There were two black swallowtail caterpillars on two separate wild parsnip plants this afternoon. One was a very large larva, but this tiny little one, hidden amongst the stems of the parsley flower, is a very early instar. Compare to the other two photos of the much later instar. Photos of the adult black swallowtail are found earlier in this blog.

Jeewa sent me this photo taken at FWG today and wondered if this was an albino bird. At first that is just what it looks like, but then you notice the darkish feathering and the brown eyes. Leucism is a lack of pigmentation and birds may be wholly or partially leucistic. I believe it is caused by a genetic mutation. I have seen a few such birds, most recently a white-throated sparrow in the spring. It is always quite sensational to see these very peculiar looking birds!

At the moment, these leafhoppers are quite common. I have seen 4 or 5 or more on one plant.

A very handsome robber fly in a photo by Jeewa. This species comes in a remarkable diversity of sizes and shapes, from tiny little flies not much bigger than mosquitoes, to gigantic ones capable of dwarfing large wasps on which they prey. Most robber flies exhibit similar body shape with characteristic hairy faces! Their abdomen usually, but not always, extends below their wings. Those in the genus Laphria are superb bumblebee mimics.

A good clear shot of this small and very common bug that is typically found on milkweeds, but also on DSV (no surprise) and on other plants that may be growing near milkweeds.

These moths always time their appearance with the blooming of the native Evening primrose. This is a characteristic pose. Unfortunately, this one does not look all that healthy.