Day 316: Although the principle reason for my recent kayaking adventure was the removal of Spotted Jewelweed, no trip to Lake St. Clair is complete until I've visited my kids, i.e. the Sundews which occupy the logs adjacent to one homeowner's dock. Jack (the homeowner) knows me by sight now, and this time came out to ask, "How're they doing?" "Just fine, Jack," I replied. "They've been eating well and they're going to seed now." I went on to explain that I've been keeping tabs on them since early spring, watching them progress from initial emergence from hibernation through their blooming period. It was interesting to note how thoroughly they're managing to digest the abundant damselflies; only the gauzy wings are left behind, the "chicken bones" of Drosera's summer picnic (seen here most easily at top center). Even as I watched, a damsel made a fatal mistake, stepping from the safety of a blade of grass onto the sticky glands of Drosera's paddles. Its feet became entrapped immediately, another meal to sustain the Sundew colony.
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