The Eurasian Thistlehead Weevil
By Maisie Ramsay Consider the goldfinch. Spinus tristis flits about the countryside, its vibrant plumage imbued with arnica-blossom yellow. This wind-borne drop of gold can be found here in Chaffee County, fluttering from rural fence posts with the whimsy of a mountain breeze. The finch makes lavish use of thistle, a plant whose prickly reputation …