A plant, called the Western Groundsel, impressed me this Spring as a servant to all. This was an aim of Paul.
“For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them … To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all mean I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. 1 Corinthians 9:19, 22-23
Groundsel blossoms were encouraging to all who looked at our land, as they decorated the dry landscape with bright yellow color. They were especially showy as a large patch in a sandy area near our apple trees (also in bloom, May 15th). Maybe the consistently cool Spring weather was favorable to these plants, causing them to be more numerous this year.
Below is a large area of Groundsel mixed with Orange Paintbrush and Locoweed that served as a source of delight in the Creator-God to everyone traveling to work along a road in the community. A servant to man.
The plants gave me a chance to see creatures who were nourished by the flowers. One (unidentified) type of Miner bee came to the Groundsel blossoms. This was different than the Miner bee attracted to the apple blossoms. A servant to bees.
One of the first blue butterflies seen in this Spring, called Silver Blue, was nourished by the Groundsel plants.
A few days later Melissa Blue butterflies were seen enjoying the followers. A servant to butterflies.
The most common butterfly on the flowers was the Field Crescent butterfly
Even moths enjoyed the flowers. A servant to moths.
A caterpillar fed on the flower petals, most likely the larva of the Salt-Marsh moth. A servant to caterpillars.
I saw the same type of caterpillar last year. Both times I was surprised at how quickly it moved to hide from me. One person estimated that they move 4.8 inches per second. Here is a photo of the caterpillar right as it decided to quickly move down the stem of the plant and disappear in the ground liter. Here is exposes its orange underside.
I praise God for showing me these creatures. I noticed the caterpillar while I was waiting for the family to assemble in the car to go to church. What a blessing to learn more about Western Grounsel and its friends, all made with perfect wisdom by God.
As the flowers were declining, enhanced by a drought, still another butterfly enjoyed its offerings. This was the Common Ringlet. This species normally does not let me get very close for a picture. The meal must have been very good.
When the flowers produce seed, they still offer something to a very small creature that just seemed to appear out of nowhere and was present on almost every group of white seedheads. You can see why this plant is also called “old man of the spring.” The white hairs are like that of an old man, especially in lower right part of the photo where more of the dried blossoms remnants are gone. A servant to small bugs.
May we bless others like the Western Groundsel even into our old age as a servant to all as ambassadors of Jesus.
