The reason I grow Pawpaw (Asimina triloba), it is the Zebra Swallowtail’s (Eurytides marcellus) host plant. And it is one of the many butterflies that I adore seeing. Here, one is enjoying the nectar of Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa).
What a surprise to find that Blue-eyed Grass is not necessarily blue. This is a species in the genus of Blue-eyed Grasses, Sisyrinchium. White Blue-eyed Grass. In the family, Iridaceae, or Irises.
The plant is a grass-like forb with leaves that are reminiscent of miniature Iris leaves/blades. Native to the southeastern United States.
Late Thoroughwort (Eupatorium serotinum). A poisonous perennial herbaceous plant that is native to eastern North America.
Many insects such as bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, skippers, moths and beetles are attracted to these flowers mostly for the nectar.
Late Thoroughwort is one of the last wildflowers to bloom in the autumn, and before we know it, autumn will be here.
I’ve seen one two times, that I know of, and I’ve gotten photographs both times. A Viceroy (Limenitis archippus). The first one was spotted and photographed at my cousin’s house in Ottsville, Pennsylvania.
The second photograph was taken at the bottom of my mountain, where I stopped at the stop sign and this Viceroy came by to say hello.
Though the Viceroy is a butterfly that looks a good bit like a Monarch (Danaus plexippus), there are a couple things to look for in order to tell the difference. One, the Viceroy is a smaller butterfly, but sometimes that size difference is difficult to recognize. The one sure thing I know to look for is the black line that is circled in both these images for you to see. The Monarch does not have that line.
Let me know if you see any Viceroys.
A male Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) caught my eye today. How could I miss this sight, complete with knock your socks off crimson. A red that would make a male Cardinal look dull. That bill, large, thick, blunt-tipped is helpful in eating fruit and nuts. The first male Scarlet Tanager sighting of the summer. Looking forward to spotting more.
White Avens (Geum canadense). An semi-evergreen plant that is native to the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. and most of eastern Canada. The perennial plants, which grow to 1 to 2.5 feet tall, have white flowers that are about .5 inch across, blooming from May through October.
The flowers have 5 snow white, nearly round petals. Accenting the petals are 5 pointy, soft green sepals. The sepals are of the same length or slightly shorter than the petals. They’re initially flat, pointing straight out, but curve downward with age.
The blossoms develop into seedheads with hooked seeds that will stick to animals fur or our clothing. Stick tight seeds that are a great way to disperse.
White Avens is a plant in the rose family, Rosaceae, and the flowers look much like flowers of some of the other members of that family. Blossoms of Strawberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, and even some of the native Roses have a similar look.
Eight-spotted Forester Moth (Alypia octomaculata). They’re found in Maine and southern Quebec to Florida; west to South Dakota and Texas. Unlike most moths, they are diurnal rather than nocturnal. Flying during the day with a wing-span of 1.5 inches. Flying, in search of the nectar of flowers, making their fluttery appearance in May and throughout the summer.
Their caterpillar host plants are grapes, both wild and cultivated, and Virginia Creeper.
These creatures are the size of an average Mosquito. Think of measuring them in millimeters. Incredibly tiny, but look at those eyes!
I don’t find much information about these insects in my many books, or on the Internet, but I see that they are in the Robber Fly family. And in the genus, Holcocephala. Here you see a Gnat Ogre (Holcocephala).
There are at least forty species of Gnat Ogres described in this genus, Holcocephala. Three of those species can be found in eastern North America. Given the limited amount of information available about these very small insects, I’m not going to try to narrow down which of them I’ve captured in pixels. I think the amazing sounding name, Gnat Ogre, is sufficient.
They perch on the tips of vegetation, patiently waiting for their dinner to fly within range. Dinner? Gnats.
Every now and then I get a request from a friend to help solve a mystery. The mystery is, “What is this plant?” or perhaps, “What is this insect?” I thoroughly enjoy the mystery and sometimes I actually come up with the correct answer, but not always.
Sometimes the question comes with several great photographs making things much simpler. Other times, such as this case, the question comes with a description. Stalks with purple flowers. No leaves. Trail side. So I begin to wonder.
This plant is Naked-flowered Tick Trefoil (Desmodium nudiflorum). An herbaceous perennial native to the eastern US and southern Ontario. It likes shade or part shade in rich woods. Blooming now into August. Naked-flowered Tick Trefoil has two different types of stems, one with leaves on it and a separate stem that has only flowers. The flowering stem is tall, towering up to 40 inches tall. The leafy stem is short, only to 12 inches. And the flower color? Purply-pink.
Could this be your mystery flower, Kathy?
Whorled Rosinweed (Silphium trifoliatum) are in bloom right now, and through the fall, along trails up here in the mountains of the Blue Ridge. An herbaceous perennial native to eastern North America.
Whorled Rosinweed grows to 3-5′, or on occasion up to 10′ tall. It’s unbranched, except where the flowers appear. Occasionally there are side stems where smaller groupings of flowers appear.
This Rosinweed is a member of the Asteraceae (Aster) family. The flowers are composite, like other Asters, but are larger. They’re up to 2″ in diameter. Viable seeds are produced by the bright yellow ray flowers. And though these flowers resemble Sunflowers, the disc flowers are sterile.
They’re very tolerant of many conditions, but prefer dry, open, sunny areas.
The leaves are whorled. Usually 3 leaves per whorl but sometimes up to five. Often the upper leaves are opposite and in rare incidences alternate.
It’s always fun to find new things along the trails up here.
