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Almost!
I was raised in Maryland. A state I love. And I love the state flower, designated as the state flower way back in 1918. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta). I purchased some to plant in my garden at the Greene County Farmers Market last year. This (above) was then. This is now. A little ways to…
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Inflated Lobelia Revisited
Inflated Lobelia (Lobelia inflata) Usually growing as a single stalk, occasionally branching near the top. The stalk staying low, at perhaps 6 inches, or growing to 2 1/2 feet tall with alternate leaves. The bitter plant is noxious and is avoided by mammalian herbivores and is even avoided by White-tailed Deer. Humans also need to…
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One Of The Robber Flies
These creatures amaze me. Just 1/4 inch in length, and such BIG eyes! A species of Robber Fly (Holcocephala). There are about 1,000 species of Robber Fly in North America the largest being about 2 inches long. These two photos are Gnat Ogres (Holcocephala fusca) and this one is posing with a gnat it has…
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One Of The Swallowtails
The Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) is the largest butterfly species in North America, with a wingspan of 4 to 6 inches. The larval host plants of Giant Swallowtails are trees in the citrus family including Lemon, Lime, Orange, Prickly Ash, Hoptree and also Common Rue. These caterpillars have an interesting sort of protection from predators, having the…
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A Fritillary
This is a caterpillar of the Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia), chomping away on a Violet (Viola) leaf, one of many host plants of this species. A few other examples of their host plants are Passion Vines, Pansies, Purslane, Flax, and Mayapple. As an adult, the Variegated Fritillary can live over 10 months. That’s a mighty…
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Dining At The Echinaceas
A Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) dining on the nectar of Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea). ________________________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!
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Treasures In A Vernal Pool
“Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are seasonal pools of water that provide habitat for distinctive plants and animals.” Wikipedia Occasionally there is water in a vernal pool next to the yoga studio where I take classes three days a week. It’s a special place. Well, yes indeed, the studio is a…
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A Different Sort Of Bee
A Flat-tailed Leaf-cutter Bee (Megachile mendica) on Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota). A small bee, the female is usually between 1/3 and 1/2 inch and the male is slightly smaller. They eat pollen and nectar from many different flowers, pollinating while they eat. These bees cut beautiful circles from leaves to line their nests which…
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One Of The Bumblebees
A Perplexing Bumblebee (Bombus perplexus) gathering nectar and pollen from a Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). ________________________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!
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A Bobcat!
A total sense of GLEE hit me this morning as I watched the interaction between a squirrel and a larger animal. A scuffling sound started at the bottom of our front steps and immediately the two animals ran out toward the woods on the other side of our lane. I couldn’t identify the larger animal.…