover how different fern species reveal clues about the habitats where they grow. As we travel through the bog, fen, wetlands, and cool hemlock forest, you'll see how each habitat supports its own unique fern community and how understanding the landscape helps you identify plants.

Mid July is one of the best times to visit Zurich Bog because many of the wildflowers and other fascinating plants are in bloom. Along the trail we'll also identify other interesting species and talk about the ecology that makes this preserve so special.

You'll also hear some remarkable stories about ferns. For example, the cinnamon fern has a fascinating relationship with a small moth whose larvae roll the fern's leaflets into protective shelters, offering a glimpse into the many connections between plants and wildlife.

Our guide will introduce you to the parts of a fern, explain how ferns reproduce using spores instead of seeds, and share some of the history and natural history of these ancient plants that have been growing on Earth for more than 350 million years.

Whether you're new to ferns or already enjoy exploring nature, you'll leave with practical identification skills, a greater appreciation for wetland habitats, and a new way of seeing the plants that surround you.

Register: https://forms.gle/xSFAveYK4nCTjftQ7