Crosswinds Marsh Nature fest 2021 Series
Nature Fest is a nature-oriented event that featured live entertainment, nature crafts, and games, face painting, and free canoeing. This cache is one of a series of 12 geocaches, launched the day after Nature Fest, with each one featuring a pollinator that might be found in Crosswinds Marsh Nature Preserve.
CMM05 - Flower Fly
Often when we hear the word “fly”, we think of the pesky house fly that is a frequent visitor during outdoor picnics and barbecues. However there are many different species of flies, and many play an important role in pollinating our native and crop plants. Flower flies can vary in color, but most are black and yellow and somewhat resemble a bee or wasp. This mimicry comes to their advantage when some potential predators avoid them. There are differences that make them easy to tell apart if you take a closer look. The eyes of bees and wasps have space between them while those of flies are connected or nearly so and the antennae of bees and wasps are longer while those of flies are quite short. Also, flies have two wings whereas bees and wasps have four. Adult flower flies eat flower nectar and pollen. As a result, these insects are responsible for helping to pollinate dogwood, asters, daisies, thistle, and elderberry as well as many of our fruit crops including apples, cherries, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Another benefit to these flies is that their larvae eat aphids on plants almost as quickly as ladybird beetles.
Crosswinds Marsh Rules
No fires
No bikes / ATVs / personal watercraft
No swimming or ice fishing
Dogs must be leashed
No alcohol or illegal substances
No camping
Fishing in designated areas only
Collecting of plants & animals prohibited
Park only at N 42° 05.744' W 83° 26.552'
All Geocachers must follow the above rules.
Crosswinds Marsh is open from DAWN to DUSK. Admission is FREE.
This cache has been placed with the permission of Wayne County Parks. Permit 2021-05 has been submitted and is on file at the park office.