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

Pinesaps, Thin-leaved Sunflower, Nodding Pogonia, Dogday Harvest fly husk

Either pine or oak woods are home to Pinesaps, AKA False Beechdrops.

Thin-leaved sunflowers inhabit thickets and wood lots.

Nodding Pogonia, AKA Three Birds, grows in rich woods often in association with Beech.

The nymphal husk of Dog-day Harvest flies (our cicadas) hang abandoned. The high pitched song of the adult fly can be heard from the tree tops. John

American Germander, Cup Plant, Loon and chick

American Germander, AKA Wood Sage, favors shores and moist thickets.

Thickets and stream banks host Cup Plant which is native to North America but introduced in New England.

Shortly after this picture was taken the loon passed the fish to its chick. John

Hairy Spurge, Golden Hedge Hyssop, Buttonbush

Hairy Spurge favors fields, roadsides and waste places.

Golden Hedge Hyssop, AKA Pert, is a plant of low sandy shores.

Wet places are home to Buttonbush. John

Teasel, Partridge Pea

Fields and roadsides are home to Teasel, an introduced species.

Partridge Pea favors sandy soil often along roadsides. John

Small Water Plantain, Culver's Root, Oleander Aphids

Small Water Plantain is found along muddy shores.

Woods and meadows are habitat for Culver's Root.

Milkweed hosts brightly colored Oleander Aphids. John

Steeplebush, Purple Milkwort, Large Coralroot

Low grounds, fields and pastures are home to Steeplebush.

Purple Milkwort grows in moist meadows and similar locations.

Large Coralroot is a woodland species. John

Ditch Stonecrop, Hairy Willow Herb, Monarch Caterpillar and Egg, Pearly Wood Nymph

Wet ditches and swamps are habitat for Ditch Stonecrop.

Damp thickets and waste places are home to Hairy Willow Herb.

A few Monarch caterpillars can be seen on milkweed along with Monarch's eggs.

A moth called the Pearly Wood Numph posed nicely while I took several pictures. This moth's resemblence to bird droppings is thought to protect it from predation. John