Marsh St. Johnswort

As its name implies Marsh St. Johnswort favors wet areas. John

Grass-leaved Arrowhead, White-tailed Deer

Grass-leaved Arrowhead favors shallow water and marshes.

The antlers of White-tailed Deer are still in velvet. John

Goldenrod Brussels Sprout Gall, Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillar, Porcupine

Goldenrod Brussels Sprout Galls have reached very noticeable dimensions.

Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars have grown to nearly maximum size.

A Porcupine triggered my back yard trail camera. John

Hairy Bush Clover

The very rare Hairy Bush Clover shows up in dry fields and woods John

Prostrate Vervain, Green Lacewing

Dry waste places are home to Prostrate Vervain, AKA Large-bracted Vervain, a very rare species in Vermont. These were in a gravel parking lot in Rockingham.

Aptly named Green Lacewings are active. John

Hog Peanut

In moist thickets Hog Peanut drapes itself over neighboring plants. John

Blue Curl

Blue Curls favor dry soil including roadsides and railroad ballast. John

Tall Coneflower, Common Elder berries

A double flowered form of Tall Coneflower has escaped and is long persisting near old home sites.

The berries of Common Elder are ripening and attracting lots of birds. John

Common Hop, Japanese Knotweed, Green Heron

Common Hop, often cultivated as an ornamental, escapes to rich thickets.

Riverbanks, roadsides and waste places are home to Japanese Knotweed once a cultivated novelty now a despised invasive.

A Green Heron chose a riverside log as its hunting perch. John

Doll's Eyes, Groundnut, Rainbow Scarab Beetle

The berries of White Baneberry, AKA Doll's Eyes, stare out of woods and thickets.

Groundnut, AKA Wild Bean, drapes moist thickets.

A female Rainbow Scarab Beetle collects scat which she will store in the natal burr0w as food for her larvae. John

Wild Cucumber, Sneezewort, Smooth Sumac, Double-banded Scoliid

Wild Cucumber, AKA Wild Balsam Apple, thrives in moist ground, thickets and cultivated fields.

A garden variety of Sneezewort has escaped to roadsides and waste places.

In dry thickets Smooth Sumac is fruiting.

A Double-banded Scoliid wasp was doing wasp things. John

Water Shield, Hobblebush berries, Shining Flower Beetles

Water Shield favors warm shallow ponds.

The red berries of Hobblebush will eventually turn purple.

Shining Flower Beetles can be seen on Early Goldenrods. John

Silverrod, Sumac Flea Beetle

Silverrod, our only white goldenrod, favors dry soils.

Sumacs are the host plant for Sumac Flea Beetle. John

Dodder, Creeping Spearwort, Virginia Knotweed

Dodder, AKA Love Vine, is a parasitic plant found on low ground, often riverbanks.

Wet shores are home to Creeping Spearwort.

Jumpseed, AKA Virginia Knotweed, can be found in woods and thickets. John

Willow Pinecone Gall, Swamp Rose, Mountain Holly

Willow Pinecone Galls have reached a very noticeable size.

Wet soils are home for Swamp Rose.

The berries of Mountain Holly are startlingly red. John

Black Nightshade, Field Bindweed, Kingfisher

Woods and waste places are home to Black Nightshade.

Fields and waste places host Field Bindweed.

A Kingfisher was preparing to dine on crayfish. John

Lopseed, Great Lobelia, Whorled Aster, Twice-stabbed Stink Bug

Lopseed grows primarily in rich woods.

Great Lobelia, which may be either a native wildflower or a garden escape, favors moist thickets and swamps.

Whorled Aster, AKA Sharp-leaved Mountain aster, favors woodlands.

Aptly named Twice-stabbed Stinkbugs are active. John

Common Pipewort, White Turtlehead, Black Bear

Common Pipewort, AKA Hatpins, grows in shallow water.

Swamps and stream banks host White Turtlehead.

A black Bear posed nicely at a range that made zoom lenses completely unnecessary. John

Sunflower Tortoise Beetle, Rough Hawkweed, Pale Touch-me-not

Sunflowers host Sunflower Tortoise Beetles which at maturity will be a brilliant green.

Rough Hawkweed favors dry soils.

Moist soils are home to Pale Touch-me-not. John

Agrimony, Virgin's Bower, Primrose Moth, Northern Willow Herb

Agrimony's wands of yellow flowers wave over thickets and in woods.

Moist thickets are home to Virgin's Bower, AKA Clematis.

The flowers of Evening Primrose provide shelter for Primrose moths. Look for primroses in any dry open habitat.

Damp soils host Northern Willow Herb. John