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A Tiger Swallowtail
July 15, 2026 An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) sipping sugary, energy-rich nectar from Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea). It’s marvelous to have so many native plants in bloom, attracting multitudes of pollinators! _______________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!
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Buckeye
A Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), a butterfly that I don’t see in early summer. I adore seeing them in mid to late summer, once they show up. These lovely butterflies are migratory, and are unable to survive freezing temperatures. They stay safe in the Deep South during the cold of winter, migrating north during late…
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Two-spotted Bumblebee
July 13, 2026 The Two-spotted Bumblebee (Bombus bimaculatus) atop a Purple Cone Flower (Echinacea purpurea), looking a bit like a cuddly stuffed animal. Its name comes from the two yellow spots at the top of its abdomen. For this Bumblebee, nectar is a source of carbohydrates and energy, and the protein rich pollen is brought…
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Another Hummingbird Clearwing
July 12, 2026 Not a baby Hummingbird, but a moth with the name of Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe), enjoying the nectar of many blooms of Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), keeping itself (and me and my camera) busy, going from one flower to another, and back again. Caterpillars of this moth look similar to the nasty…
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Silvery Checkerspot on Black-eyed Susan
July 11, 2026 A Silvery Checkerspot (Chlorine nycteisI) is a medium-small brush-footed butterfly with a wingspan of 1 3/8 to 2 inches. This one is sitting atop a Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida) which is really flourishing right now, much to the delight of these little butterflies. Host plants of these Silvery Checkerspots are sunflowers, coneflowers,…
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White Vervain
July 10, 2026 White Vervain (Verbena urticifolia), is native to eastern North America, excluding Mexico. This herbaceous plant has extremely small white flowers on spikes that resemble fireworks. The flowers’ white color is unusual for members of the Verbena genus, which are most often bluish or purplish in color. The tiny white flowers are a…
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Whether At The Feeder Or At The Seed Head
July 9, 2026 To many birds, Sunflower seeds (Helianthus), whether at the bird feeder or directly from the seed head of the flower, are the best. This a Goldfinch (Spinus tristis), enjoying Sunflower seeds directly from the seed head. How more fresh can you get? _______________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog…
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Waiting For The Fledglings
July 8, 2026 A female Ruby-throated Hummingbird fanning out her tail. I’m looking forward to the end of July, when a vast majority of the nestling Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) have fledged and are coming to the many flowers here on the mountain, and particularly to my feeders. The population of these hummingbirds seems down…
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Purple Coneflowers And Black-eyed Susans
July 7, 2026 Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) pairing up with Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia fulgida) surrounded by many other flowers blooming on the back hill. But I’m patiently waiting for the highlight of the summer, the Maryland state flower, Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta). Looking quite a bit like the Black-eyed Susans in this image but I…