The Prairie Enthusiasts - TPE St. Croix Valley Chapter

08/28/2026

08/28/2026

The prairies are turning gold! 💛

Canada goldenrod is beginning to bloom across Minnesota, adding bright color just as many other summer wildflowers begin to fade.

More than just a beautiful wildflower, Canada goldenrod is an important late-season food source for bees, butterflies, beetles, moths, and many other insects. Birds, including goldfinches and sparrows, also benefit by feeding on the seeds and the insects it attracts.

Have you spotted Canada goldenrod blooming yet? Share your photos in the comments!



Photo: Canada goldenrod at Blaine Preserve SNA in Anoka County, Minnesota. ©Coldsnap Photography

08/28/2026

08/27/2026

When a 10,000-year-old prairie is plowed up to plant corn or a savanna is consumed by a strip mall, these once-grassy expanses, if left to regrow, can eventually look vaguely like they did before. But a growing body of research suggests that what comes back isn't the same as what was lost, even deca...

08/26/2026

Thank you TPE seed collectors!!

Wayne, Magnus,
Tim, and Erica.

Picked Cream indigo, Heart- leaved golden Alexander , and Naked sunflower!

08/25/2026

A new bumble bee species has recently been observed in Wisconsin for the first time!

The Nevada bumble bee (Bombus nevandensis) has a historic range including the Western United States and Canada, but was observed in Minnesota and Chicago in recent years. Last summer, this species was first documented in Wisconsin when a female was recorded in Sauk County.

Closely related to the black and gold bumble bee, this species is distinct in its large size – especially among queens and females.

Wisconsin is home to 21 additional species of bumble bees, and you can learn more about identification and contribute by reporting sightings at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/BumbleBeeBrigade

08/23/2026

Events this year are held at the Carpenter Nature Center and the UW-River Falls campus. There is also a tour of Alexander Oak Savanna.

Registration is open August 19–September 18! Summit At-a-Glance October 1–3, 2026 Summit Program Networking Highlights Thursday Social and Owl Banding (6-9pm)Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center – Wisconsin Campus, Hudson Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature CenterRead More...

08/22/2026

Right about now is when many allergy sufferers begin feeling symptoms. A lot of people blame goldenrod, when the real culprit is probably ragweed. Learn to tell the two plants apart at the link below.

🔗 https://fmr.org/updates/conservation/goldenrod-or-ragweed-which-causes-allergies-and-which-benefits-pollinators

08/22/2026

Stop by at the Prairie enthusiast table and say hi 🙋

Nature Fest is back for our third annual celebration! We are leveling up the excitement this year with live music, food trucks, arts and crafts, river ecology station, fly fishing casting lessons, and much more!

08/21/2026

Many of the glimpses of the prairie we share take place in the light of day, but have you ever been curious about the prairie happenings at night?

On Tuesday, September 1 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., join the Empire-Sauk Chapter for their workshop Night Flying Prairie Insects: Blacklighting and Sugaring for Moths. During this workshop, you'll be introduced to the life cycle, behavior and ecology of prairie moth species. You will learn how to identify moths, particularly some prairie-specialist species which inhabit the Mounds View Grassland.

Workshops like this one don't happen very often, so make sure to register today! Learn more and register here: https://theprairieenthusiasts.org/events/empire-sauk-2026-09-01/

Photo of blacklighting by Amy Chamberlin