Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida)

Looking Like a Teddy Bear Of A Bee

August 24, 2026

Gathering nectar and pollen from a Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida), a cute, not so little bee, the Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens). Female worker bees are about 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch, and male bees are about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. While the queens are larger at 3/4 to 1 inch.

This bee and the Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica) have a similar appearance, however the Carpenter Bee is a bit larger, measuring in at between 3/4 to 1 inch in length. And the Carpenter Bee has a shiny, smooth, black abdomen with no fuzziness.

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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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Purple Coneflowers And Black-eyed Susans

July 7, 2026

Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) pairing up with Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia fulgida) surrounded by many other flowers blooming on the back hill.

But I’m patiently waiting for the highlight of the summer, the Maryland state flower, Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta). Looking quite a bit like the Black-eyed Susans in this image but I know the difference.

And because it is the Maryland state flower, it is important to me. I’m being patient. I can tell the difference, as the stems and leaves emerge. They’re on their way. They just take a bit longer to bloom..

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