Meadowview Internship 2011

[Wire Man]

I am one of the fortunate interns at Meadowview this summer. I could not have asked for a better opportunity to present itself to me by a long shot. I am a Studio Art major, but carnivorous plants and their conservation are a huge passion of mine. My background does provide some huge benefits, such as presenting what we are doing to the public, which is what this thread is about. I will be updating this as frequently as possible with photos, news, events, and happenings. We have a lot to do this summer, so we're starting at full speed. Enough of the talk for now, here are some photos taken with my new Olympus E-5 and incredible macro lens.

Utricularia inflata or radiata

Utricularia by Wire Man, on Flickr

Sarracenia flowers

Sarr flower by Wire Man, on Flickr

Flava Flower by Wire Man, on Flickr

S. flava

S. flava by Wire Man, on Flickr

S. flava by Wire Man, on Flickr

D. filiformis

Drosera filiformis by Wire Man, on Flickr

More flowers

Pretty Pink Sarr by Wire Man, on Flickr

Sarr Flowers by Wire Man, on Flickr

Sarracenia "Red Rocket"

Sarracenia "Red Rocket" by Wire Man, on Flickr

Some more artistic shots

Pitcher Plant by Wire Man, on Flickr

Field of Flava by Wire Man, on Flickr

Sarracenia flowers by Wire Man, on Flickr

Sunlight Breaks by Wire Man, on Flickr

S. flava cultivar by Wire Man, on Flickr

S. flava top. by Wire Man, on Flickr

Sarracenia flowers by Wire Man, on Flickr

Sarracenia purpurea hybrid by Wire Man, on Flickr

Sarracenia flower by Wire Man, on Flickr

Drosera capillaris

Drosera capillaris by Wire Man, on Flickr

Drosera capillaris by Wire Man, on Flickr

Drosera brevifolia

Drosera capillaris by Wire Man, on Flickr

We are currently filling orders, preparing for a major repotting operation, cleaning the greenhouse, refurbishing the cage, cataloging historic, extant, extinct, and unknown Sarracenia ranges for Stewart McPherson, and preparing for a controlled burn behind Meadowview. All of this while avoiding a nasty bite from our resident water snake. More photos this weekend of the team in action, so keep an eye on this thread.

 

[zlookup]

those are some very nice photos. nice to hear you are enjoying your internship (wish i could have said the same about mine years back )

which pitcher plant does the pink flower come from?

 

[Soopaman]

Good on ya! I hope you're having a good time.

I unfortunately had to tell Phil I would have to try again next year as I need the money from my regular summer job. Albeit, I seem to still be on the mailing list for the conservation assessments for Stew.

 

[Adam]

Wow, that is awesome! When I'm older, I am definately interning.

 

[MH1]

Wow! Haha, internship looks interesting. The photos are really amazing, the composition is really great in all of them!

 

[Wire Man]

I believe the pink flowers belong to the hybrid Sarracenia alabamensis ssp. wherryi x Sarracenia alata or Sarracenia minor x S. rubra ssp. wherryi. EIther way, they're amazing plants! I'll ask Phil tomorrow. We're looking to put "Red Rocket" back in the catalog soon. It's a slow grower, but looks amazing! I'm trying to get N. clipeata in the greenhouse to help with conservation efforts. We're building a highlands growhouse soon that will hold a lot of potential.

I found a hatchling northern water snake inside of a dead pitcher leaf today! The little guy tried biting twice when I attempted to move it. It missed both times because it was so young. I kinda like the tenacity of the little guy. I'll try to upload more photos tonight.

We wish you could join us, Kyle. It's quite the experience.

 

[Wire Man]

Our Nepenthes "Red Dragon" just opened a new pitcher today! We think it's maxed out the pitcher size, but with 2-3 new ones growing it's going to be a beast of a plant.

We began some test burns today with the blow torch. The red maples won't stand a chance! More pics will come soon.

---------- Post added 05-25-2011 at 01:32 AM ---------- Previous post was 05-24-2011 at 11:56 PM ----------

More Meadowview photos!!!

Dr. Sheridan processing the first order of the season.

Repotting by Wire Man, on Flickr

N. copelandii

Nepenthes copelandii by Wire Man, on Flickr

N. "Red Dragon". This plant has been feasting on a ant colony. They attempted to build the new expansion on the peristome and lid. There were many casualties.

Nepenthes "Red Dragon" by Wire Man, on Flickr
New pitcher, which just opened today.

Nepenthes "Red Dragon" by Wire Man, on Flickr

N. alata

Nepenthes alata by Wire Man, on Flickr

N. truncata

Nepenthes truncata by Wire Man, on Flickr

N. maxima. This one has ruffled leaves.

Nepenthes maxima by Wire Man, on Flickr

N. ventricosa

Nepenthes ventricosa by Wire Man, on Flickr

Onto some more Sarrs

Red Rocket by Wire Man, on Flickr

Inner structure of a psittacina

Inner Structure by Wire Man, on Flickr

S. purpurea by Wire Man, on Flickr

S. rosea by Wire Man, on Flickr

Sarracenia "Tomahawk" by Wire Man, on Flickr

Hybrid by Wire Man, on Flickr

Mmmm, Sphagnum by Wire Man, on Flickr

Sarracenia Lid by Wire Man, on Flickr

Pitcher Flower by Wire Man, on Flickr

I found a pair of newts mating in the cage. Hopefully we'll have lots of little babies soon.

Mating Newts by Wire Man, on Flickr

Mating Newts by Wire Man, on Flickr

Coppertop by Wire Man, on Flickr

Coppertop by Wire Man, on Flickr

Akai Ryu!!!

Akai Ryu by Wire Man, on Flickr

A tiny dragonfly with very bold colors.

Dragonfly by Wire Man, on Flickr

One of our treasures. This is the S. purpurea from Caroline county, VA. CHeck out how dramatic that lid is!

Caroline County Purple Pitcher Plant by Wire Man, on Flickr

 

[Wire Man]

The resident northern water snake that almost bit Phil on day 2. We found a baby inside of a dead pitcher leaf last week.

Leopard Frog by Wire Man, on Flickr

Pitcher flower by Wire Man, on Flickr

Sarracenia hybrid by Wire Man, on Flickr

S. psittacina again.

psittacina by Wire Man, on Flickr

Central VA Purpurea by Wire Man, on Flickr

New leaf.

Central Virginia S. Purpurea by Wire Man, on Flickr

 

[jimscott]

Quite pitcheresque!

 

[Wire Man]

Quite pitcheresque!

Ha! Pun!!!

Saved a painted turtle from the road today. He was quite the character when I picked him up; lots of kicking, grunting, and struggling. He started arching his neck when he got closer to the pond.

I wouldn't bulk order and Drosera intermedia, rotundifolia, or capillaris any time soon. We're almost out of all three species. We have plenty of filliformis though.

 

[Wire Man]

More photos.

A double flowered purpurea.

Double Flowered S. purpurea by Wire Man, on Flickr

Red Petals by Wire Man, on Flickr

Meadow Beauty seed pod.

Meadow Beauty by Wire Man, on Flickr

Working on Gizmos.

Q5180403 by Wire Man, on Flickr

Q5180404 by Wire Man, on Flickr

Gizmos by Wire Man, on Flickr

Leopard frog. Lots of them live in the plant beds.

Leopard Frog by Wire Man, on Flickr

flava ornata top

S. flava var. ornata by Wire Man, on Flickr

Dramatic Sarracenia by Wire Man, on Flickr

A distant observer.

What Are You Doing? by Wire Man, on Flickr

A very nice Cephalotus pitcher.

Cephalotus by Wire Man, on Flickr

Nepenthes alata

Nepenthes alata by Wire Man, on Flickr

The speckled Nepenthes alata

Nepenthes alata by Wire Man, on Flickr

Nepenthes ampullaria

Nepenthes ampullaria by Wire Man, on Flickr

 

[Wire Man]

The northern most purpurea in Virginia. There are only two left on site.

Dying Breed by Wire Man, on Flickr

Swamp azalea?

Swamp Azalea by Wire Man, on Flickr

I really don't know how this happened......

What? by Wire Man, on Flickr

Froggy by Wire Man, on Flickr

S. purpurea seedling

S. purpurea seedling by Wire Man, on Flickr

S. leucophylla

S. leucophylla by Wire Man, on Flickr

S. leucophylla by Wire Man, on Flickr

flava ornata

S. flava ornata by Wire Man, on Flickr

Killer Pitcher by Wire Man, on Flickr

Two Trumpets by Wire Man, on Flickr

Red leuco

Fresh growth by Wire Man, on Flickr

S. leucophylla fresh growth by Wire Man, on Flickr

S. flava ornata by Wire Man, on Flickr

Red Sarracenia by Wire Man, on Flickr

Red Sarracenia by Wire Man, on Flickr

S. rubra flowers. They smell like cherry Kool-Aid

S. rubra flowers by Wire Man, on Flickr

 

[Wire Man]

Adult five-lined skink.

Skink by Wire Man, on Flickr

A baby northern water snake that was just a few weeks old, at most. I found it inside of a dried pitcher leaf.

Small but Aggressive by Wire Man, on Flickr
It tried to bite me, twice.

Feisty by Wire Man, on Flickr

Building the corduroy road

Instructions by Wire Man, on Flickr

Corduroy Road by Wire Man, on Flickr

Corduroy Road by Wire Man, on Flickr

Guess what this is?

Roots by Wire Man, on Flickr

A fruiting spore

Fruiting Spore by Wire Man, on Flickr

Fun with the chainsaw

Chainsaw by Wire Man, on Flickr

Bridge Building by Wire Man, on Flickr

Bridge Building by Wire Man, on Flickr

A distant view of the mountain laurel on the 3 acre preserve

Mountain Laurel by Wire Man, on Flickr

Closer up.

Mountain Laurel by Wire Man, on Flickr

Mountain Laurel by Wire Man, on Flickr

Mountain Laurel by Wire Man, on Flickr

Some beautifully arched trees over the mountain laurel.

Arch by Wire Man, on Flickr

Cutting down an invasive hardwood.

Cutting down hardwoods by Wire Man, on Flickr

We have more D. capillaris in our reserve supply, so feel free to order again.

 

[Wire Man]

Leather beetle

Leather Beetle by Wire Man, on Flickr

Capillaris

D. capillaris by Wire Man, on Flickr

Q5210585 by Wire Man, on Flickr

Q5210587 by Wire Man, on Flickr

S. "Horizon"

S. "Horizon" by Wire Man, on Flickr

Hybrid flower by Wire Man, on Flickr

And now on to Joseph Pines.

Q5210592 by Wire Man, on Flickr

Q5210595 by Wire Man, on Flickr

Q5210601 by Wire Man, on Flickr

Joseph Pines by Wire Man, on Flickr

Cleistes bivarcata

Cleistes bivarcata by Wire Man, on Flickr

Q5210605 by Wire Man, on Flickr

Q5210606 by Wire Man, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60270758@N02/5819301807/in/photostream/

S. flava by Wire Man, on Flickr

S. purpurea seedling by Wire Man, on Flickr

Sarracenia flava by Wire Man, on Flickr

 

[Wire Man]

Mantis nymph. They're very cautious of the camera right now.

Mantis Nymph by Wire Man, on Flickr

A termite colony on the 3 acre preserve

Termites by Wire Man, on Flickr

I saved this dragonfly from the plant beds. Here it is cleaning itself.

Cleaning by Wire Man, on Flickr

Drying Dragonfly by Wire Man, on Flickr

These click beetles are often found clinging to Richard's shirt. We call them his little friends.

Click Beetle by Wire Man, on Flickr

One of the purps on the 3 acres doing very well.

S. purpurea by Wire Man, on Flickr

Dr. Sheridan using the blow torch.

Q5240630 by Wire Man, on Flickr

Q5240634 by Wire Man, on Flickr

Die, red maple, die!

Q5240639 by Wire Man, on Flickr

Q5240641 by Wire Man, on Flickr

"Look at that color! It looks like cooked vegetables."

Q5240643 by Wire Man, on Flickr

Q5240645 by Wire Man, on Flickr

Q5240652 by Wire Man, on Flickr

Q5240653 by Wire Man, on Flickr

Q5240658 by Wire Man, on Flickr

A well toasted red maple

Q5240663 by Wire Man, on Flickr

Q5240672 by Wire Man, on Flickr

Burn by Wire Man, on Flickr

Burning Maple by Wire Man, on Flickr

Q5240680Red Maple Aflame by Wire Man, on Flickr

S. purpurea by Wire Man, on Flickr

S. purpurea by Wire Man, on Flickr

 

[Adam]

That double flowered purpurea is awesome! Do all the flowers on the plant stay like that, or was that a one time thing?

 

[Wire Man]

Hopefully it always does that. There are two of them at the moment. I'll try to find out soon.

 

[amphirion]

burn baby burn!

 

[PaulJ69]

Looks like you're having fun!

 

[dashman]

Did Dr. Sheridan get a haircut?

Thanks for the pics. Would love to visit again sometime.