Camouflage Looper, Tiger Lily, Teasel

A Camouflaged Looper disguises itself by cutting bits of Black-eyed Susan and attaching them to its back using silk. It will become a Wavy-lined Emerald moth.

Tiger Lilies are beginning to bloom.

Teasel is beginning to bloom. It has prickly cylindrical flower head composed of hundreds of tiny, white flowers.

Insects

Monarch butterfly caterpillar in the j-formation is preparing to pupate.

The next day it had formed its chrysalis. In 8 to 12 days a monarch should emerge.

A Northern Walkingstick climbing a locust tree.

The husk left on tree bark of a cicada which has molted into its adult form.

Purslane, Canada Burnet, Mountain Mint and Copper Butterfly, Early Goldenrod

Purslane is a low-growing succulent groundcover that thrives in full sun.

Canada Burnet has bottlebrush shaped white flower spikes. It's found in wet habitats.

The American copper butterflies love mountain mint. The mountain mint has small clusters of pale flowers.

Early Goldenrod has small, yellow flower heads found at the top of the stem.

Spotted Wintergreen, Wild Basil, Bull Thistle, Canada Thistle

Spotted Wintergreen has variegated leaves with pale green veins and white, nodding flowers. It is considered an endangered plant.

Wild Basil has dense, fuzzy clusters of pink to lavender flowers. It is not closely related to culinary basil.

Bull thistle is known for its stout, prickly stem and purple flower head. While viewed as a weed the seed heads attract goldfinches.

Canada Thistle has pale pink flower heads.

Swamp Milkweed, Helleborine, White Vervain

Swamp MIlkweed is recognized by it pink clusters of flowers. It thrives in moist locations. They are a pollinator magnet especially for Monarch butterflies.

Helleborine is a non-native orchid. The flowers feature shades of pale-green and pink.

White Vervain is a native wildflower with very small, white flowers. It is found in forest edges, pastures and disturbed areas.

Indian Tobacco, White Mullein, White Nettle, Robber Fly, Crab Spider

Indian Tobacco has small, pale blue, lavender or white flowers with five thin, pointed lobes.

White Mullein is a garden escape htat has tall, branched spires of white, saucer-shaped flowers.

White Hemp-nettle is a member of the mint family. though it has down-ward pointing hairs they do not sting like stinging nettles.

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria is a species of robber fly that mimics the appearance of a bumblebee. It feeds on other insects, including bees, beetles and wasps.

The Goldenrod Crab spider is an ambush predator known for its ability to camouflage by changing color. Here it is white as it sits on yarrow.

Ragged Fringed Orchid

Ragged Fringed Orchid can be found in varied habitats like bogs, swamps and meadows. It has a deeply divided, fringed tip that gives it a ragged appearance.

Orange Milkweed, Monarch Egg, Monarch Caterpillar

Orange Milkweed, also called Butterfly Weed, is another host for monarch butterflies.

On Common Milkweed there was a monarch egg. In 3-5 days it will hatch into a small caterpillar.

A large monarch caterpillar fed on Common Milkweed.

Pokeweed, Pickerelweed, Wild Mint

Pokeweed is found in disturbed areas.

Pickerelweed is an aquatic plant that has spikes of purplish flowers.

Wild Mint has small, white flowers arranged in whorls around the stem.

Swamp Candle, Marsh Skullcap, Pale St. John's-wort, Whorled Milkwort

Swamp Candle is species of loosestrife. It has tall, upright spikes of small, star-shaped yellow flowers.

Marsh Skullcap is in the mint family. The flowers grow in pairs along the stem.

Pale St. John's-wort has small yellow flowers with five petals. The buds appear red before opening.

Whorled Milkwort has tiny white to pinkish-white flowers arranged in a conical cluster called a raceme.