Asia Dayflower (Commelina communis). The wood’s edges now are dotted with flowers of azure. Two pure blue petals and an additional one, inconspicuous white.
A native of Asia. Introduced in the U.S. as an ornamental. With a mind of its own, it has escaped cultivation. Depending on which source one reads it is either weedy or invasive. I love the color. I prefer the word weedy.
Twenty long years ago. But still and forever devastating.
I’ve been surprised to find Honey Bees up here on my mountain as I roam. Whether it is just around my cabin or as I traverse the trails. Honey Bees can travel five miles for food. Generally though a bee will travel about a mile from its hive. Surely there are no managed colonies within that range. Neighbors up here are rare and don’t keep bees. Wild Honey Bees.
A perfect day. A Sunflower and a Monarch.
All along the roadsides. Rich warm yellow greets the cars and trucks that pass. Long-bracted Tickseed Sunflower (Biden polylepis). It’s native to eastern and central United States and south-central Canada.
The leaves of Long-Bracted Tickseed Sunflower are quite distinctive, with sharply toothed margin, opposite and pinnately compound.
These flowers bloom from late summer to early fall. Attracting all sorts of insects — bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, skippers, beetles and more. Along with these Tickseed Sunflowers on the roadsides there are other shining yellow blooms. Other species that I’ll write about one day soon.
I’m looking forward to my Asters blooming. They are a big draw for an incredibly beautiful butterfly. The Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia). It’s when those Asters are blooming that I get to see the Common Buckeye.
As an adult and butterfly they have a life of just six to twenty days. During those few days they sip the nectar of not just Asters, but also Tickseed Sunflower, Gumweed, Knapweed, and Chickory.
The Common Buckeye shows up in a different coloring as well. Yes, this is the same species, but is a rosa morph. The coloring of Common Buckeye butterflies are changed by the day length and temperature in which the eggs and then the caterpillars develop. Whatever the coloring, I’m looking forward to spotting some of these beauties.
Taking a break from nature for just a moment to look back. Route 29 in Charlottesville, just east of the airport. By 2004 when these pictures were taken the only thing left were signs.
The motel was on the east side of Route 29. Now at that intersection there is a Walgreens and to the north just across Profitt Road, a brand new Wawa. Times change. I love to capture what will soon be gone just before it disappears.
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin). In spring this bush of the eastern woods of North America create a wash of soft yellow with small but plentiful blooms. By autumn the blossoms have turned to brilliant red berries. Much to the delight of many birds, including two of my favorites, the Hermit Thrust, and the Red-eyed Vireo.
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is native to the southern United States including Maryland to Florida, west to Texas and Arkansas, also Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas and Cuba. The berries are ripe right now in Florida. They attract many species of birds including Cardinals, Mockingbirds, Finches, Woodpeckers and many more. Don’t be fooled though. Pay attention to the scientific name, Callicarpa americana. That is the native plant.
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris). A small grass skipper butterfly with a wingspan of just 1.25 to 1.5 inches. Skippers (Hesperiidae) are a family of butterflies that have the characteristics of both butterflies and moths.
Host plants of Sachem caterpillars are many grasses such as Bermuda Grass, Hairy Crabgrass, Red Fescue, St. Augustine Grass, Indian Goosegrass and Seashore Saltgrass. The Sachem is just one of so many skippers that I’m just beginning to get familiar with.
