Minnesota Seasons

Minnesota Seasons

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25


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.
				Photo by Luciearl

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

Mushrooms, lichens, 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.

472
Destinations

2,028
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

Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of chickweed geometer 10/21/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of forage looper moth 10/21/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 2 photos of hummingbird clearwing 10/21/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of snowberry clearwing 10/21/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 5 photos of squash vine borer 10/21/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 7 photos of yellow-collared scape moth 10/21/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of citrus flatid planthopper 10/20/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of coppery leafhopper 10/20/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of flower weevil (Madarellus undulatus) 10/20/2019. Sara Brice uploaded 1 photo and 1 video of *oil beetle (Meloe impressus)* 10/16/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 9 photos of ant (Family Formicidae) 9/25/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of millipede (Class Diplopoda) 10/20/2019. Wander Without Wifi uploaded 1 video of Bear Head Lake State Park 10/12/2020. Luciearl uploaded 3 photos of American groundnut 8/31/2020. Kirk Nelson uploaded 2 photos of Hentz’s orbweaver 10/10/2020. Gregg Rutter uploaded 1 photo of *smooth blue aster (var. laeve)* 10/9/2020. Gregg Rutter uploaded 3 photos of Mille Lacs Moraine SNA 10/9/2020. Lori Staley uploaded 1 photo of Pileated Woodpecker 10/9/2020. Allen Guggisberg uploaded 2 photos of oil beetle (Meloe impressus) 10/9/2020. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of damselfly (suborder Zygoptera) 9/6/2018. Luciearl uploaded 3 photos of Deer Mushroom 7/24 and 7/27/2020. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of fly (Order Diptera) 9/1/2018. Gregory Gilman uploaded 1 photo of American Robin 10/6/2020. Gregory Gilman uploaded 2 photos of Baltimore Oriole 10/6/2020. Gregory Gilman uploaded 1 photo of Blue Jay 10/6/2020. Gregory Gilman uploaded 3 photos of Eastern Bluebird 10/6/2020. Gregory Gilman uploaded 1 photo of Eastern Phoebe 10/6/2020. Gregory Gilman uploaded 1 photo of Gray Catbird 10/6/2020. Gregory Gilman uploaded 1 photo of Harris’s Sparrow 10/6/2020. Gregory Gilman uploaded 1 photo of House Wren 10/6/2020. Gregory Gilman uploaded 2 photos of Northern Cardinal 10/6/2020. Gregory Gilman uploaded 1 photo of Northern Flicker 10/6/2020. Gregory Gilman uploaded 1 photo of Orchard Oriole 10/6/2020. Gregory Gilman uploaded 1 photo of Red-bellied Woodpecker 10/6/2020. Gregory Gilman uploaded 1 photo of Red-breasted Nuthatch 10/6/2020. Gregory Gilman uploaded 1 photo of Red-tailed Hawk 10/6/2020. Gregory Gilman uploaded 1 photo of Red-winged Blackbird 10/6/2020. Gregory Gilman uploaded 3 photos of Ruby-throated Hummingbird 10/6/2020. Gregory Gilman uploaded 1 photo of Scarlet Tanager 10/6/2020. Gregory Gilman uploaded 1 photo of White-crowned Sparrow 10/6/2020. Gregory Gilman uploaded 1 photo of Yellow-rumped Warbler 10/6/2020. Jeremy Smith uploaded 1 photo of end band net-winged beetle 10/6/2020. FMF CHOP uploaded 2 photos of Eastern North American Destroying Angel 10/5/2020. Alfredo Colon uploaded 3 photos of spined assassin bug 10/20/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of brown stink bug 10/20/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 2 photos of pale green assassin bug 10/20/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of common eupithecia 10/20/2019. Gregory Gilman uploaded 1 photo of Eastern Towhee 10/4/2020. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of red-legged grasshopper 10/20/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of dusky stink bug 10/20/2019. Luciearl uploaded 3 photos of Blackening Russula 7/20/2020. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of black-sided meadow katydid 10/20/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of striped ground cricket 10/20/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of oblong-winged katydid 10/20/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 6 photos of Carolina grasshopper 10/20/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photos of green immigrant leaf weevil 10/20/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 8 photos of differential grasshopper 10/20/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 2 photos of fall field cricket 10/20/2019. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of silky striped sweat bee 9/25/2019. 2mevon uploaded 1 photo of oak leaf gall midge 10/1/2020. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of three-lined leafroller moth 8/31/2018. Luciearl uploaded 3 photos of butternut woollyworm 7/19/2020. Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of *acanaloniid planthoppers (Acanalonia* spp.) 10/20/2019. Lisa Kovacs uploaded 1 photo of Bear’s Head Tooth 9/30/2020. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of blinded sphinx 7/17/2020. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of Honey Mushroom 9/28/2020. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of Canada mayflower 9/28/2020. Jamal Matteson uploaded 1 photo of Honey Mushroom 9/5/2020. Chad & Autumn Brekke uploaded 1 photo of northern walkingstick 9/27/2020. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of Hygroscopic Earthstar 9/27/2020. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of bearberry 9/26/2020. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of woodbine 9/26/2020. Alfredo Colon uploaded 2 photos of two-striped planthopper 10/20/2019. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of lesser maple spanworm moth 7/12/2020. Kirk Nelson uploaded 3 photos of Vermillion Highlands Research Recreation and WMA 9/26/2020. Melissa Schlickenmayer uploaded 7 photos and 1 video of American Eastern Yellow Fly Agaric 9/25/2020. Judy Z uploaded 2 photos of banded argiope 9/24/2020. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of American gromwell 9/23/2020. Alfredo Colon uploaded 2 photos of stink bug (Family Pentatomidae) 10/20/2019. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of stink fly 6/8/2020. Alfredo Colon uploaded 2 photos of spotted cucumber beetle 10/20/2019. Val Weberg uploaded 2 photos of metallic bluish-green cuckoo wasp 9/23/2020. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of clustered bellflower** 7/2/2020. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of jagged ambush bug (Phymata americana) 9/20/2020. Kirk Nelson uploaded 2 photos of margined burying beetle 9/20/2020. Kirk Nelson uploaded 2 photos of Elm Oyster 9/20/2020. Margot Avey uploaded 2 photos of common garter snake 9/20/2020. Kirk Nelson uploaded 1 photo of oil beetle (Meloe impressus) 9/20/2020. Kirk Nelson uploaded 1 photo of red-legged grasshopper 9/20/2020. Margot Avey uploaded 3 photos of Green Heron 9/19/2020. Margot Avey uploaded 1 photo of autumn meadowhawk 9/19/2020. Scott Bemman uploaded 1 photo of Common Loon 9/19/2020. Scott Bemman uploaded 1 photo of Ruffed Grouse 9/19/2020. Wander Without Wifi uploaded 2 photos of McCarthy Beach State Park 9/19/2020. Scott Bemman uploaded 2 photos of western poison ivy 9/19/2020. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of upright carrionflower 9/17/2020. Jessica Marquez uploaded 1 photo of Peeling Puffball 9/16/2020. Alfredo Colon uploaded 2 photos of oleander aphid 10/20/2019. Wander Without Wifi uploaded 2 photos of western poison ivy 9/15/2020. Valerie Salley uploaded 2 photos of white-lined sphinx 9/16/2020. KatyMN12 uploaded 1 photo of narrow-headed marsh fly 9/15/2020. Jennifer Koerner uploaded 3 photos of Black Vulture 9/15/2020. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of yellow velvet beetle 6/27/2020. Loren uploaded 1 photo of nursery web spider 9/14/2020. Krista Takemoto uploaded 1 photo of western honey bee 9/14/2020. Travis Miller uploaded 2 photos of eastern poison ivy 9/14/2020. PattiOD uploaded 3 photos of American Eastern Yellow Fly Agaric 9/13/2020. Mark Oeltjenbruns uploaded 1 photo of Dekay’s brown snake 9/13/2020. Scott Bemman uploaded 1 photo of *white-cheeked jumping spider (Pelegrina* sp.) 9/12/2020. Scott Bemman uploaded 1 photo of American pelecinid wasp 9/12/2020. Scott Bemman uploaded 1 photo of green stink bug 9/12/2020. Scott Bemman uploaded 1 photo of pale green assassin bug 9/12/2020. Guinness uploaded 1 photo of bald-faced hornet 9/12/2020. Wander Without Wifi uploaded 1 video of western poison ivy 9/12/2020. Dan W. Andree uploaded 1 photo of Nuttall’s evening primrose 9/12/2020. Melissa uploaded 1 photo of black and yellow argiope 9/10/2020. Dan W. Andree uploaded 1 photo of regal fritillary 9/10/2020. Dan W. Andree uploaded 1 photo of lance-tipped darner 9/10/2020. Dan W. Andree uploaded 1 photo of Trumpeter Swan 9/10/2020. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of pearly everlasting 9/10/2020. Rick Thome uploaded 2 photos of monarch 9/9/2020. Kirk Nelson uploaded 1 photo of Leafy Brain 9/7/2020. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of American highbush cranberry 9/7/2020. Tom T. uploaded 2 photos of Seven Sisters Prairie 9/7/2020. Tom T. uploaded 1 photo of silky aster 9/7/2020. Tom T. uploaded 2 photos of smooth sumac 9/7/2020. Tom T. uploaded 1 photo of showy goldenrod 9/7/2020. Tom T. uploaded 1 photo of white sage 9/7/2020. Tom T. uploaded 1 photo of prairie onion 9/7/2020. Dan W. Andree uploaded 1 photo of prairie skink 9/7/2020. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of narrow-headed sun fly 9/6/2020. DG99 uploaded 2 photos of Honey Mushroom 9/5/2020. Ramona Abrego uploaded 1 photo of northern flying squirrel 6/25/2020. Dan Engblom uploaded 1 photo of potter or mason wasp (Subfamily Eumeninae)** 9/4/2020. Alfredo Colon uploaded 3 photos of leafhopper (Gyponana subgenus Gyponana) 10/20/2019. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of goldmoss stonecrop 6/23/2020. Denny uploaded 1 photo of oil beetle (Meloe impressus) 9/3/2020. Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of common sneezeweed 9/3/2020. Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of tricolored bumble bee 9/3/2020. JDenby uploaded 1 photo of white underwing 9/1/2020. Judy & Larry Ahlbrecht uploaded 1 photo of common green darner 9/1/2020.


New Pages

10/20/2020	bearberry
10/19/2020	flower weevil (Madarellus undulatus)
10/17/2020	American gromwell
10/14/2020	golden-eyed lacewing
10/13/2020	American groundnut
10/11/2020	damselfly (suborder Zygoptera)
10/10/2020	Deer Mushroom
10/9/2020	flies (Order Diptera)
10/5/2020	Blackening Russula
10/3/2020	silky agapostemon renamed to silky striped sweat bee (Agapostemon sericeus)
10/2/2020	three-lined leafroller moth
10/1/2020	butternut woollyworm
10/1/2020	acanaloniid planthoppers (Acanalonia spp.)

9/30/2020	blinded sphinx
9/28/2020	two-striped planthopper
9/28/2020	lesser maple spanworm moth
9/26/2020	millipedes (Class Diplopoda)
9/26/2020	flat-backed millipede (Order Polydesmida)
9/25/2020	stink bugs (Family Pentatomidae)
9/25/2020	stink fly
9/25/2020	margined burying beetle
9/24/2020	spotted cucumber beetle
9/23/2020	clustered bellflower
9/23/2020	white-cheeked jumping spider (Pelegrina spp.)
9/23/2020	thinleaf cottonsedge renamed to green keeled cottongrass
9/19/2020	Leafy Brain
9/18/2020	oleander aphid
9/16/2020	yellow velvet beetle
9/14/2020	pelecinid wasp renamed to American pelecinid wasp
9/12/2020	chestnut-marked pondweed moth
9/9/2020	grapevine epimenis
9/7/2020	narrow-headed sun fly renamed to narrow-headed marsh fly
9/7/2020	northern flying squirrel
9/6/2020	potter and mason wasps (Subfamily Eumeninae)
9/6/2020	leafhopper (Gyponana subgenus Gyponana)
9/5/2020	goldmoss stonecrop
9/5/2020	stringy stonecrop
9/3/2020	dog vomit slime mold
9/2/2020	Canada darner


Next Up

1	predaceous diving beetle (Dytiscus sp.)	Amy Piere-Soll
2	red goldenrod aphid (Uroleucon nigrotuberculatum)	Alfredo Colon
3	pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata ssp. cisatlantica)	Luciearl
4	pond olive (Cloeon dipterum)	Alfredo Colon
5	Scudder’s short-wing grasshopper (Melanoplus scudderi)	Luciearl
6	Rathke’s woodlouse (Trachelipus rathkii)	Alfredo Colon
7	liverleaf wintergreen (Pyrola asarifolia ssp. asarifolia)	Luciearl
8	goldenrod leaf miner (Microrhopala vittata)	Alfredo Colon
9	twinflower (Linnaea borealis ssp. americana)	Luciearl
10	firefly (Pyractomena spp.)	Alfredo Colon
11	hoverfly (Subfamily Syrphinae)	Alfredo Colon
12	spur-throated grasshopper (Melanoplus spp.)	Alfredo Colon
13	milkweed stem weevil (Rhyssomatus lineaticollis)	Alfredo Colon
14	trefoil sawfly (Atomacera debilis)	Alfredo Colon
15	leaf beetle (Rhabdopterus spp.)	Alfredo Colon
16	two-horned treehopper (Stictocephala diceros)	Alfredo Colon
17	yellow-dusted cream moth (Cabera erythemaria)	Alfredo Colon
18	late long-horned caddisfly (Triaenodes tardus)	Alfredo Colon
19	oak besma (Besma quercivoraria)	Alfredo Colon
20	signate quaker (Tricholita signata)	Alfredo Colon
21
22
23
24
25

Autumnal Season

The autumnal ecological season, called fall in North America but autumn elsewhere, needs no explanation. It is that time when the landscape transitions from summer to winter. It follows the serotinal season (late summer) when leaves of deciduous trees and many forbs and grasses begin to change color, and precedes the the usually snow-blanketed hibernal season (winter). In Minnesota, the Autumnal season usually begins about September 15 and ends about November 1. In the Twin Cities metro area it typically arrives late September to early (north metro) to mid- (south metro) October. Deciduous leaves are in full fall color then turn brown and fall to the ground. Birds migrate back to wintering areas.

The advance of the season can be watched on the Minnesota DNR's Fall Color Finder Web page. The map displayed there is updated daily. The Autumnal season has arrived in those areas colored red (75–100%) and dark brown (past peak). The northwest corner is the first area in Minnesota to see peak fall colors each year.