Summer 2010 Vol. 29, No. 3 ISSN 1085-9632 www.vnps.org A publication of the VIRGINIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY Conserving wild flowers and wild places Nine-spotted ladybug (Coccinella novemnotata) Wanted Alive! Have you seen this painted lady? If you have spotted these rare native beetles in your backyard or in the greater outdoors , please let the folks at the Lost Ladybug Project know! www.LostLadybug.org Nine-spotted ladybug -7 Two-spotted ladybug f Ladybug illustrations by Nicky Staunton Native Connections Lost ladybugs signal habitat changes Have you seen some painted ladies of the summer in your fields, forests, and gardens? Chances are that you have already seen a few of these beetles this year, but they are probably not the native beetles that were once common in America. There are more than 5,000 species of ladybugs around the world and 500 in North America, but many of the North American beetles are disappear¬ ing—pushed aside by more aggressive Asian introductions or declining in numbers because of lack of habitat. Without their evolutionary partner insects that help ward off predatory insects (many of which are introduced as well), some native plant species will suffer as well. The Lost Ladybug Project at Cornell University is seeking assistance in documenting lady- bugs in this country with the Lost Ladybug Project as they try to unravel the mysteries of the disappearing ladybugs. You can sign up as a ladybug advocate and help document what lady- bugs there are in your corner of Virginia's habitat by visiting www.lostladybug.org. There are three ladybugs that the project is particu¬ larly interested in finding: (See Ladybugs , page 4) Quail dependent on native grasses The northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), commonly known as bob- white or just quail, was once a com¬ mon sight throughout most of Virginia. Quail numbers have declined prima¬ rily due to the loss of early successional habitat, such as fields and savannah¬ like forests. These habitats also support many other types of wildlife and in¬ sects as well as native plants adapted to these areas. Historically, these areas were maintained by fire, which pro¬ moted herbaceous vegetation and con¬ trolled much of the shrub and tree en¬ croachment. The incredible variety of native plants that thrive in these com¬ munities and support an abundance (See Habitat , page 6) A y Quail illustration by Spike Knuth - Bulletin of the Virginia Native Plant Society : From the president . Plant connections happen everywhere Hello VNPS, This is a letter from the road. . . this year May was a month when I was roaming the eastern sea¬ board from New Jersey to South Carolina, and finding people and plant connections as I went. After a won¬ derful April visiting lots of familiar plant places, I began my travels with a quick trip to the pine barrens of New Jersey with my own Piedmont Chapter, led by member Emily Southgate. In the midst of extensive sandy-soiled woodlands we saw pygmy pine stands, cranberry bogs and white cedar swamps with grassy openings locally known as savannahs. Next came the VNPS trip to southwest Virginia, with a great group of members from many chapters around the state. With Butch and Betty Kelly keep¬ ing us organized and well fed, we visited lots of special places. White Top, one of our highest peaks, has an open bald and boreal woods, but also trilli- ums (T. erectum) and other spring flowers, remind¬ ing me a little of the Thompson WMA where we see the trillium (T. grandiflorum) display each spring. The limestone feature of Natural Tunnel is the home of a population of the federally listed plant Canby's mountain lover (Pachistima canbyij. Back at home the following week I went to a battlefield in Frederick County where the same plant is found on limestone cliffs at the opposite end of Virginia's mountains. The rich ferny slopes found in several areas that we botanized were echoed the following week when I visited with the New River Chapter and walked the rich slopes of Cedar Run on the edge of Blacksburg. Now, I'm writing from South Carolina, where I'm visiting the Congaree River, on foot and by kayak. It's a big change to bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) and tupelo (Nyssa aquatica) swamps, but I am also back in piney, sandy woods that have plants in common with New Jersey, and riverine forests that have many species familiar to us in Virginia. This park has a long list of state and national champion trees, reminding me of the two giants we saw in Burke's Garden in Tazewell County on the VNPS trip. Another connection I've found here is a person, Shenandoah National Park Superintendent Martha Bogle. She was formerly in charge of Congaree National Park, and in the visitor center I found that she was fondly remembered. She responded very warmly when we decided to hold the VNPS annual meeting in Shenandoah this fall. I hope many of you will come to our meeting, enjoy some familiar plants, see some that are different, and take time to thank Martha and the park staff who will be helping us. Now it's on to the coast, where I'll look for some salt-loving species that I might have already seen in Saltville in southwest Virginia. . . . Your president, Sally Anderson Dominion, Maryland NPS back the Flora of Virginia Project The Flora of Virginia Project has re¬ ceived two donations youll want to know about. Dominion Resources has pro- |_H vided a $10,000 grant to support the writ- Hjf ing of family treatments for the Flora of Virginia. The grant is part of Dominion's 1 million Earth Day initiative supporting community-based environmental projects and or¬ ganizations in the 11 states where it provides energy. April 22 was the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. "Dominion's commitment to the environment has been longstanding, as evidenced by the nearly $3.5 billion we have invested in the last decade to reduce the impact of our operations on the air, water, and land," said Thomas F. Farrell II, chairman, president, and CEO. "We also recognize the importance of the efforts of other likeminded organizations, so we are pleased to be able to partner with them through these grants to help protect endangered species, restore wet- Page 2 lands, preserve forests, educate the public, and support en¬ vironmental outreach." In Virginia, Dominion provided almost $520,000 to 41 organizations. Other recipients included Ducks Unlimited, the Audubon Society, the Nature Conservancy, and the Vir¬ ginia Institute of Marine Science. Dominion is the state's largest electric utility. So far, the Flora Project has necessarily focused on research, writing, and illustration—the nuts and bolts of creating a book—but the Flora, to be published in 2012, will be a pivotal reference for environmental stewardship and education. And though its focus is taxonomy, its practical scope will be broader, extending to ecological communities and systems. We at the Flora Project have always felt that the Flora would be welcomed in neighboring states. When we received in May a $1,000 donation from the Maryland Native Plant Society, we realized that botanists beyond our borders were (See Flora project, page 5) = Summer 2010 Bulletin of the Virginia Native Plant Society Natives used in rain garden , bioswale It began when the owner of the small shopping center in Greenville (Augusta County) contacted Riverheads Supervisor Nancy Sorrells about some pavement failure associ¬ ated with drainage issues at the south¬ ern edge of the village. A visit to the site in consultation with the Virginia Department of Transportation got Mrs. Sorrells thinking about loftier solutions to the problem that would involve part¬ nerships with the schools and commu¬ nity groups. When she heard about matching water quality grants being offered by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation she was off and run¬ ning. In October of 2007, then Gov. Tim Kaine announced that Augusta County received one of three water quality im¬ provement grants awarded to the area. The grant of $40,000 from the state was to be matched with money and in- kind services coordinated through the county. The local dollar match was approved by the Augusta County Board of Supervisors and come from the Riverheads infrastructure funds. Fast forward to the spring of 2010 and that idea is a reality. A nice smooth entrance leads visitors into the southern end of the mini-mall, a 3,000- square foot bioswale between the park¬ ing lot and Rt. 11 is planted with na¬ tive plants and mulched. The bioswale, (See Rain garden , page 7) BEFORE & AFTER—The DCR water quality project retrofitted a poorly functioning and ugly stormwater management basin (left) into a rain garden (above) planted entirely with native plants. The plants provide a nicely landscaped garden area and clean the rainwater before it heads to the South River (a tributary of the Shenandoah River). (Photos by Nancy Sorrells) Follow the money. . VNPS Treasurer offers snapshot of society finances Revenues Fiscal 21X19 Fiscal 200B Dues £ 25.844 $ 23,677 Donations 11.352 18.482 Registration lees 23,486 39,374 c )i her 6L4 2,591 Total revenue £61.2% S 64.124 Expenses FesuiE 2009 Fiscal 2008 Programs t 24.124 £ 13,758 Office A admin, 36,046 39,563 Total expenses £60.170 S 33,319 Nel revenue £ 1,126 S 2,631 Nei worth £65.76:1 £64,639 Notes: 1) Dues Revenue does not include the portion of dues that is forwarded to the chapters. That amount is reflected in their reports. 2) Most Donations Revenue is money we raised to support the Flora of Virginia Project in 2008 and the Natural Treasures Hunt for the Virginia Natu¬ ral Heritage Program in 2009. No doubt you've heard the advice, if you want to know what an organization stands for, look at where it spends its money. Here is some information about our money—where it comes from and where it goes. (Further details, of course, are available to all who may inquire.) The VNPS fiscal year is November 1 through October 31. These are the rev¬ enues and expenses of the state office. As you can see, in the broadest sense, the state portion of the dues covers the ad¬ ministrative responsibilities—member¬ ship, the Bulletin , the website, and the annual fund-raiser—necessary to run a nonprofit organization. Registration fees largely offset state program expenses. In addition to the state funds, the compilation of our individual chap¬ ters' reports for fiscal 2009 reflects rev¬ enues of $44,138, expenses of $41,930. Because the state is paying most of the administrative cost of the organization, each chapter's money is used almost entirely to further the VNPS mission. Catherine Mayes , VNPS Treasurer Summer 2010 Page 3 Bulletin of the Virginia Native Plant Society Spotted pink (Coleomegilla maculata) Lady bug Li ne- up Thirteen-spotted convergent (Hippodamia convergens) Two-spotted (Adalia bipunctata) Nine-spotted (Coccinella novemnotata) Parenthesis (Hippodamia parenthesis) Th e Nati ves Checkerspot (Propylea quatuordecimpunctata) t 1 M* ¥ Multicolor Asian (Harmonia axyridis) Seven-spotted (Coccinella septempunctata ) The Non- nati ves Ladybug illustrations by Nicky Staunton •Ladybugs (Continued from page 1) the nine-spotted ladybug ( Coccinella novemnotata), the transverse ladybug (Coccinella transversoguttata) (not illus¬ trated) and the two-spotted ladybug (Adalia bipunctata). As you might have guessed, the beetles are named for the number and positioning of spots across their backs. The nine-spotted has four spots on each side and one in the middle; the transverse has markings that look like a band close to the front; and the two-spotted is very bright red with a dark spot on each wing. When you do your ladybug search, you might also run into three natives that are still fairly common: the 13-spot- ted convergent ladybug (Hippodamia convergens) that has two converging white lines on its neck shield; the spot¬ ted pink ladybug (Coleomegilia maculata) that is more oval shaped with no white; and the parenthesis ladybug (Hippodamia parenthesis) named for the pair of parenthesis marks on its back. Page 4 — Undoubtedly when you search for ladybugs you will find some intro¬ duced species and the Lost Ladybug volunteers want to know about those finds as well. The most common intro¬ duced species are the multicolored Asian ladybugs (Harmonia axyridis), which is a very large and round lady- bug introduced from Japan to help con¬ trol other insects. Unfortunately these voracious eaters munch on the same food as many native ladybugs and sometimes eat other ladybug larvae. We all know these beetles from their annoy¬ ing habit of clustering inside houses by the hundreds in the winter. Anothernon-nativeisthe checkerspot ladybug (Propylea quatuordecim- punctata) that has a yellow and black checkerboard pattern on its back. And, finally, there is the seven-spotted ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata) that looks like the native nine-spot but is missing one spot on each wing. Although these fascinating insects are called "bugs" they are really in the Coccinellidae family of the beetle order, Coleoptera. Beetles are unique because they undergo complete metamorphosis and their forewings harden into a pro¬ tective cover. True bugs belong to the or¬ der Hemiptera and include squash bugs, boxelder bugs, and plant bugs. The bold, bright colors of the lady- bug are meant as a warning of a not-so- tasty meal. They exude a distasteful fluid that repels many would-be-predators such as birds and reptiles. However, a few insects like assassin bugs and stink bugs as well as toads and spiders are not averse to dining on a ladybug. Here is an interesting fact about this tiny little insect. Legend has it that this "red-robed" beetle got its name in medi¬ eval Europe because the farmers believed the beetles were sent by the Virgin Mary ("Our Lady") to protect their crops from insect damage. Whether or not there was divine intervention, most species of this beetle are predatory insect feeders and help control aphids and scale insects in¬ cluding mealybugs. Many ladybugs supplement their insect diet with pollen. The ladybug project needs field (See Finding ladybugs, page 8) - Summer 2010 Bulletin of the Virginia Native Plant Society — Native plant symposium offers valuable information A ttending conferences, sympo¬ siums, and workshops is often inspirational. Wonderful sources of new information are revealed and we are reminded of things forgotten. An¬ other advantage is gaining resources for learning more about the themes ad¬ dressed at the meetings. The speakers at the 2010 Lahr Native Plant Sympo¬ sium at the National Arboretum pro¬ vided all these aspects. Landscape architect Darrel Morrison spoke on the topic of "Where Art and Ecology Meet." He began by telling the audience about those who influenced his architectural style. Jens Jensen, the Chicago based Prairie Style landscape architect, introduced him to the mystery created by curving lines in the landscape of Columbus Park designed in 1916-18. Jensen's design was inspired by the park's natural history and topography. Edith Rob¬ erts and Elsa Rehmann wrote Ameri¬ can Plants for American Gardens, which is an excellent resource for informa¬ tion on planting in ecological asso¬ ciations. Steve and Rachel Kaplan of the University of Michigan taught him about the effect of the natural environ¬ ment on humans through their book With People in Mind: Design and Man¬ agement of Everyday Nature. Speaker Kim Winter of the Na¬ tional Wildlife Federation Habitats Programs explained "Gardens in Part¬ nership with Biodiversity: How to At¬ tract and Sustain Animal Popula¬ tions." She spoke of the important roles insects play in the environment and referred to two books: Insects and Gardens: In Pursuit of a Garden Ecology by Eric Grissell and Insects and Wild¬ life by John Capinera. Pollination is an important function of insects. More information on pollinators and the plants that attract them can be found in online Ecoregional Planting Guides at www.pollinator.org. Scientific names are important in the botanical world. As we all know, many of these names have been chang¬ ing in recent years. Speaker Alan Whittemore, taxonomist at the Na¬ tional Arboretum, explained this in his talk "Why Can't They Decide Summer 2010 - = What to Call this Plant?" Name changes in genera are occurring due to advances in genetics and chemistry. These changes are not occurring with species names be¬ cause the DNA sequencing is too close to tell a difference. Whittemore states that this will gradually change as the science evolves. As scientists make discoveries through DNA, they propose name changes to the Botanical Congress, which decides how to apply plant names based on the International Code of Bo¬ tanical Nomenclature. The Code was cre¬ ated in 1960 and was applied to plants discovered and named going back to the 1700s. In 2010, the Botanical Congress will look at rejecting the name Quercus prinus be cause all current Q. prinus are one of two plants— Quercus montana or Quercus michauxii —with the difference between the two being noted by the bark and acorns. Alan Whittemore suggests referring to the following websites for the most up-to-date information: Flora of North America at www.efloras.org, GRIN database at www.ars-grin.gov for eco¬ nomic plants, and the United States De¬ partment of Agriculture plants database at http://plants.usda.gov. Bill Cullina, Plant and Garden Cu¬ rator at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gar- •Flora project - (Continued from page 2) indeed anticipating the publication of the Flora. "I'm a member of VNPS myself, and when I received Sally Anderson's letter soliciting donations to the Flora Project this year, it occurred to me that MNPS might offer support," said Kirsten Johnson, MNPS president. "It took no per¬ suasion whatsoever at the board meeting. The discussion was short, and the vote unanimous." Members of the two groups attend each other's conferences and work¬ shops, and "most of us travel the short distance into Virginia several times a year for botanizing," she said. The societies were co-plaintiffs in a lawsuit concern¬ ing development proposed for Fort Dupont Park in Washington, she said. Maryland has a flora (separate vol¬ umes on woody and herbaceous plants, by Brown and Brown), but it's out of print now and expensive when avail- den (formerly the nursery director at the New England Wild Flower Society) spoke about "Botany by Design." He highlighted a few principles of land¬ scape design like planting in drifts by clumping a number of the same plant together for impact. For interest, he re¬ minded everyone to consider plant tex¬ ture over flower color. He suggested taking a photo and removing the color to see if you have planted different tex¬ tures. Cullina also spoke of some inter¬ esting plant characteristics. Fuzzy leaves slow water loss and reflect light to help keep the plant cool. A chemical called anthocyanin gives leaves red col¬ oration that masks chlorophyll and of¬ fers frost protection in spring. Bill Cullina’s new book. Understanding Pe¬ rennials, covers these subjects and many more. The speakers at the 2010 Lahr Na¬ tive Plant Symposium were inspira¬ tional, engaging, and knowledgeable. The references provided for additional information were invaluable. They will provide a never-ending source of in¬ formation for learning more about your favorite plant subjects. Kim Strader, VNPS Horticulture Chair able. "There is no question that the Flora of Virginia will be an important refer¬ ence tool for Maryland botanists, as I would expect it to be for other neigh¬ boring states," Johnson said. Thank you also to each VNPSer who sent a gift for the Flora of Virginia Project, the designee of the 2010 fundraising letter. Your generous do¬ nations of $13,190 will help support the last two years of preparation for publication in 2012. If you would like to join in reaching our VNPS goal of donating $20,000 toward the Flora, please send your gift to VNPS Fundraising 2010, 400 Blandy Farm Lane, Unite 2, Boyce VA 22620. Thanks to Dominion, the Mary¬ land Native Plant Society, the Virginia Native Plant Society, and the many other groups and individuals support¬ ing the Flora of Virginia. Everybody's behind this important project! Bland Crowder, Associate Director Flora of Virginia Project Page 5 Bulletin of the Virginia Native Plant Society Habitat key to quail return (Continued from page 1) of species may be key to the recovery of quail and other species of wildlife. Throughout its range, the quail eats seeds and parts of hundreds of different plant species. Considered a granivorous bird, a quail's diet consists of about 70 percent seeds, 15 percent insects, and 10 percent green vegeta¬ tion with the rest being miscellaneous items. These percentages fluctuate as the seasons change (i.e., breeding and nesting) and as availability of food items changes. While agricultural food items, such as corn, can be important to quail, native plants provide a greater variety of foods, support a more diverse suite of insects, and offer bet¬ ter habitat components like nesting and cover. Even though quail eat from so many different species of plants, they often show preferences for certain plants. They tend to consume seeds with hard seed coats. Depending on availability, seeds of forbs usually make up most of the seed component, while grass seeds and seeds from shrubs and trees round out their seed diet. The genera of grasses and related plants that quail most often eat seeds from are Panicum, Paspalum , Setaria , Urochloa, and Scleria. Most of the bunchgrasses that provide excellent nesting for quail, like the bluestems (Andropogon spp.), have seeds that are rarely eaten by quail. Seeds from the legume family (Fabaceae) are some of the most highly preferred by quail in the Southeast. Many landowners are familiar with partridge pea (Chamaecristafasciculata and C. nictitans) that produce yellow flowers and abundant seed during the fall. Other native species in this family that are eaten by quail include wildbean (Strophostyles spp.), spurred butterfly pea ( Centrosema virginianum) , and milkpea ( Galactia spp.). These species are creeping or twining vines that can produce large patches of showy white, pink, or purple flowers. The sticktights or beggarlice ( Desmodium spp.) that get stuck to people's clothing are also good seeds for quail with several native spe¬ cies in this genus. While there are sev- Page 6 eral species of introduced lespedezas, including Lespedeza cuneata and L. bi¬ color, there are also several species of native lespedezas that produce qual¬ ity seed. Some of these found in Vir¬ ginia include L. capitata, L. hirta, L. procumbens, and L. repens. A few other native plants in this family that are beneficial to quail are snoutbean (Rhynchosia spp.), pencilflower (Stylosanthes biflora ), and American hogpeanut {Amphicarpaea bracteata). Several of the more preferred native forb seeds from families other than Fabaceae that occur in Virginia are sun¬ flowers (Helianthus spp.), ragweeds (Am¬ brosia spp.), violets ( Viola spp.), smart- weeds ( Polygonum spp.), nightshades (Solanum spp.), northern croton ( Croton glandulosus ), geranium ( Geranium carolinianum ), and poor-joe ( Diodia teres). Many of these plants are often consid¬ ered weeds and can be found in and around agricultural fields. The small seeds from woodsorrel (Oxalis spp.) are often eaten by quail as are the succulent leaves. Other lesser-used native forbs eaten by quail are touch-me-nots ( Impa- tiens spp.), bluecurls ( Trichostema spp.), morning-glories ( Ipomoea spp.). Native plant species eaten by quail include spurred butterfly pea (Centrosema virginianum), the flower and seeds of which are seen above. Photos are from author Drew Larson's book on wild quail management. Quail illustration by Spike Knuth camphorweed ( Heterotheca subaxillaris ), and spurges ( Euphorbia spp.). Subshrubs, shrubs, and trees can provide food for quail as well as good cover. Shrubby thickets and some hard¬ wood saplings often provide the best protective cover for quail. Some of the native shrubby plants that supply seeds for quail are blackberries ( Rubus spp.), huckleberries ( Gaylussacia spp.), waxmyrtle ( Morelia cerifera ), American beautyberry ( Callicarpa americana ), and sumac (Rhus spp.). Native woody vines valuable to quail as seed producers are poison-ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia ), and several species of wild grapes (Vitis spp.). Oaks (Quercus spp.) that produce smaller acorns can be important to quail especially as the colder months approach. Pines (Pinus spp.) are among the most consumed and important seeds for quail in the South¬ east. Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia ), flow¬ ering dogwood (Cornus florida), sassa¬ fras (Sassafras albidum), hollies (Ilex spp.), and some fruit trees (Prunus spp.) are also significant native seed producers for quail. The list of native quail foods could go on and on. While quail are general¬ ists according to the foods they eat, their need for early-successional plant struc¬ ture seems to be the more important. Rarely is food a limiting factor for quail populations in the southeast. For people (See Quail, page 8) _ Summer 2010 = Bulletin of the Virginia Native Plant Society •Rain garden (Continued from page 3) planted just hours before December's blizzard, and then added to with plant donations in April and May now in¬ cludes sundrops, ironweed, cone- flower, big bluestem, redbud, blue lo¬ belia, sassafras, switchgrass, and but- tonbush. And, as of early April, the big ugly non-functioning retention basin next to the post office is a fully func¬ tioning bioretention area, commonly called a rain garden. Both the rain gar¬ den and bioswale were planted by Riverheads High School ecology and environmental science students. The rain garden includes wild geranium, rudbeckia, goldenrod, aster, coreopsis, Joe-pye weed, river oats, creeping phlox, itea, silky dogwood, high bush cranberry, and elderberry. The work has turned an unsightly stormwater basin into a nicely land¬ scaped area that will enhance the village entrance, will better address the drain¬ age issues in the area, and will clean the stormwater runoff of pollutants coming off the mall roof and parking lot before sending it back into the South River. After a few spring rains, the group working on the project noticed that rainwater was sheeting off the park¬ ing lot and cutting trenches through the bioswale. A decision was made to work with Mother Nature to correct this problem. The students went to work creating a rock-lined feature through the bioswale lined with about 10 tons of tan river rock. The most exciting part of the project is the community partnership. Most of the in-kind cost was "paid for" by the students. Over the course of the last two- and-a-half years, 18 different classes of students participated in one aspect of the project or another. Earlier classes saw the project at the beginning and learned about stormwater management and wa¬ ter quality. Classes last year learned from the local landscaping company how to pot up plants and prepare them for win¬ ter. They also had class discussions on the importance of native plants. Last fall as construction work on the project got under way, Sorrells be¬ gan locating appropriate native species to plant in the bioswale and rain gar¬ den. At least 10 people helped find and donate hundreds of plants. Heavy con¬ sultation with the Upper James River Chapter's Peggy Dyson-Cobb, Katherine Smith, and the Wintergreen Nature Foundation's Doug Coleman helped decide on just the right species for the wettest parts of the project (down in the basin and along the bioswale rock feature) and the driest parts (along the banks and in the re¬ maining bioswale). Most of the plants came from the Rockbridge, Augusta, and Rockingham areas, as the Shenan¬ doah Chapter was also very involved in donating to the project. Some native grasses came from as far away as Reva! For Augusta County, the project will help showcase forward-thinking low impact development techniques. As the county updates its ordinances to include more environmentally sen¬ sitive ways of handling stormwater management, this project will serve as a model for how to better address wa¬ ter quality and storm run-off practices. A sign describing the rain garden and the importance of native plants in this project and thanking sponsors (in¬ cluding VNPS) has been erected on the bank of the rain garden. Making that sign possible were several VNPS mem¬ bers who donated appropriate photo¬ graphs. It is anticipated that more fill plants might be needed to fill in some spaces until the plants are well estab¬ lished in a few years. If you have plants that you would like to donate, please let Nancy Sorrells know at lotswife@comcast.net or 540-377-6390. Nancy Sorrells, VNPS Bulletin editor See the address label for your membership expiration date VNPS Membership/Renewal Form Name(s)_ Address_ City_State_Zip_ _Individual $30 _Student $15 _Family $40 _Associate (groups) $40* _Patron $50 _Sustaining $100 _Life $500 *Please designate one person as delegate for Associate membership To give a gift membership or join additional chapters: Enclose dues, name, address, and chapter (non-voting memberships in any other than your primary chapter are $5) I wish to make an additional contribution to_VNPS or_Chapter in the amount of_$10_$25_$50_$100_$(Other)_ _Check if you do not wish your name to be exchanged with similar organizations _Check if you do not wish your name to be listed in a chapter directory Which chapter do you wish to join? (See www.vnps.org)_ Paying by credit card?_MC_Visa_Discover Exp. date_ Card #_Security code_Signature_ Make check payable to VNPS and mail to: VNPS Membership Chair, Blandy Experimental Farm, 400 Blandy Farm Lane, Unit 2, Boyce, VA 22620 Membership dues are tax deductible in the amount they exceed $5. Contributions are tax deductible in accordance with IRS regulations. Summer 2010 The Bulletin ISSN 1085-9632 is published five times a year (Feb., April, June, August, Nov.) by the Virginia Native Plant Society Blandy Experimental Farm 400 Blandy Farm Lane, Unit 2 Boyce, VA 22620 (540) 837-1600 vnpsofc@shentel.net www.vnps.org Sally Anderson, President Nancy Sorrells, Editor Original material contained in the Bulletin may be reprinted, provided credit is given to VNPS and the author, if named. Readers are invited to send letters, news items, or original articles for the editor's con¬ sideration. Items should be typed, on disk in Microsoft Word or e-mailed to: Editor, 3419 Cold Springs Rd., Greenville, VA24440, or lotswife@comcast.net The deadline for the next issue is July 15 - Page 7 Bulletin of the Virginia Native Plant Society Our Mountain Roots 2010 Annual Meeting plans take shape What makes a fen? Who once lived in these wild mountains? What plants can be found at 4,050 feet? As plans fall into place for the VNPS annual meeting in Shenandoah National Park, September 10-12, members of the Piedmont Chapter have assembled an impressive weekend package. The meeting site, Skyland Resort with its awesome views, will be the gathering place as members share meals and featured events As for field trips, arguably the main draw for a large number of members, opportunities include various special natural areas in this fabulous park such as Hawksbill Mountain, the Limberlost Trail, the Big Meadows Swamp and others, all to be experienced under the guidance of experts who know these places best. Gary Fleming, Wendy Cass, Marion Lobstein, John Townsend, Richard Stromberg, Bob Pickett, Doug Coleman and others will lead the outings. Botanical treasures, geology, and cultural history are all part of the mix. Offerings will include vigorous hikes for the fit and ambi¬ tious, along with gentle outings, including a car safari. During Saturday evening's events, VNPS President Sally Anderson will call the membership together for its brief annual business meeting, which includes election of officers and board members. Dinner speakers are Park botanist Wendy Cass and Virginia Natural Heritage Program Vegetation Ecologist Gary Fleming (Friday and Saturday nights respectively). Check out the registration form in this Bulletin and get on board today. You will not want to miss out. •Finding ladybugs (Continued from page 4) volunteers to help document these beetles, both native and non-na¬ tive, across the nation. Volunteers should go out and collect and document the ladybugs. Photo¬ graph each beetle, and note the date, time, location, and habitat including the exact plant they were found on if possible. Then release the ladybugs safely to the wild and send your information and digital image to www.lostladybug.org. The website offers tips on how to safely capture ladybugs, iden¬ tify them, and chill them slightly so you can slow them down enough to photograph them. Lady- bugs are most active between May and October so get out there and look. Whatever you find will add to the knowledge of these painted la¬ dies and the habitats they call home. Nancy Sorrells, VNPS Bulletin editor •Quail (Continued from page 6) looking to improve their land for quail and other early-successional wildlife, management practices such as pre¬ scribed burning and disking can often stimulate native plants useful to quail. Unfortunately, invasive exotics may re¬ spond positively to these practices too and should be monitored. At present, there are not many commercially avail¬ able species or sources of quality native seeds beneficial to the bobwhite quail. Perhaps in the future, managers and re¬ source conservationists will have access to more quality native plants or their seed to promote the habitats that the bobwhite and other wildlife need. Drew Larson, District Wildlife Biologist Va. Department of Game and Inland Fisheries