7-31 American Germander, Common Dodder

 7-31

American Germander, AKA Wood Sage, is a native species of shores and wet thickets.

Common Dodder is a fully parasitic native found on low ground. It is also a close relative of Morning Glories.

John

7-30 Boneset, Common Smartweed

 7-30

Boneset, AKA Throughwort, is common on low ground.

Common Smartweed, AKA Water Pepper, favors wet areas and is equally common. Both are native.

John

7-29 Pinesaps, Three Bird Orchid Dogday Harvest Fly

7-29

Pinesaps, a native species found in pine and oak woods, once classified as saprophytes are now known to be micro-heterotrophs (taking nutrients from fungal filaments).  

Also native and extremely rare in Vermont, Three Bird Orchids are also starting their flowering.

    And a Dogday Harvest Fly, perhaps Neotibicen tibicen australis, the Swamp Cicada.

John

7-28 Hog Peanut, Tall Blue Lettuce, Garden Phlox

 7-28

The inconspicuous flowers of Hog Peanut, a native species, drape moist thickets and roadside weeds.

Another native, Tall Blue Lettuce, towers over moist thickets and clearings.

And Garden Phlox, native from New York south, is a garden escape here, coloring thickets and roadsides.

John

7-27 Fall Dandelion, Blue Curl, Brown-hooded Owlet caterpillar

 7-27

Fall Dandelion, an alien, is flowering in fields and on lawns.

Native Blue Curls favor dry, sandy soils and railroad ballast.

And caterpillars of the Brown-hooded Owlet moth feed principally on asters and goldenrods, resting in plain view by day and feeding on flowers by night.

John

7-26 Partridge Pea, Groundnut, Mergansers

 7-26

Partridge Pea, native from Massachusetts south, favors sandy fields and is often introduced in wildflower seed mixes.

Another native, Groundnut, drapes moist thickets. Its distinctive sweetish scent often betrays its presence.

At least 15 Hooded Mergansers roosted on a dead log this morning.

John

7-25 Lettuce

 7-25

Lettuce, sometimes called Prickly Lettuce due to its spiny leaf veins, is flowering.

John

7-24 Northern Green Orchid, Culver's Root

 7-24

Northern Green Orchid is a native found in bogs and wet woods.

Culver's Root, also native, grows in drier woods and meadows.

John

7-23 Common Plantain, Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillar, Red Milkweed beetle

 7-23

Common Plantain, an alien, is flowering along roadsides, on lawns and in waste places.

Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars can be seen on milkweeds alongside Rad Milkweed beetles.

John

7-22 Three-seeded Mercury, Northern Willow-herb

 7-22

Three-seeded Mercury is a native species of fields, roadsides and waste places.

Northern Willow-herb, also a native, favors areas with extra moisture.

John

7-21 Agrimony, Dogday Harvest Fly husk

 7-21

Agrimony is a native species found in woodlands and thickets.

And the nymphal husks of Dogday Harvest flies hang abandoned on trees in my yard. The shrill calls of adult flies - said to resemble the sound of a circular saw - will soon sound from the treetops.

John

7-20 Virginia Knotweed, Whorled Mountain Mint, Oleander Aphids

 7-20

Virginia Knotweed, AKA Jumpseed, is a native species of woods and thickets.

Whorled Mountain Mint, also native, can be found in dry woods, meadows, fields and thickets.

And, Oleander Aphids are feeding on milkweeds, a close relative of oleander. These aphids can't survive northern winters and must recolonize Vermont and other northern states annually.

John

7-19 Centaury, Brown Knapweed, Sunflower species, Monarch caterpillar

 7-19 

The alien Centaury is said to favor meadows and fields. I find it on sandy road verges.

Another alien, Brown Knapweed, can be seen in fields and along roadsides.

One of the many species of sunflowers that will dot roadsides and thickets is starting its flowering. Most sunflowers are native.

And some Monarch caterpillars have hatched and are hungrily consuming milkweed leaves!

John

7-18 field Thistle, Camouflage Looper

 7-18

Showy, native Field Thistles are just one of many thistle species starting their flowering.

Camouflage Looper caterpillars can be seen  - often on Black-eyed Susans. these caterpillars dress themselves with bits of plant material.

John

7-17 Tearthumb, Marsh Skullcap, Velvetleaf

 7-17

Arrow-leaved Tearthumb is opening a few flowers. Wiry stems and downward curving bristles give this native plant of thickets and wet places its common name.

Marsh Skullcap is a native species of swamps and shores.

And Velvetleaf, AKA Indian Mallow, is. an introduced inhabitant of waste places.

John

7-16 Virgin's Bower, Ditch Stonecrop, Primrose Moth

 7-16

Virgin's Bower is a native vine that drapes through moist thickets.

Another native, Ditch Stonecrop grows in swamps, ditches and similar wet habitats.

And bright pink Primrose Moths can be seen in the flower of Common Evening Primrose.

John

7-15 Purple Milkwort, Siberian Cranesbill, Sawfly larvae

 7-15

Purple Milkwort is a native that favors moist meadows.

Siberian Cranesbill is an alien species that is escaping to roadsides.

And Sawfly larvae cluster on a Red Pine.

John

7-14 Water Lobelia, Spiked Lobelia, snake basking

 7-14

Rising from a rosette of underwater leaves, Water Lobelia lifts it pale flowers above still waters.

Spiked Lobelia favors fields and woods. Both are native.

And a Garter Snake basked in a tangle of brush 18 inches off the ground this morning.

John

7-13 Burdock, Great Chickweed, Water Hemlock

 7-13

Common Burdock is an alien plant common in waste areas.

Great, AKA Star, Chickweed is a native plant found in woods and on rocky slopes.

Another native, Water Hemlock, AKA Spotted Cowbane, favors swamps and low meadows and is poisonous if ingested.

John