A Juniper Hairstreak

July 17, 2026

Rare creatures around the world. Green in the world of butterflies is one of the scarcest of colors. These greens are created by way of using structural coloration and natural pigments. Wings of the green butterfly are covered with small prism like scales bending and reflecting light, all colors except green get cancelled out. This is structural coloration.

The Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus) is one of the very few green butterflies native to Virginia. A tiny butterfly with a wingspan of just one inch. Its single host plant is the Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana).

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A Tiger Swallowtail

July 15, 2026

An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) sipping sugary, energy-rich nectar from Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea).

It’s marvelous to have so many native plants in bloom, attracting multitudes of pollinators!

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Buckeye

A Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), a butterfly that I don’t see in early summer. I adore seeing them in mid to late summer, once they show up.

These lovely butterflies are migratory, and are unable to survive freezing temperatures. They stay safe in the Deep South during the cold of winter, migrating north during late spring and early summer.

This one is enjoying the nectar of Apple Mint (Mentha suaveolens).

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Two-spotted Bumblebee

July 13, 2026

The Two-spotted Bumblebee (Bombus bimaculatus) atop a Purple Cone Flower (Echinacea purpurea), looking a bit like a cuddly stuffed animal. Its name comes from the two yellow spots at the top of its abdomen.

For this Bumblebee, nectar is a source of carbohydrates and energy, and the protein rich pollen is brought back to their nests for the developing larvae.

Their nests are usually built in abandoned animal burrows, or in hollow logs and brush piles. The nests that are underground are typically 6 inches to 12 feet underground with long entry tunnels, and can be difficult to spot. If you find one near your home, consider that these bees are gentle and highly beneficial pollinators for your garden and fruit trees.

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Another Hummingbird Clearwing

July 12, 2026

Not a baby Hummingbird, but a moth with the name of Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe), enjoying the nectar of many blooms of Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), keeping itself (and me and my camera) busy, going from one flower to another, and back again.

Caterpillars of this moth look similar to the nasty Tomato Hornworm caterpillar (Manduca quinquemaculata). In order tell the difference, pay attention to what plants the caterpillar is on. The Tomato Hornworms will be on their host plants of, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, potatoes, jimsonweed, horsenettle, and various wild nightshades. They are bright green caterpillars with eight V-shaped white stripes on their sides. Their tail has a unique dark blue or black horn.

The caterpillars of the Hummingbird Clearwing will be found on their host plants of honeysuckle, snowberry, cherry, plum, and hawthorn. Their coloring is yellowish-green with dark or black spots and usually don’t have the white stripes that the Tomato Hornworm has. Their tail normally is green with a black or orange tip. 

In both these species, variations will occur as the caterpillars mature.

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Silvery Checkerspot on Black-eyed Susan

July 11, 2026

A Silvery Checkerspot (Chlorine nycteisI) is a medium-small brush-footed butterfly with a wingspan of 1 3/8 to 2 inches. This one is sitting atop a Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida) which is really flourishing right now, much to the delight of these little butterflies.

Host plants of these Silvery Checkerspots are sunflowers, coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, and Ragweeds. As adults they live for 10 to 14 days, with some lucky ones surviving for up to 3 weeks. During that time they will eat flower nectar, and visit damp soil and mud puddles to sip the water, which provides them with essential minerals. This is known as puddling, a behavior that many butterflies take part in.

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White Vervain

July 10, 2026

White Vervain (Verbena urticifolia), is native to eastern North America, excluding Mexico.

This herbaceous plant has extremely small white flowers on spikes that resemble fireworks. The flowers’ white color is unusual for members of the Verbena genus, which are most often bluish or purplish in color.

The tiny white flowers are a nectar source for bees, wasps, butterflies, and flies. The fruit, a dark capsule, contains many thin brown seeds which are eaten by songbirds.

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Whether At The Feeder Or At The Seed Head

July 9, 2026

To many birds, Sunflower seeds (Helianthus), whether at the bird feeder or directly from the seed head of the flower, are the best.

This a Goldfinch (Spinus tristis), enjoying Sunflower seeds directly from the seed head. How more fresh can you get?

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Waiting For The Fledglings

July 8, 2026

A female Ruby-throated Hummingbird fanning out her tail.

I’m looking forward to the end of July, when a vast majority of the nestling Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) have fledged and are coming to the many flowers here on the mountain, and particularly to my feeders.

The population of these hummingbirds seems down a bit from past years, but who knows. I don’t keep serious records. I’m counting on an obvious population boom with the fledglings arriving from their nests. That normally happens by the end of July, when there will be many of the clowns of summer to entertain me, and keep me busy, making hummingbird syrup every day to keep them happy.

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