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 petals.

This Narrow-leaved Cryptantha was photographed at Bandelier National Monument, 12 miles south of Los Alamos, New Mexico.

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A Harvestman

July 2, 2025

Not a spider, but like spiders, they are arachnids. This is a Harvestman (Opiliones). It is in the order Opiliones. Spiders are in the order Araneae.

There is a spider with the common name of Daddy Longlegs, or Cellar Spider (Pholcidae), which looks to me like a miniature version of a Harvestman. It’s that spider that spins a cobweb. These spiders have 8 eyes in 2 groups of 3 eyes on either side of the head with 2 additional eyes in the center. A Harvestman usually has 2 eyes on a turret-like mound on the front of its body.

Another difference to look for, a Harvestman appears to have a single body part. But it is actually two body parts which are fused together, just the look of one. The spider, Daddy Longlegs or Cellar Spider (Pholcidae) has two obvious body parts which are connected with a thin waist.

The Harvestman in the picture above has just captured its dinner. Harvestmen are omnivores and will eat invertebrates including insects and their larvae, decaying organic things, and fungi.

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A Gentle Bee

July 1, 2025

A Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens). A bee that is considered friendly and gentle. Unless they have the feeling of being threatened, or if they feel their nest is being attacked, they are not aggressive. Yes, they’re able to sting, but it is generally only done in self-defense.

This Bumble Bee is enjoying the nectar and the pollen that this Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida) provides. They use the nectar for energy and the pollen is a source of protein and nourishment for themselves and for their growing larvae.

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NO They Won’t Give You Warts

June 30, 2025

This an American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus) blending in with its surroundings. This common toad is quite variable in its coloring, which can be brown, gray, olive or brick red. I was lucky to stumple upon this one since they are mainly noctural. During the day they seek hiding places such as under rocks, boards, woodpiles, or porches.

This apparently is a small American Toad since they range in size from 2 to 3.5 inches with a few reaching 4.25 inches. It’s making its way through a clump of Rose Campion (Silene coronaria) fuzzy silver-gray leaves. If you know this plant, you know that their leaves are not very large.

Though they won’t actually give you warts, toads secrete toxins through their skin which can cause irritation or sometimes illness if those chemicals come in contact with one’s eyes or mouth. It’s important to wash your hands after touching a toad.

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State Insect Of Virginia

June 29, 2025

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), the state insect of Virginia, and one of our largest butterflies, with a wingspan ranging from 3.1 to 5.5 inches. Quite familiar in its native range of eastern US, extending north into southern Ontario.

Along with many other pollinators, it’s visiting Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), which provides both nectar and pollen.

These Milkweed plants are volunteers here and I’m delighted to have them since they are so popular with so many of the pollinators!

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Common Yarrow In Late June

June 28, 2025

Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) in bloom throughout the area now. Flowers are in flat clusters atop plants that sometimes reach 3 feet tall. Individual flowers in those clusters are 1/4 inch across with 5 white or pale pink ray flowers, slightly notched, surrounding cream colored or soft yellow disc flowers.

These Yarrow leaves are alternate, and have the look of lacy/feathery fern fronds, decreasing in size as the leaves go up the stems. Both nectar and pollen entice a long list of pollinators to these flowers, including bees, wasps, ants, flies, beetles, butterflies, moths, and true bugs.

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Wild Bergamot

June 27, 2025

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), looking like the hairstyle of a Dr Seuss character. Blooming in lavender or pink for a month during the summer. A plant that attracts bees, moths, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Native to all of the continental United States with the exception of Alaska, California, and Florida. It’s also native to 7 provinces of Canada. A member of the mint (Lamiaceae) family with square stems, and opposite leaves that are fragrant.

In my gardens Wild Bergamot is blooming contentedly right now.

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Ruby Memories

June 26, 2025

Since these bushes were put in several years ago, memories come back to me every summer in late June. Memories of Red Currants (Ribes rubrum).

And childhood memories of the Godshall family reunions held every summer on Hill Road in Sellersville, Pennsylvania, where I’d have such fun getting together with my precious cousins. Wonderful food, A-Treat Soda, boulders here and there that each had its own name like “The Rocket”, quoit (pronounced kwait) pits next to the bushes that grew ruby-like fruit.

Those Red Currants are ripe, looking like rich red gems right now, and the birds are enjoying them. Yesterday morning as I was pulling out of the garage, on the way to yoga, I spotted a Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) having a breakfast of my memories.

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Juvenile Cardinal

June 25, 2025

Something that I rarely see. A juvenile Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). Black legs, black beak, and feathers that allow it to blend in with its surroundings.

It looks like an adult Cardinal though the coloring is wrong. Sometime between 2 and 4 weeks of age the juvenile will grow to the size of an adult Cardinal. Its beak stays black until its first molt in the autumn, when the beak becomes lighter and brighter and the feathers will turn red, or pale tannish brown with reddish streaks.

Nature seems to always surprise me with the new or the seldom seen.

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Brown Thrasher Singing Its Wonderful Songs

June 24, 2025

While on the ground a Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) will use its long curved beak to rummage through leaf litter looking for things to eat such as insects. They also eat fruits, seeds and nuts, earthworms, snails, and if the Thrasher comes upon one that is small enough, lizards or frogs.

They’ll also ramble through trees and bushes, enjoying berries and seeds that are found. All the while singing their beautiful songs.

A couple days ago a Brown Thrasher was roaming the yard, singing as it went, ending up in one of the many blueberry bushes. It managed to find a few ripe berries. Payment for a beautiful concert.

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