Life in a Queen Anne’s Lace Flower

2009 July 6

by 5 Orange Potatoes

Queen Annes’ Lace (Dacus carota) is blooming all over our yard right now. The Little Ladies and I love hunting for the QAL with the “prick of blood” floret in the center. We noticed that some of the florets seemed to be moving in a way that flowers don’t usually move. We had to take a closer look at this “wild carrot” and see what exactly was there.

We started to see little critters camouflaged in the white florets so we grabbed some black construction paper, thinking this would be the best way to see them. We also grabbed the magnifying glasses because most of the critters are very tiny.

Araina did gentle shakes to encourage the critters off the flower; Fauna’s method was a little less gentle. She took two flower heads and did a “gentle” rubbing spin; I’m surprised the critters actually made it onto the paper and didn’t go flying everywhere!

We found tiny spiders, leafhoppers, inchworms and some other little creatures we have never seen before. Some of the white specks on this paper are actually little bugs!

The Little Ladies recorded their findings in their nature journals and Fauna was poetically inspired to write a poem (but wouldn’t let me share it). It was about the fact that when you pick a flower, you’re picking more than just the flower.

I just love finding little habitats in the least expected places and seeing where this takes the Little Ladies!