Barn Hollow Nature Preserve

Plants and Animals

We had very little time to explore the native plant and animal species.  One plant in abundance that proved useful in mountain climbing is this one called Mountain Laurel.

This plant seems to grow directly out of the cracks in the rock.  I'm not sure how it grows as well as it does. I particularly like the waxy surface of the leaves.  They almost make me think of indoor rubber plants.

This moss grows on top of the rocks.  I'd almost call it an air plant.  The bottom is a bit dirty but it really doesn't attach to the rock surface. You can pick this stuff up and set it back down without disturbing it much.

I tried to zoom in on this photo to show the corel like structure of the moss leaves.

We recognize this bug as a also being in our area of Minnesota.

It appears to like this leaf it's chewing on.