Grassy Waters Preserve

Hi Friends!

Today we visited the Grassy Waters Preserve, a wetland ecosystem home to a wide variety of plants and animals. Throughout the preserve, there are boardwalks that allow visitors to safely explore the area. I was so fascinated by the beautiful landscape and all of the plant life I found while walking around, including various flowers, grasses, trees, and airplants.

Although the tall grasses and lush greenery make it a bit difficult to spot any wildlife, I was able to spot a snake in the water along with various insects flying around the plants throughout the preserve. Most notably, the Blue Dasher Dragonfly (Pachydiplax longipennis) featured below especially caught my eye!

At the end of the pathway, we found ourselves on a marsh filled with water lilies, lily pads, and various grasses. One of the most striking plants I found on this trip were these American Water Lilies (Nymphaea odorata) pictured below. These aquatic flowers can be recognized by their large, round leaves and bright white flowers floating on top of typically calm water. The leaves have a waxy appearance and often have a narrow v-shaped split where the stem attaches to the leaf. The flowers have multiple rows of narrow petals along with a cluster of yellow stamens in the center.