Another rabbit, this one an adult and much bigger than the earlier posting of the youngster. It has been a good couple of years for this species across the region, but as their population is cyclical, we will probably begin to see fewer of them over the next year or two, until they bounce back again.

What would a month be without a red squirrel photo? Hard to resist taking photos of these extremely photogenic animals. As always, there are good numbers around the garden, and at present they are busy cutting cones from trees ready for stockpiling. They're also gathering walnuts for the same reason.

A very pretty native species that is highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and other nectaring insects.

It is not uncommon to find jumping spider nests on milkweed leaves, as here. The leaves are broad and thick and probably provide good support for the nest. I don't know which species of jumping spider was in here because as I moved the leaves, the spider leaped out and vanished. I could see only enough to determine it was a jumping spider.

Nectaring on grass-leaved goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia). There were numbers of bumble bees around the garden in the warm sun, mostly nectaring on the plentiful goldenrod which is in full bloom at present.

A number of sunflowers (probably Helianthus annuus) growing by the pond, much to the delight of birds and squirrels.

The bee box, which 10 days ago had one completed grass-carrying wasp nest, and another that was being provisioned with food for larva, today had a second completed one, and a third was being worked on. Here, the wasp is carrying a long strand of grass into the hole. I watched as it was dragged in, disappearing bit by bit, and it was evident that the wasp was working hard to arrange the grass in the nest hole as the back legs and rear end would appear, then vanish, then appear again, and the the length of grass grew shorter and shorter as it was drawn in. Interestingly, the nest hole into which an Isodontia was carrying prey (tree crickets), showed no signs of having a nest.

A very small green treehopper that hangs out on green plant stems, often goldenrods, thus making it tough to see at time. But look for the dark head!

A young cottontail that is far too oblivious to dogs and people for its own good. It completely ignored Sasha (who was on a leash but still looming large), and me and it was only when I got within a few feet that it slowly ran into the rose bushes in the Backyard Garden.

I am not quite sure what is going on here. When I first started watching the bee box, the end of the tube in the nest hole was covered with what I assume to be pollen (rich, golden yellow). Then this bee came along and pulled away a large chunk, flew off, came back a short while later (well, I don't really know for sure it was the same one) and tore off more and then that was that.

ID to species is thanks to John Ascher.

Another shot of the wasp carrying the poor tree cricket into its nest hole. It looks like the wasp has a long forked tongue, but those are the antennae of the cricket.

This wasp in the Sphecid family, is carrying a paralyzed tree cricket (Oecanthus sp.) into a nest hole in one of the bee boxes. These living, but inert, crickets will be fed upon by the wasp larvae once they hatch. I spent some time watching the box and the wasp returned at least three times with a paralyzed cricket. You wouldn't think there'd be enough room in there for that many. In the top image, the long appendages that appear to be coming out of the wasp's mouth, are actually the extremely long antennae of the tree cricket.

In addition to attracting honey bees, bumble bees, other bees, this mountain mint also attracts two species of Sphecid wasps, this one being the more common. They make nests in ground burrows which they stock with katydids and grasshoppers for their larvae to feed on.

Several times over the past month or so, I've come across a chipmunk in just about the exact same spot int he service road that runs through the wildlife garden. This one was nosing an apple but decided it was much too big to stuff in its cheek pouch!

Wandering around the 15 acres of the wildlife garden, you'll come across various signs providing some information about different things you can see at the garden. Here, the sign is talking about the two Juglans species, Butternut and Black walnut.

Aggregations of these tiny shiny beetles are found most often on goldenrods in mid-summer.

Looking east along the side of the pond, you can see the newly installed fence separating the vegetation around the pond from the pathway. Lots of non-native annuals have cropped up here this summer, including the velvetleaf in the previous shot.

With all the changes going on in and around our Amphibian Pond, it was wonderful to see this female Wood Duck feasting on the stirred-up vegetation today. (SG)