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Monarch
September 5, 2025 I’ve only seen a few Monarch Butterflies (Danaus plexippus) this summer. This one is enjoying the nectar of Purple Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea), which is growing like crazy up here along the trails and roadside. I suspect that the proliferation of the Morning Glories is because of the significant amount of rain…
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Buckeye On Aster
September 4, 2025 So many intriguing butterflies. Some absolutely stunning. This is one of them, a Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia). I usually see them in late summer through autumn when they migrate south for the winter. These Buckeyes have a preference for the nectar of flowers in the Asteraceae family, such as Asters, Goldenrods, Sunflowers,…
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The Aromatic Aster
September 3, 2025 A member of the Aster family (Asteraceae), Aromatic Asters (Aster oblongifolius) are just beginning to open up their first blooms, and will often bloom until the first frost. They’re native to parts of the eastern and central United States. They provide needed nectar and pollen as autumn begins to shut down many…
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Gorgeous Wingstem
September 2, 2025 I have so many favorites in the world of nature. This is one of them. Wingstem (Verbesina alternifolia), seen here in Shenandoah National Park. Right now it is decorating roadsides with its brilliant lemon yellow. Wingstem is quite popular with pollinators. This is a Common Eastern Bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) enjoying the Wingstem’s…
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Getting Ready
September 1, 2025 September 1st, the first day of Meteorological autumn and the Flowering Dogwoods (Cornus florida) have been preparing since the very end of June when their leaves began to take on a slight reddish hue. It’s been a slow journey since that time, color change creeping along. But now there are rich crimson…
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Cottontail
August 31, 2025 A small Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) this afternoon, showing no concern that I was around. Surprisingly little for this time of year, but not unusual since cottontails reproduce from spring through mid-September. So glad I happened upon it! _______________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign…
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A Sachem
August 30, 2025 A Sachem (Atalopedes campestris), one of the skippers. The host plants of Sachems are various grasses. Adults like this one, enjoy the nectar of a vast variety of flowers, including this Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta). The Sachem is native to the southern US, Mexico, Central America and further south into Brazil. They’re…
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Oh What Color!
August 29, 2025 What joy to have these flowers blooming right now. Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis), a member of the bellflower family (Campanulaceae). Native to the southeastern part of Canada, south through the eastern and southwestern United States, on to Mexico as well as Central America, finally to northern Colombia. Such fun to find it…
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Elephant Mosquito
August 28, 2025 What an interesting creature. This is an Elephant Mosquito (Toxorhynchites rutilus). It is indeed a mosquito, in the family Culicidae, and in North America it is one of the largest known species of mosquito which explains, along with its curved proboscis, its common name. This species doesn’t drink our blood, instead adults…
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Gray Hairstreak
August 27, 2025 The Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), is a small butterfly with a wingspan of 1 to 1.25 inches. There are between 60 to 80 species of Hairstreak butterflies in North America, north of Mexico. The Gray Hairstreak is one of the most common of those 60 to 80 species, and can be found…