Power line rights-of-way can be wildflower havens

Most people probably regard power line rightsof-way as eyesores, albeit necessary ones.

Typically wider than 150 feet and running for miles in near straight lines, power line rights-of-way are open, scrubby corridors that harbor soaring steel towers and utility poles strung with highvoltage lines carrying electricity to homes, businesses and factories.

So, it might seem a little odd that several of us Georgia Botanical Society members last weekend were botanizing in a power line right-of-way in Cherokee County, looking for the colorful blooms of late summer and early fall wildflowers.

Eyesores or not, power line corridors, where vegetation is kept in check by mowing and herbicide spraying, can be havens for wildflowers and other plants that thrive in open, sunny habitats, noted our trip leader, Ellen Honeycutt. The plants, in turn, lure a variety of bees, butterflies and other insects, and also attract birds and other wildlife.

Under the transmission lines high above us, we indeed found many sun-loving late summer and early fall wildflowers blooming or getting ready to bloom — goldenrods, coreopsis, several sunflower species, blackeyed Susan, Joe-pye weed, ironweed, milkworts, rosinweed, thoroughwort, a few asters and others.

Butterflies sipped nectar from the various blooms. A breathtaking sight was a green lynx spider crawling on the purplish bloom of a Joe-pye weed. Capable of running very fast, the spider pounces on its prey like a cat.

But even though power line rights-of-way — and sunny roadsides — may have ecological benefits, untimely mowing and heavy use of herbicides to control vegetation may prevent wildflowers from blooming and reproducing in the open spaces. The botanical society and other conservation groups urge power line managers to adopt mowing and herbicide application schedules that favor the life cycles of the wildflowers and other plants.

In the sky: From David Dundee, Tellus Science Museum astronomer: The moon will be new Thursday. Mercury and Venus are low in the west, Mars and Jupiter are in the southwest and Saturn is in the west around nightfall. Later Saturday night, Jupiter and Venus will appear close together. Jupiter and Venus will appear near the moon the night of Sept. 2.

SEABROOK CHARLES A green lynx spider crawls on the bloom of Joe-pye weed growing in a power line right-of-way in Cherokee County.