Zigzag Goldenrod, Carrion Flower berries

Rich woods are home to Zigzag Goldenrod, AKA Broad-leaved Goldenrod.

The berries of Carrion Flower will turn a deep blue-black. John

Closed Gentian, Blackberries, Black Bear

Closed Gentian, AKA Bottle Gentian, favors moist woods and meadows.

A few Blackberries were ripe and ready to sample.

A smallish Black Bear made a leisurely exploration of my compost pile. John

Clearweed, Beggar Ticks, Bobcat

Clearweed, AKA Richweed, grows in moist shady areas.

Waste places host Beggar Ticks, AKA Sticktight.

A Bobcat wandered by this afternoon. John

Bur Cucumber, Three-seeded Mercury

Riverbanks and moist thickets are home to One-seeded Bur Cucumber.

Three-seeded Mercury inhabits fields, roadsides and waste places. John

Virginia Stickseed, Fruits of Star-flowered Solomon's Seal

Open woodlands, thickets and lightly cultivated areas host Virginia Sticksee.

The fruits of Star-flowered Solomon's Seal are now picture worthy. John

Round-headed Bush Clover, Sweet Everlasting

Dry fields and waste places are home to Round-headed Bush clover.

Sweet Everlasting, AKA Cat Foot, is a plant of dry fields. John

Small Red Morning Glory, Slender Cottonweed, Fox

A seldom documented in Vermont Small Red Morning glory has opened its blue flowers along a railroad grade.

Dry, sandy, salt tainted soils beside highways support Slender Cottonweed.

One of three Red foxes that were romping in my field this AM posed nicely for a picture. John

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