Published: August 12, 2011

Calumet Photo of the Month August 2011

Laura Milkert, Conservation Ecology Manager, Keller Science Action Center

Using my Common Dragonflies and Damselflies of the Chicago Region guide, I was excited to be able to identify the scientific name of this Familiar Bluet damselfly: Enallagma civile. This brilliant blue damselfly was "helicoptering" around some wetland plants and was one of many discoveries made at ECCo's recent plant ID class at Beaubien Woods Forest Preserve on August 6th.

Using my Common Dragonflies and Damselflies of the Chicago Region rapid color guide, I was excited to be able to identify the scientific name of this Familiar Bluet damselfly: Enallagma civile. This brilliant blue damselfly was "helicoptering" around some wetland plants and was one of many discoveries made at ECCo's recent plant ID class at Beaubien Woods Forest Preserve on August 6th.

Just a few weeks before, a massive storm front moved in while we were exploring the prairie at Beaubien. I shot this photo of the native perennial plant Rattlesnake Master, Eryngium yuccifolium, moments before the sky opened up with much-needed rain. With its unique and action-oriented sounding name, it is my favorite name for a native tallgrass prairie species. Rattlesnake Master's foliage resembles that of a desert plant, and it was once thought that the root was an antidote to a rattlesnake bite. Although this belief has been proven untrue, the name lives on.

Photos: Laura Milkert


Laura Milkert
Conservation Ecology Manager
Laura Milkert is a Conservation Ecologist and the Ecological Stewardship Manager for the Keller Science Action Center’s Chicago Region Team. She oversees the Keller Science Action Center's stewardship and habitat restoration efforts throughout the Chicago Wilderness Region, working collaboratively with partners, land owners, and community members to care for local natural areas and to enhance quality of life in urban landscapes.