On May 11, I hiked into the hills above Lac du Bois.   This is a favorite route and it is rich in wildflowers, butterflies, and grasslands birds in late May and June.     Early wildflowers in the area included buttercups, yellow bells, and western spring beauty, but a few more were starting to appear, some of which are displayed here.

Sticky geranium (geranium viscosissimum) leaves were robust and we will see the first flowers soon.   This is a favorite.   The leaves are quite distinct, making identification easier.

Cut-leaf fleabane (or daisy) (erigeron compositus) was starting to flower on gravelly, south-facing slopes.

There were numerous upland larkspur (delphinium nuttallianum) plants readying to flower, but only a few were opened up.

Lemonweed (lithospremum ruderale) was abundant and in the middle of the flowering season.   The pale-yellow flowers are clustered near the crown of the hairy perennial.

Open slopes were covered in arrow-leaved balsam root.

Every showy larkspur flower looks a little different.

On the way down the road I stopped to look at new growth on sagebrush and noted the soft, yellow-green, hairy leaves.

I will be back to the same area for the next round of wildflowers and butterflies within the next month.   See you then.