#28 The Madman Goes on a Bog Walk
The madman goes on a bog walk! When he told me he had signed us up for a bog walk, I just smiled. He has always been fascinated with bogs, wetlands and bodies of water. Probably because of the fascinating plants that inhabit these areas.
The Last Wet Area
As the date approached, I grew more apprehensive. Because of all the rainfall we’ve had this spring, the mosquito population has been booming. All I could think of was our trip to Bartholomew’s Cobble, a wonderful place to visit because of the numerous ferns within its boundaries. We just visited at the wrong time, the end of a very rainy month. The Housatonic River had overflowed its banks and a spot of warm weather ensured a banner hatching of mosquitoes.
The 3.5 mile loop trail was lined with more ferns than the madman had ever seen. He was in total reverie. I, on the other hand, felt like a mosquito magnet.
Bartholomew’s Cobble
Bartholomew’s Cobble in Ashley Falls, Ma. is part of a 329 acre National Natural Landmark. Created by geologic upheavals some 500 million years ago, this area contains over 800 plant species, including North America’s greatest diversity of ferns. I know a return visit to this area is on the madman’s radar (remember, the madman loves a road trip); we just have to wait for an opportunity during a drier, cooler period. We’ll talk more about this area with its mixture of different growing zones when we return there.
Bog Flora Course
Back to my current situation. In January, the madman was perusing the Connecticut Master Gardeners’ listing of classes. He found a course entitled Bog Flora. Its description said “Explore a lovely bog and its wild orchids, carnivorous plants…” – leader of the walk was Haddam Master Gardener Coordinator Gail Reynolds. When he saw that space was limited, he signed us up immediately. I couldn’t hope for rain because Gail said, “rain or shine.” So, off to the bog we went, armed with waterproof boots and bug spray.
What is a Bog?
So, what the heck is a bog? A typical bog is a wetland ecosystem with a wet, spongy, poorly drained surface. The acidic soil in this type of bog is low in oxygen and other nutrients. Plants that live here have adapted to these conditions. National Geographic has a nice explanation of different bogs and their characteristics: if you’re interested, visit here.
The particular bog we visited was in the Pond Meadow Natural Area of Killingworth, Ct. Once a commercial cranberry bog, it is now managed by the Killingworth Land Conservation Trust. Our leader, Gail, had to get permission from the Trust for a group to venture out into the bog.
The Bog at Pond Meadow
As we started out, I was still in fear of being eaten by mosquitoes. The madman, on the other hand, couldn’t wait to get his feet wet and begin exploring. He finally had a chance to get up close and personal with some of Connecticut’s reclusive, carnivorous plants. The ground was spongy, but not squishy, much to our delight and surprise. But, more exciting, the mosquitoes were rare, allowing us to explore at our leisure.
At the beginning, the madman voiced some concern about all the boots crushing the plants. Gail assured him that we were causing no harm because Master Gardener footsteps are very light – and the soil is very forgiving. With that assurance, the madman had a ball.
Two Orchids
The first plant brought to the group’s attention was an orchid called Rose pogonia (Pogonia ophioglossoides). This little beauty has only one flower per stem and, unlike most orchids, has a nice fragrance. Nearby was another orchid, Calapogon tuberosus, commonly called Tuberous grass pink. This orchid is an indicator species of high quality ground and surface water.
Pitcher Plant
When the excitement from the orchids died off, the madman noticed groups of red flowers rising above the bog floor – a Pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea). He had never seen one outside of botanical gardens, and this plant was doing its job, catching insects. Just as the Pitcher plant caught the madman’s eyes, it catches the eyes of the insects who fall into the specialized leaves filled with digestive fluids, nourishing the plant. The leaves, shaped like a pitcher, are rimmed with a slippery nectar bribe creating a pitfall trap which is fatal to the insect.
As he examined the Pitcher plant, the madman heard Gail pointing out a Sundew. He took a closer look at the floor of the bog and, sure enough, there they were. We are embarrassed to say that if Gail hadn’t pointed them out, we might have overlooked them.
Sundew
The interesting little Sundew (Drosera sp.) is actually a nasty plant – nasty to insects, that is. The leaves have tentacles that attract and trap insects that are then digested. After examining the sundew, the madman caught up with the group as they meandered further into the bog. It is interesting to be with a group of master gardeners because collectively, they are very observant. In short order they noticed a praying mantis egg casing, a wasp nest and assorted deer droppings.
Bladderwort
As we pushed further into the bog, we came upon a ditch with flowing water. Once a part of the commercial cranberry operation, the ditch has been reclaimed by nature. Floating on its surface were the yellow flowers of the Bladderwort (Utricularia vulgaris L), yet another carnivorous plant. This plant does not grab insects visiting its flowers, but actually feeds on tiny aquatic animals that get caught in its submerged leaves.
The madman was in his glory, we jumped the ditch and continued our wandering. Throughout the rest of our walk, Gail pointed out a variety of other plants – the mosses, the ferns, the shrubs and the other wildflowers that make this spot special – things like Leather leaf, Bog laurel, Royal fern, Blueberries and Cranberries. She also noted the red maples that were beginning to get a foothold in this area and would need the Land Trust’s attention in the near future.
For a short bit, the madman entertained the idea of visiting the commercial area, Killingworth Cranberries. I’m sure they would not have liked to see him slogging through their fields, so we went home and had cranberry lemonade instead.
