Butterflies and Signs, etc.

My contribution to Michelle's Nature Notes (#389).

I think this is a Pearl Crescent Butterfly - Phyciodes tharos:

Cloudless Sulphur, Phoebis sennae:

I thought this was a beetle. It is an Ailanthus webworm moth:

Female Eastern Pondhawk, Erythemis simplicicollis:

I'm also linking to Carmi's Thematic Photographic 382 - Street Signs. These signs are around (or on) the W. and O.D. trail.


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W and OD Trail Critters

My contribution to Eileeninmd's Saturday's Critters #141. These wasps are often on the goldenrod, I think they're mason wasps.

Got one on a thistle.

Tiger Swallowtails like the thistles (and teasels):

One of my favorite moths, the Snowberry Clearwing:

Here's a young buck that didn't seem very concerned with my photography:

Or video:

I'm also linking to Anni's I'd Rather B Birdin'.
Here's a lady Goldfinch, something on the ground there distracted her long enough for me to get a pic.

I hope to add more birdie pics in an update. But right now I have to motor.

UPDATE: These berry shrubs have been full of mockingbirds and catbirds for the last week. I've been trying to get some sharp pics, but they see my camera and hop into the shadows. The plant is American Pokeweed. It is poisonous to mammals but not birds.

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Trumpet Vines and Little Box Turtle

My contribution to TexWiscGirl's Good Fences #127.
Here is a trumpet vine fence along the W. and O.D. trail:

Just to the right of the trumpet flowers is this vine, which is similar (but has smooth leaves). I think it is Trumpet honeysuckle:


A little further down the trail near the Luck Stone quarry, there's a yellow trumpet vine:

The quarry:

And here's a little box turtle:

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Nutkin Style

My contribution to Michelle's Nature Notes #(379).
Regular and Blonde Tail Nutkins from the backyard in D.C. earlier this month:

Snowberry Clearwing:

Fiery Skipper

I'm also linking to Carmi's Thematic Photographic 381 - Please Be Seated. For this, I'm going with professional couch connoisseur Amelia:

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Beewolf, Snowberry Clearwing Video

My contribution to Eileeninmd's Saturday's Critters #140.
Gray Hairsteak:

Common Buckeye:

When I saw this flying around the W and O.D. Trail, I thought it was a hover fly due to its flying skills. Turns out it is a small wasp known as a Beewolf:

Tiger Swallowtail:

Snowberry Clearwing Moth, Hemaris diffinis:


For Anni's I'd Rather B Birdin', I have this male Goldfinch. The Goldfinches and the one Monarch I saw this week were sticking to the few remaining flowering thistles. Most other butterflies and bees were loving the teasels.

I was going to save this male Cardinal for Good Fences, but I have plenty of pictures for Thursday and not many birds. So here he is:

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Teasels and Tiger Swallowtails

My contribution to TexWiscGirl's Good Fences #126.
My sister's crepe myrtle is still blossoming nicely along the fence line (as are the neighbors'):

Here's Amelia, always on the wrong side of the door:

I'm also linking to Carmi's Thematic Photographic 380 - Hidden: Can you spot the WIDE LOAD hidden in this picture?

I misidentified these as white thistles. They are actually teasels, a thistle relative.

You can find many critters hidden in the teasels, if you try. For instance, this Tiger Swallowtail.

Here is another. Note the teasel has spikes on top of the flower, unlike a thistle.

Update: Gilly and Bob both posted frog pics for the theme. Since one was hopping around the spa this morning, I'm joining suit.


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Enjoy The Sounds and Sniff The Flowers

My contribution to Michelle's Nature Notes (#378)~ Enjoy the sounds of insects.

Here is one of the sources of the summer sounds Michelle refers to, a cicada. It had recently emerged from its larval shell, so the wings are still slightly greenish (and it couldn't fly away from me...yet).

This is a Silver-spotted Skipper, Epargyreus clarus, on a white thistle flower.

Always remember to sniff the flowers!


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Nutkin and Chipmunk

My contribution to Eileeninmd's Saturday's Critters #139. I don't often see Nutkin and a chipmunk together in the backyard, but here they are. (Pics are from the 2nd floor, the remote+tripod option is out for now.)


For Anni's I'd Rather B Birdin', here are Mr. Cardinal and his sparrow friends:

Last but not least, a Tiger Swallowtail on butterfly bush:


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Campsis Radicans Fence

My contribution to TexWiscGirl's Good Fences #125. This is a Campsis radicans, aka hummingbird vine.

One day, a flock of mockingbirds lined up along the construction fence at my old elementary school. Here are two of them:

Here's the Streambank Mock Orange. Note that the giant bin being used for the neighbors' 10 month long reconstruction project is finally gone. Not gone: the bazillion mosquitoes that grew up in that bin.

And here's an Ashburn dragonfly (female Eastern Pondhawk - Erythemis simplicicollis).

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