Minnesota Seasons

Minnesota Seasons

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Destinations

These are locations in Minnesota where native plants, birds, and other wildlife can be viewed. With very few exceptions, these destinations are open to the public. Visitors can share their own photos, videos, plant and wildlife sightings, and other observations.


Species

Plants

Native, naturalized, invasive, or simply planted—any plant growing outside of cultivation in Minnesota. More than 800 plant pages include photos, a description, a multi-sourced distribution map, and a list of sites where the plant has been found.

Insects and Arachnids

Insects and arachnids found in Minnesota. Species pages include photos, a description, a list of sightings by MinnesotaSeasons.com, visitor sightings, and distribution maps.
				Photo by Norm & Peg Dibble

Wildlife

Birds and bears, snakes and squirrels, toads and turtles—wildlife found in Minnesota. Wildlife pages include photos, a description, and a list of sightings, as well as distribution maps for amphibians, mammals, and reptiles.
				Photo by Luciearl

Fungi and Lichens

Lichens, mushrooms, and other fungi found in Minnesota. Fungi and lichen pages include photos, a description, a list of sightings by MinnesotaSeasons.com, visitor sightings, and distribution maps.

Wallpapers

Download free high resolution wallpapers (screen backgrounds). These are photos of destinations featured on MinnesotaSeasons.com. The wallpapers are grouped by ecological season. Each wallpaper is optimized for the screen resolutions used most often on desktops, laptops, and tablets.

418
Destinations

1,914
Species*

* Species pages may represent a species, subspecies, variety, genus, family, or other taxonmomic group, or an unidentified organism. Using the word “taxon” here would be more accurate but less widely understood.


What’s New

Recent Uploads

Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of True Tinder Polypore1/15/2020. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of spongy oak apple gall wasp 1/14/2020. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of Sinewed Bushy Lichen 1/14/2020. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of unknown damselfly 9/6/2018. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of spotted spreadwing 9/6/2018. Margot Avey uploaded 1 photo of Barred Owl 1/12/2020. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of Sinewed Bushy Lichen 1/8/2020. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of Bristly Beard Lichen 11/4/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 2 photos of unknown centipede 6/18/2018. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of unknown milliipede 6/18/2018. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of Boreal Oakmoss 1/4/2020. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of Smooth Axil-bristle Lichen 1/4/2020. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of northern red oak 1/4/2020. Anna Lehmicke uploaded 1 photo of black and yellow mud dauber 1/4/2020. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of Unknown Lichen #04 1/2/2020. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of Unknown Lichen #02 11/4/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of Unknown Slug 9/1/2018. Kirk Nelson uploaded 4 photos of Banning State Park 1/1/2020. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of Bottlebrush Frost Lichen 1/1/2020. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of Hooded Sunburst Lichen 1/1/2020. Jessica Marquez uploaded 2 photos of Elm Oyster 12/30/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 7 photos of meadow spittlebug 1/20/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of *leafhopper (Scaphytopius* sp.)** 1/20/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 3 photos of flower longhorn beetle (Brachysomida nigripennis) 11/11/2018. Alfredo Colon uploaded 3 photos of geometer moth (Family Geometridae) 9/1/2018. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of speckled alder 12/26/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of armyworm moth 9/1/2018. Dan W. Andree uploaded 1 video of regal fritillary 12/24/2019. Dan W. Andree uploaded 1 video of red admiral 12/24/2019. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of Smooth Axil-bristle Lichen 12/2/2019. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of Thin-Walled Maze Polypore 12/22/2019. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of mid-winter boreus 12/22/2019. Nikki uploaded 1 photo of Pileated Woodpecker 12/22/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of Bethune’s pinion 9/1/2018. Alfredo Colon uploaded 6 photos of large crane fly (Family Tipulidae) 11/10/2018. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of ursula wainscot 9/1/2018. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of speckled green fruitworm moth 9/1/2018. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of Philadelphia fleabane 12/13/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of Norman’s quaker 9/1/2018. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of white vervain 12/10/2019. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of Trembling Phlebia 12/9/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of ragwort stem borer moth 9/1/2018. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of *xylenine sallow (Eupsilia* sp.) 9/1/2018. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of thimbleberry 12/5/2019. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of Hairy Woodpecker 12/3/2019. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of Bottlebrush Frost Lichen 12/2/2019. Luciearl uploaded 3 photos of Common Greenshield Lichen 12/2/2019. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of scalewort (Frullania spp.) 12/2/2019. Bill Reynolds uploaded 2 photos of white-footed mouse 12/2/2019. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of eastern gray squirrel** 12/2/2019.


New Pages

1/17/2020	Boreal Oakmoss
1/16/2020	oak gall wasp (Amphibolips cookii)
1/16/2020	larger empty oak apple wasp
1/15/2020	Unknown Damselflies
1/15/2020	spotted spreadwing
1/11/2020	reversed haploa
1/10/2020	Bristly Beard Lichen
1/8/2020	Unknown Centipedes and Millipedes
1/7/2020	sunflower tortoise beetle
1/2/2020	Unknown Snails and Slugs
1/1/2020	Japanese barberry

12/31/2019	flower longhorn beetle (Brachysomida nigripennis)
12/30/2019	geometer moth (Family Geometridae)
12/30/2019	tall beggarticks
12/28/2019	armyworm moth
12/26/2019	mid-winter boreus
12/23/2019	Lewis flax
12/22/2019	Bethune’s pinion
12/20/2019	water speedwell
12/19/2019	ursula wainscot
12/18/2019	common speedwell
12/16/2019	speckled green fruitworm moth
12/15/2019	spring speedwell
12/13/2019	Norman’s quaker
12/12/2019	dwarf raspberry
12/10/2019	Bottlebrush Frost Lichen
12/9/2019	ragwort stem borer moth
12/8/2019	golden clover
12/7/2019	scalewort (Frullania spp.)
12/7/2019	xylenine sallows (Eupsilia spp.)
12/6/2019	white-footed mouse
12/5/2019	Plum Pocket
12/3/2019	three-lined potato beetle


Next Up

1	spiny baskettail (Epitheca spinigera)	John Valo
2	leafhopper (Latalus ocellaris)	Alfredo Colon
3	hairy honeysuckle (Lonicera hirsuta)	John Valo
4	leafhopper (Penthimia americana)	Alfredo Colon
5	American fly honeysuckle (Lonicera canadensis)	John Valo
6		Alfredo Colon
7	one-sided wintergreen (Orthilia secunda)	John Valo
8		Alfredo Colon
9	lupine bug (Megalotomus quinquespinosus)	John Valo
10		Alfredo Colon
11	liverleaf wintergreen (Pyrola asarifolia ssp. asarifolia)	John Valo
12		Alfredo Colon
13	river birch (Betula nigra)	John Valo
14		Alfredo Colon
15	autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)	John Valo
16		Alfredo Colon
17	Rock Shield Lichen (Xanthoparmelia sp.)	John Valo
18		Alfredo Colon
19	hairy wood mint (Blephilia hirsuta)	John Valo
20		Alfredo Colon
21	early buttercup (Ranunculus fascicularis)	John Valo
22		Alfredo Colon
23	cursed crowfoot (Ranunculus sceleratus) cursed crowfoot (Ranunculus sceleratus var. multifidus) cursed crowfoot (Ranunculus sceleratus var. sceleratus)	John Valo
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	Robert’s Bird Sanctuary	Kirk Nelson

Hibernal Season

The hibernal ecological season corresponds to the winter calendar season. In our area it is characterized by cold temperatures, a usually snow-covered landscape, and an absence of migratory bird species. Deciduous trees are bare and fallen leaves begin to decay. Migrating birds have settled in winter habitats. In Minnesota the hibernal season usually begins about December 1 and lasts until about March 1.

Snow Cover
The average date for the first one-inch snow fall in the Twin Cities is November 18. The average date for “permanent snow cover” in the Twin Cities is unknown but is probably mid-December. Permanent snow cover here is defined as at least one centimeter of snow cover that lasts at least one month.

Temperature
On average, cold temperatures arrive in the Twin Cities on December 3. On that date the average high temperature is below freezing.