7-31

7-31
Along the West River both Marsh Speedwell and American Germander, AKA Wood Sage, are in flower
John

Marsh Speedwell

American Germander

close up of Germander

7-30

7-30
The multiple dull yellow flowers of Pinesaps - a common woodland parasite - are pushing up through the ground litter.
Tiny pinkish flowers spangle Hairy Pinweed, one of eight Pinweeds listed in my field guide.
And an Assassin bug - well camouflaged atop a Goldenrod - waits for an unwary insect to get too close.
John

Pinesaps

Hairy Pinweed

Assassin bug

7-29

7-29
The strange little saprophyte, Spotted Coralroot, has opened its purple spotted white flowers.
ANd Golden Hyssop, AKA Golden Pert, graces shores and stream banks.
John

Spotted Coralroot

Golden Hyssop

7-28

7-28
Another Aster, probably the one called Purple-stemmed Aster, joined its numerous relatives today.
Wild Cucumber opened its pale six pointed stars.
The fragrant maroon flowers of Ground Nut draped riverside thickets.
And two pink Primrose moths tried to crowd into one Primrose blossom.
John

Purple-stemmed Aster

Wild Cucumber

Ground Nut

Primrose moths in a Primrose

7-27

7-27
The dull purple flowers of Water-shield, a Water Lily relative, fleck the surface of ponds.
Inflated Bladderwort floats on modified leaves and dangles carnivorous bladders below the surface.
And the cockeyed yellow-green flowers of Green Wood Orchis dot wet woods.
John

Water-shield

inflated Bladderwort

Bladderwort flower

Green Wood Orchis

7-26

7-26
Flat-topped Asters, Marsh Skullcap and Blue Curls are all in flower today.
Also during my rambles this week I have seen 3 Monarch butterflies. No pictures possible.
John

Flat-topped Asters

Marsh Skullcap

Blue Curl

7-25

7-25
The pink flowers of Common Burdock are open. The hook-tipped burs stand ready as they dry to hitch a ride on clothing - or dog hair.
And the bold cream and brown wing patterning of a Double-toothed Prominent moth makes identification relatively easy.
John

Common Burdock

Double-toothed Prominent

7-24

7-24
Resembling a thorn should give a Two-marked Treehopper an edge over hungry predators … although evolution obviously didn't foresee window screens. Scientists disagree over whether these treehoppers are a single species or a complex of up to 9 different species.
And a Greater Grapevine Looper moth strikes an odd pose with its abdomen in the extremely contorted position it assumes when at rest.
John

Greater Grapevine Looper moth

Two-marked Treehopper moth

7-23

7-23
Today Water Pennywort and Checkered Rattlesnake Plantain are in flower.
And, last night, a boldly and beautifully marked Clymene moth came to my lights and stayed for a picture.
John

Water Pennywort

leaf of Checkered Rattlesnake Plantain

Checkered Rattlesnake Plantain

Clymene moth

7-22

7-22
White Turtlehead is in flower. Turtlehead is a plant of wet places.
And a Shagreened Slug Moth (Apoda biguttata) decided that my finger was a good place to perch. The caterpillars of slug moths have suckers instead of Protolegs and glide in a slug-like fashion. There are about 30 slug moths that can be found in our area.
John

Turtlehead

Shagreened Slug Moth

7-21

7-21
Today both Doorweed and Arrow-leaved Tearthumb decided to flower.
ANd Sumac Leaf Beetles dotted a patch of Sumac along Route 30.
John

Doorweed

Doorweed close up

Arrow-leaved Tearthumb

Sumac Leaf Beetle

7-20

7-20
Sedum, AKA Live-forever, is in flower.
A single, insect damaged Sunflower topped a thicket.
A Woody Underwing moth displayed its rear wing flash points - after I pestered it.
And a Crab Spider fed on a Primrose Moth while dangling from the primrose where it had waited in ambush.
John

Sedum

Common Sunflower

Woody Underwing moth

Woody Underwing moth flash points

Crab spider and Primrose moth on Primrose

7-19

7-19
Among the species in flower today are Canadian Burnet, Joe Pye Weed and Marsh Bellflower.
John

Canadian Burnet

Joe Pye Weed

Marsh Bellflower

7-18

7-18
Aster season is upon us. These - perhaps Schreber's Asters? - were flecking a roadside this afternoon.
John

asters

7-17

7-17
Tansy, once a garden favorite, is now a roadside weed.
Bull Thistle towers over unmaintained fields and waste places.
And Ditch Stonedrop lifts its unpretentious yellow-green flowers over wet swales and ditches.
John

Tansy

Bull Thistle

Ditch Stonecrop

7-16

7-16
Among the species flowering today are Hemp Nettle, Spotted Knapweed and the alien orchid Helleborine.
John

Hemp Nettle

Spotted Knapweed

Helleborine

7-15

7-15
At six feet tall, Great St. John's-wort towered over a roadside thicket today.
Horseweed's tiny flowers flecked waste places.
And in wet mowings the deeply cut yellow-green flowers of Ragged Fringed Orchids lurked among the grasses.
John

Great St. John's-wort

Horseweed

Ragged Fringed Orchid