June 17, 2026
Yes, they still do exist in the wild, though it is a rare sight. This is an American Chestnut (Castanea dentata) on Hightop, along the Appalachian Trail. Notice the ocean wave edging. That is one of the key components in identification of this very special tree.
This is just a bit above me, where my mountain becomes Hightop. I like to describe it as my mountain being a bump on Hightop.
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June 16, 2026
Green drupes of June. Blackhaw Viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium).
What starts out as soft, off-white, flat-topped clusters of flowers, eventually turns into many drupes that are green, becoming pink, then a rich, deep blue-black. Each one, half an inch long. These drupes generally last into winter. A perfect mid-winter much needed food source. A favorite of hungry chipmunks, squirrels and songbirds, as the cold of winter makes food hard to find.
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June 15, 2026
A Grape Plume Moth (Geina periscelidactylus).
A moth that I often see on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), making me think of a huge creature from the Mesozoic Era along with dinosaurs, though in real life they have a tiny wing span of about .63 inches.
This moth is native to North America and is often seen in the eastern portion of the continent. Larvae will fold and web together edges of tender leaves, creating a home for themselves. Here in this home they will eat the upper portions of Grape (Vitis) and Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) leaves.
This adult stage is active in June and July.
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June 14, 2026
Fun entertainment as we eat our meals. Mom and Dad Carolina Wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus) flying in and out feeding their nestlings. I could only say for sure that there were three little ones. After all that hole in the bird house is mighty small. That went on through last night’s dinner. Today, not a sign of the parents or the nestlings.
Female Carolina Wrens lay from three to seven eggs, but four to five is the most common number. Nestlings stay in the nest for between ten to sixteen days before they’re able to fledge.
I’ve missed them today, but I’m quite relieved for them. They must have been sweltering in that bird house.
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June 13, 2026
Venus’ Looking Glass (Triodanis perfoliata). Five petals of purple. It is said that it grows to 3 feet tall. I don’t ever see the plant reaching that height. Its native range is from Canada to Argentina and is native to all states in the US with the exception of Nevada, Alaska and Hawaii.
Though not overabundant, I see it occasionally in my yard, and along trails up here on my mountain, where I find it blooming in mid-June. Pollinators that are attracted to the flowers are bees, flies, butterflies and moths.
A beautiful, and special flower.
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June 12, 2026
I heard it before I saw it. A Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) posing on a post, for my camera. They’re just here for the breeding season, but at least they spend that much time here.
I adore seeing them, and hearing them too. An insistent and loud songster, the male will begin his repertoire before the sun rises, and continue until long after the sun has set. Included in his list of sounds are mew calls, which indeed do sound like a domestic cat. His songs also include whines, nasal tones, whistles, squeaks, gurgles, imitations of other birds and frogs, as well as mechanical sounds. Mockingbirds will repeat the same sound three to four time, not the Catbird. They’ll sing many unique phrases, seldom ever repeating the same sound twice in a row.
Female Gray Catbirds don’t sing often, and when they do, they produce a more quiet, soft version of the male’s involved song. She often sings the song, which she has heard him sing, back to him.
Ah nature. So special.
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June 11, 2026
The Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) is finally blooming up here. I’ve really been watching and waiting. Looking forward to its brilliant orange flowers. Looks like others have been watching and waiting too.
This is a Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) drinking nectar from the blossoms which provide the butterfly with energy and carbohydrates.
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June 10, 2026
Striped Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata), looking to me much like old-fashioned street lamps which might line tiny streets for woodland fairies.
Striped Wintergreen is native to eastern North America and Central America, a small rhizomatous perennial wildflower in the blueberry (Ericaceae) family. Its fragrant flowers are waxy, white or subtle pink, in small clusters topping a single stem. Those stems are surrounded, at the base, by whorls of deep green leaves which have mottled white stripes.
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June 9, 2026
After a Leaf-footed Bug (Acanthocephala terminalis) hatches from its egg it goes through 5 instars as it works its way to becoming an adult.
This is one of those instars, which looks perfect for dropping in on a steampunk sponsored stroll through a local botanical garden.
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June 8, 2026
This, a female Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea).
I’m glad to have these beautiful birds here for our warm season. Though they tend to be in the tippity-tops of trees here in the woods, I get to hear them often, with both the female’s and male’s song that sounds much like an American Robin (Turdus migratorius) with a sore throat.
And when things are really going my way, I’ll even get to see either a female with her muted shades of yellow and gray, or a male dressed in feathers of brilliant scarlet and black.
And if I’m really really lucky, my camera will manage to get a picture or two.
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