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Butterflies Puddling
A common sight as I walk along the dirt road up here, a multitude of butterflies gathered at a puddle intent on gathering what they can, from the puddle. And puddling is what this is called. But it isn’t just puddles where they gather. They will also gather on scat, fermenting fruit, carrion, urine, even…
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Blue-eyed Grass Time
So many favorites. Favorites that, in part, are emerging right now. Emerging as spring makes itself at home. One of those favorites – Common Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium). The many Common Blue-eyed Grass flowers charm innumerable pollinators like Sweat Bees, Bumble Bees, Bee Flies, Syrphid Flies, and Spring Azures. And the seeds of those flowers…
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Yellow Lady Slipper Orchid
Yellow Lady Slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum). An incredibly beautiful native flower to have just growing in the woods. Found across the entirety of Canada and the US, Alaska to Arizona and Georgia, growing in open meadows, along streams, and moist woods. These flowers attract small bees, such as Honeybees, Small Carpenter Bees, and Mason Bees. The flowers offer no…
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A Rose Or A Blackberry
Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora), looking mighty pretty right now. But it is an exotic invasive plant that is banned or prohibited in many states. Here in the mountains of central Virginia it is growing in dense thickets in the forest, crowding out native plants. Native to Japan, Korea, and China, Multiflora Rose was brought to the…
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First Purple Then Yellow
Roundleaf Ragwort (Packera obovata). Oh my! Such colors in this plant. Beautiful buds of rich jewel tones of purple. Then PRESTO! Just a bit of time and the color goes to the opposite side of the color wheel. Those purple buds open to reveal intense yellow. Composite flowers, actually many, many flowers packed together into…
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Checkers Anyone?
Anyone ready for a game of checkers? Little Bear is all set to challenge you if you’re up for a game. Just have to move the flowers out of the way. _______________________________________________________________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!
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Woodland Stonecrop
Woodland Stonecrop (Sedum ternatum). A perennial evergreen, a succulent herb. Woodland Stonecrop is the most common native Sedum species in eastern North America. Its spiky white flowers bloom from April to June. The nectar and pollen of those blooms attract many species of bees. The plants generally are 3 to 6 inches tall, sometimes reaching…
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Virginia Waterleaf
Virginia Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum) is an herbaceous perennial, native to eastern North America, most often growing in the Appalachians, the Northeast, and the Midwest. It grows to 1 to 2 feet tall in riparian forests, mesic upland forests, and rocky forested mountainsides. Virginia Waterleaf spreads through rhizomes. Its clusters of flowers can be white, pale…
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Shy Model
Two days ago I saw this bird at one of my feeders, being camera shy. Despite his efforts, I managed to capture him in pixels. I’m glad I did, since this picture helps me identify him, and records his visit to my yard. A Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus). Spring of 2018 was the first time…