02-JUL-2013
house wrens
Another shot of the house wrens.
02-JUL-2013
Song sparrow carrying food
One of several pairs of nesting song sparrows at the garden.
02-JUL-2013
Larval case of a Chrysomelid beetle
These cases are quite commonly found on vegetation. This type is most commonly made by Chrysomelid leaf beetles in the Subfamily Cryptocephalinae. The case is made from the larva's excrement.
02-JUL-2013
Three-lined potato beetle (Lema daturaphila) larvae
Like many larvae of leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae family), these larvae have piled poop on their back. This is likely as a protective mechanism, either to deter predators or to make them less visible, or both.
02-JUL-2013
juvenile grasshopper species
These two posed in tandem on a mallow leaf in the Old Field.
02-JUL-2013
Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Along with the common milkweed (A. syriaca), the beautiful swamp milkweed is also now appearing. Both plants attract a wide variety of insects, and monarch butterflies will lay their eggs on both species.
02-JUL-2013
Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
One of many coneflowers found in the Butterfly Meadow.
02-JUL-2013
Honey bee caught by goldenrod spider
This poor honey bee had obviously been feeding on common milkweed, for you can see the little pollen packets on its feet (the yellow pads). Goldenrod spiders are adept at catching prey twice their size!
02-JUL-2013
Planthopper (Cedusa)
These small bits of blue, when looked at closely, turn out to be very pretty little planthoppers. They can sometimes be found in a line of 5 or 6 or more, along a twig or a plant stem.
02-JUL-2013
Banded hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)
I was walking along the north slope, below the Backyard Garden, when this hairstreak appeared in typical hairstreak fashion - flying fast and bouncily. Once settled, I was able to approach it fairly closely. I've seen hairstreaks in this area for years, always starting in early July.
02-JUL-2013
Going down the road....
...to the Arboretum. To the right is what we call the Mallow Bank because it used to be thick with Malva, a garden mallow, tall with pink flowers. But in recent years, the dreaded DSV has taken up more and more of the slope and now the mallows are reduced by about 2/3.
02-JUL-2013
Mallow (Malva sylvestris)
This is the mallow that used to cover the mallow bank. A small bee, not sure of the species, is seeking pollen.