Low larkspur (Delphinium bicolor)

Larkspur Strikes Again !!!

Kinda’ puts the whole “Canadian wolves are a threat to our ‘livelihood'” argument into perspective:

30 cows die in S. Idaho after eating larkspur – Idaho Statesman via Associated Press

Perhaps they will spend millions of tax-payer’s dollars to commission a federal agency to crop-dust our public lands with herbicide such that this “threat” to the Livestock custom and culture can be eradicated.

Landscape covered in threatening, monstrous larkspur (of the deep, dark night) Photograph © Katie Fite 2008

'Larkspur Rebellion'

Elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, pronghorn, upland game birds, small nongame birds, and small mammals all eat Low larkspur. However, for reasons not entirely known, its alkaloid methyllycaconitine can cause motor paralysis in cattle (and humans) – leading to death from asphyxiation. Much effort has been spent trying to breed the vulnerability out of cattle – or at least get them to stop eating it. (Sourced Info via Idaho Native Plant Society)

Visit AGRO’s ‘Cattle Losses’ page to learn the proportion of cattle killed by predators versus the number killed by respiratory, digestive, poison, and other problems.

Yellowbells (Fritillaria pudica)

Yellowbells (Fritillaria pudica) © Brian Ertz, WWP

Fritillaria pudica are among the first flowers to bloom in sagebrush country following the receding snow.

Indigenous peoples used to eat their starchy bulbs.

They’re blooming now ~ this photo was taken yesterday north of Fish Creek Reservoir.  With the moisture remaining following the fresh recession of snow – sagebrush country all over the West is vibrant with unique plant-life – and if you can pry yourself out of bed early enough, take the time to check out sage-grouse strutting their stuff.

Uppermost West Fork of the Pahsimeroi

It’s hot where I’m at.  It’s good to think about where it’s not so much the case:

Snow melts in August in the uppermost West Fork of the Pahsimeroi.

August Snow © Katie Fite 2008

Wildflowers follow…

Photo of cattle on the Murphy burn

The land needs to rest from cattle grazing for several seasons after a range fire, but here they are on the tablelands above Jackpot, Nevada, grazing part of the Murphy burn.

The sagebrush area is unburned, the rest is obviously burned. Grazing a burn weakens the newly sprouted perennial grasses — the good grasses — in favor of the fire prone annuals. I did notice the cows left the lupines and death camas completely untouched. I had to wonder if the future of this draw will be pretty poisonous flowers?

Grazing the Murphy burn the very next year. Photo Ralph Maughan. June 16, 2008

I saw quite a few pronghorn in the general area, and it is also obviously important deer and elk transitional and maybe winter range, but cows seem to come before everything else.
– – – –

Update. June 24. The BLM is going up to the area to get the cattle off the burn. They are not supposed to be there.

Big-head clover (Trifolium macrocephalum)

It’s the season.  Bighead clover in Atremisia rigida sites.

Photograph © Katie Fite 2008