Nature in the City: Trophy Club Park

Trophy Club Park at Lake Grapevine

Sunday morning we went for a hike and picture adventure at Trophy Club Park. There is a fee and all of that information is in the link above. We had a nice hike, though we had to share the trails with off road vehicles.

We chose to start off in the far parking lot, C, and walk along the lake.

We stopped to take a look at some bugs. I narrowed this one down to the leaf footed bug family, Family Coreidae.

Some bug eyes….

Another one munching on a flower.

The light was gorgeous coming from the east through the grasses that are blooming right now.

Prickly Poppy, Argemone albiflora.

Inside the prickly poppy; loving those colors!

I wish I’d gotten a photo of the plant this one came from so I could id it. I think the method of delivery for seed pods are pretty darn awesome.

A gulf fritillary, Agraulis vanillae, posing.

Seed heads are pretty gorgeous when you stop to look. Not just brown and dead, but holding the beginnings of another plant.

Buffalo bur, Solanum rostratum.

Unknown seed pod but thought it was pretty different.

Various animal tracks, some raccoons thrown in there.

Another unid plant, but very pretty.

I passed this scene and went back because it mesmerized me for a bit. I believe it is a Smilax of some sort in fruit.

Dirt biking! I’m not fond of ORV’s in general, they are incredibly destructive, but I suppose if you at least have one place for them to go then you don’t sacrifice other places.

Relaxing by an little inlet.

Argirope aurantia, a female. The females are much larger than the males. We’re used to seeing related species in Florida. Mostly harmless despite their size.

Frog fruit, Phyla nodiflora, a tiny ground plant but looks so different up close.

Have you looked close at a piece of grass before? Did you realize they can be so colorful and varying?

After we left we found a flock of Canadian geese chilling in the neighborhood.

I know we didn’t see a lot of the park but it was really nice. I’d love to do some kayaking from there, too. If I had a kayak; we sold ours!