Tag Archives: great sand dunes

Random Plant: Plains pricklypear

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

Ranging from Canada to Mexico, plains pricklypear (Opuntia polyacantha, Cactaceae) is common throughout much of the west. One of several dozen native pricklypears, this particular species is well-adapted to a variety of habitats. This cactus can be found anywhere from the … Continue reading →

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Plant-Insect Interaction: Striped willow leaf beetle larvae on a sandbar willow

Posted on August 27, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

When I visited Great Sand Dunes National Park earlier this month the sandbar willows (Salix exigua, Salicaceae) along Medano Creek caught my attention. I noticed a lot of the leaves had been heavily foraged by some insect, and it didn’t take … Continue reading →

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Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Posted on August 11, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

Nestled against the western slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of south-central Colorado are the tallest sand dunes in North America. Covering 30 square miles and rising to 750 feet in height, the dunes are the centerpiece in a … Continue reading →

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