16 August 2015
Leonard's skipper (Hesperia leonardus)
Photographed by accident while trying to capture a bumble bee, this skipper is poised on Joe-Pye Weed.
(This is a Leonard's skipper, large and bright. Now is the time to see them as they are one of the late season skippers. ...Christine)
05-AUG-2015
Golden tortoise beetle (Charidotella sexpunctata)
A golden tortoise beetle in the process of changing either from red to gold or vice versa. Gold is the usual colour, red is when it is disturbed.
05-AUG-2015
Golden tortoise beetle (Charidotella sexpunctata)
As the name suggests, these beetles are often a beautiful shiny golden colour. When disturbed, they change colour as here. One of the many colourful beetles in the large Chrysomelidae family.
12 August 2015
Cup fungus
The DSV-free areas north of our Old Woodlot are turning out to be a focus of odd organisms. Not only have we found two liverworts within inches of each other, but now a tiny cup fungus is growing in the same location.
09-AUG-2015
Gray Catbird (female)
Catbirds are often heard around the garden, but seldom seen.
07-AUG-2015
Baltimore Oriole
This male oriole was photographed in our Old Field habitat by Gordon Robertson.
05-AUG-2015
Faint-spotted angle moth (Digrammia ocellinata), #6836 moth
Diane reports many insects, plus three garter snakes, many voles and a possible jumping mouse. This moth, here on a queen anne's lace, is in the Geometridae family.
05-AUG-2015
Bee
Diane photographed this bee at the Butterfly Meadow. It is a bit difficult to ascertain ID based on the angle, but it looks like a small bumble bee.
05-AUG-2015
Bicyrtes wasp
We get several species of Bicytes wasps around the garden. They are sand wasps (Bembicini) in the Crabronidae family.
05-AUG-2015
Stinkbug nymph (Brochymena sp.)
Lots of stinkbugs around the garden these days, many in this stage of development. From the many sets of stinkbug eggs I've found over the last few weeks, this isn't a surprise!
05-AUG-2015
Pennsylvania leatherwing (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus)
A very familiar, very common soldier beetle which appears around the middle, sometimes end, of July and becomes more abundant through August. They are particularly attracted to goldenrods. In fact, in more recent times, they are sometimes referred to Goldenrod Soldier Beetles.
05-AUG-2015
European paper wasp (Polistes dominula)
One of the paper wasps from the nest in the next image. These are particularly non-aggressive wasps and it is a shame that people destroy their small nests on the mistaken assumption that they are dangerous. For years and years I have spent time taking photos of them and their nests, getting very close and never once being stung. Several biologists have written about the particular passivity of this species. Unfortunately, they look like yellowjackets which are more aggressive, and I am guessing that people confuse the two. Furthermore, when they are stung by what they assume is this species, it may be well have been by a yellowjacket (which typically nests underground, except for the aerial yellowjacket).