mountain fly honeysuckle, Lonicera villosa

The Botanical Club foray group had just pulled onto the roadside, and was getting ready to trek into the cedar swamp in search of fleabane. Or just searching, because the first thing that caught the eye was this native honeysuckle. This is not its prettiest moment, but honeysuckles are always fun. What advantage have they found in flowers that are always paired? Or in having two flowers for one ovary? That round bit at the top of the flowers will become a single blue berry. What advantage is there for the bug that chewed a hole in the flower to get to the nectar? Why not just crawl in? Plenty of fodder for botanical discussions. But this day the group was there to find fleabanes, and the honeysuckle didn't get much attention. Except for one camera. Mountain fly honeysuckle has been found in CT, MA, ME, MI, MN, NH, NY, OH(X), PA(E), RI, VT, WI, AB, LB, MB, NB, NF, NS, NU, ON, PE, QC, SK, and on SPM. Mackinac Co MI, 5/27/17. Honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae.