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Transverse Flower Fly
July 11, 2025 A Transverse Flower Fly (Eristalis transversa) enjoying the nectar of Gray-headed Coneflowers (Ratibida pinnata). Measuring in at 0.28″ to 0.47″. Though it looks like a bee, it does not sting. Often found hanging out around flowers, which explains its common name. Flower Flies are energetic fliers, able to beat their wings several…
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I Can Hear You!
July 10, 2025 A male Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olinacea) sitting among legumes of a Redbud (Cercis canadensis). A brilliant red bird. Even a shade brighter than our year-round, red bird, the Cardinal (Cardinalis Cardinalis). Scarlet Tanagers, both male and female, sing a song that sounds like our Robin (Turdus migratorius), although the Scarlet Tanagers sound…
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Time For Starry Campion!
July 9, 2025 When I find this plant in bloom along the trails up here I’m totally delighted. This is Starry Campion (Silene stellata). Native to the eastern and central United States. I sometimes see Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris)(see the picture below), a plant that fascinates me, much like Starry Campion. These two plants are related,…
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An Often Seen Skipper
July 8, 2025 The largest Skipper in North America, the Silver Spotted Skipper (Eparcyeus clarus), with a wingspan of 1.75 to 2.5 inches. This one is enjoying the nectar of Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris subsp. lanceolata). Skippers are butterflies placed into their own skipper family, Hesperiidae, which is included in the order Lepidoptera, with moths and other…
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Dancing In The Sunlight
July 7, 2025 Dancing with glee in the dappled sunlight, a Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus). One of many in bloom up here right now. Native to central and eastern North America. An herbaceous perennial in the Aster (Asteraceae) family that can grow 5 to 7 feet tall. As you can see in my photo, it has…
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Tall White Spires
July 6, 2025 Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa), sending up tall spires, 30 to 98 inches, each holding a single raceme that can be up to 20 inches in length. Numerous snow white flowers with no petals, tightly and neatly arranged on each of the spires. Tiny flowers with long stamens surrounding a single stigma. Flowers…
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Beautiful Blue!
July 5, 2025 I saw him this morning preparing to take a dip in the birdbath. A bath to clean those striking blue feathers of this male Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea). Bathing allows birds to freshen and sustain their feathers. Bathing helps birds in their ability to fly, assisting with insulation, and in waterproofing those…
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New York Ironweed
July 4, 2025 A native plant that I adore. But that’s a silly thing to say given that I adore most all of them. This is New York Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis), having the look of fireworks bursting across the sky. Like the fireworks that you’ll be seeing this evening. A clump-forming plant that is tall,…
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Narrow-leaved Cryptantha
July 3, 2025 Narrow-leaved Cryptantha (Cryptantha angustifolia), a plant that grows in the woodlands and desert scrub of northern Mexico and southwestern United States, where it is native. An annual herb with abundant long hairs and bristles, usually not more than 12 inches tall. Its tiny flowers have a yellow throat surrounded by 5 white…