Weeks Bay Pitcher Plant Bog, Alabama // Photos
The Gulf Coast is the natural home of many of the world’s carnivorous plants. These Gulf Coast Pitcher Plant bogs are unique habitats that exist nowhere else on earth. Pitcher plants bloom in the spring, but even a fall visit or winter visit to the Weeks Bay Pitcher Plant Bog can be spectacular. Our visit took place in early November.
A boardwalk provides easy access to the pitcher plant bog for everyone. The kids were able to run ahead or lag behind as they wished. We also brought the stroller along with us so we could explore as much as possible.
Most of the pines that grow in the pitcher plant bog are Slash Pines. They are largely fire resistant, so you’ll see quite a few with scalded trunks. The pitcher plant bog is a fire dependent ecosystem. The pitcher plants need the scrub bushes to burn off so they don’t dominate available soil and light. As part of the conservation efforts prescribed burns happen regularly.
There were quite a few pitcher plants to view. Despite it being late fall, the pitcher plant blog was teeming with life. We also were able to make out animal paths where they had matted down the tall grasses.
The Littles were fascinated that the pitcher plants attract insects using a sweet smell. The pitcher plants ‘”eat” the insects by using an acid that decomposes the bug deep inside their tube.
The boardwalk runs through part of the pitcher plant bog and ends out on the river which empties into Mobile bay. There wasn’t much to see out there, but we always love to peer into water.
We were also treated to tons of Monarchs on our walk. We watched several of them uncurl their tongues to eat from the wildflowers.
Everyone was in a bit of a trance on the walk back, finding our own things to look at. I think it was the combination of the warm sun and the cool breeze. While the kids looked for frogs and snakes in the bog, I became obsessed with the textures of fall. I’ll leave you with a few of the photos I took.
The Weeks Bay Pitcher Plant Blog is the perfect stop if you are visiting Fairhope or Foley, Alabama.
