bloodroot-open
The bloodroot down by the brook has finally opened all the way

The prolific patch of bloodroot we have down by Fargo Brook has finally decided to open up fully. I learned from Mary Holland’s excellent book, “Naturally Curious Day By Day”, that bloodroot will close its petals on cloudy and chilly  days, only opening fully when it’s sunny and above 47 degrees. It does this in order to save pollen and prevent self-pollination. When the temperature is above 47, some insect pollinators will become active and do the job. I noticed one such pollinator—a fly—doing just that as I was taking this shot. The fly was wary of me, however, and wouldn’t let me get a shot of it on the job.

Panasonic GX8, Olympus 60mm macro, ISO 800, f/11, 1/640″ exposure.