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Wild Petunia
Wild Petunia (Ruellia) is in bloom right now. It’s native to the eastern and central United States. It isn’t particular about the location where it grows. Moist, dry, sun, partial shade, most any soil type. In bloom May to October. I’ve seen these flowers growing wild at the yoga studio where I can often be…
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A Beautiful Mint
Hoary Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum incanum) is in bloom in the mountains now and will continue blooming for about 6 weeks. The flowers attract many pollinators. It’s a perennial that will grow in colonies from shallow rhizomes. If it’s really in the perfect location, you might find it growing to 5 feet tall. Native to the…
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Green Stink Bug Revisited
Green Stink Bug (Chinavia hilaris) can be found in most of eastern North America. Both adults and nymphs can cause injury to fruits, including stone fruits, vegetables, and field crops. Nymph of Green Stink Bug (Chinavia hilaris). There are two things that I am thankful for regarding this Stink Bug. First, though I have seen…
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Clowns Of Summer
My summer entertainment. Many, many Ruby Throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris). The clowns of summer. It would be extremely difficult to say how many Hummingbirds there are. They are too quick and fidgety. What you see here, an extremely brief moment in time, while they sit quietly. A blink of the eye and they are bouncing…
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Pipevine Swallowtail Caterpillar
Spotted just outside my cabin today. The caterpillar of a Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor). The larval host of this Swallowtail are plants in the genus Aristolochia. The leaves of these plants contain aristolochic acid, which is toxic to some animals, which protects the Pipevine Swallowtail. This is the adult Pipevine Swallowtail. They are protected by the…
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Beautiful Magenta
New York Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis), native to the eastern United States. Just beginning to bloom in my woods now. Sometimes growing to 5 feet or a bit more. Those blooms, a gorgeous magenta. Pollinators are various species of butterflies and bees. This pollinator is a Zabulon Skipper (Poanes zabulon). What a lovely color combination, the…
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Bees And Butterflies On Thyme
A lovely patch of Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) that has been blooming for three or four weeks now. Bees and butterflies have been enjoying the flowers. The patch is quite abuzz. Quite the small butterfly, an Eastern Tailed Blue (Cupido comyntas), enjoying the nectar of the flowers. Another butterfly, a bit larger than the Eastern Tailed…
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A Couple Fritillaries
A Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) enjoying the nectar of a Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). And another Fritillary, a Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) on another Purple Coneflower. The common name, Fritillary, comes from the Latin, fritillus: chessboard or dice box. ________________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up…
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And Another Summer Visitor
This, a female Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina) taking care of her feathers. Hooded Warblers are summer residents here. Not a lot of them but enough to see and enjoy from time to time. These Warblers eat insects and other arthropods, so they have no interest in my feeders. That’s okay, I get to see them…