September 9, 2026
Late Purple Aster (Symphyotrichum patens) blooming from late August into October with flowers that are just barely 1.25 inches across. With light blue to lavender ray flowers (florets) and yellow disk flowers (florets). The disk florets gradually turn to a dark cinnamon color as they age.
These Asters can be found from southern Maine, down through the south and west to the eastern part of Texas. They’re blooming right now along trails up here in the mountains.
September 8, 2026
A Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) striking a pose for my camera.
The Red Admiral’s choice is of tree sap, rotting fruit and bird droppings for their content of key salts, amino acids and minerals. When these are not available the butterfly will seek out the nectar of flowers. This one is eating the nectar of Goldenrod (Solidago).
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September 7, 2026
When I see these beautiful little sunflowers, they make me think they’re dancing along the trails where they live. Joyful flowers, Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus).
A Perplexing Bumblebee (Bombus perplexus) taking in some of the autumnal nectar of a Woodland Sunflower.
They’re native to southeastern Canada, and the north-central and eastern United States. Growing to 7 feet tall, its flowers are 2 to 4 inches across. Their underground system is roots and rhizomes, enabling them to create colonies. Bees, butterflies and other insects are attracted to their flowers, particularly as autumn marches on. Birds and small mammals enjoy the seeds.
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September 6, 2026
Like many butterflies, the closer one looks the more details are revealed. This is the same species of butterfly that I posted yesterday, an American Painted Lady (Vanessa virginiensis), in a dorsal, or wings open, or upper side view.
This a ventral, or wings up, or under side view. Quite a change from the dorsal view. This view provides eye spots to startle predators.
And here again the dorsal view, with sunlight shining through. Sunlight can change the look of everything when looking at a butterfly.
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September 5, 2026
Two American Painted Lady butterflies (Vanessa virginiensis) enjoying the nectar of Goldenrod (Solidago), which provides them with a rich source of high-energy food. Goldenrod blooms in late summer and into autumn when the vast selection of spring and summer flowers are gone.
These butterflies migrate, spending the winter in the southern United States, Mexico and Central America before returning north in the spring.
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September 4, 2026
Last year about this time I wrote about Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus), and not seeing many at all. Same this year, though I did see a Monarch caterpillar on some of the Common Milkweed just a few days ago. That one delightful find, and I’ve seen just a few other adults.
The Monarch in this picture is getting nectar from Purple Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea) which is considered a non-native, naturalized, invasive plant here in Virginia.
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September 3, 2026
First blooms of Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana), playing an important role in the lives of bumblebees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and many other beneficial pollinators who are out hunting for sources of nectar this late in the season.
Obedient Plant is native to eastern and central North America, including Quebec to Florida, and west to Texas and Minnesota, eastern South Dakota, and including northern Mexico.
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September 2, 2026
Volunteers of native Wingstem (Verbesina alternifolia) are growing in the gardens of my yard. That brings me great pleasure as I walk about, here on the mountain. Many cool flowers attracting many pollinators. Among many things that I love about this plant is that deer are not really interested in eating it, though we know that they’ll eat anything if they’re hungry.
Wingstem is a host plant of Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis).
Pure charm in a brilliant shade of yellow.
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September 1, 2026
Winged Sumac (Rhus copallina), in its early autumn splendor. A plant that lifts me with its brilliant coloring.
Beautiful.
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August 31, 2026
Yellow-collared Scape Moth (Cisseps fulvicollis), on Goldenrod (Solidago). An attractive moth that is 3/4 inch long, with a wingspan of 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Adults are active from April until autumn begins to get really cold, and are found in Canada, south to the states of Texas and Florida.
Adults are diurnal for the most part, though larvae are nocturnal. Adults drink nectar, often of plants in the aster family, such goldenrods, asters and milkweeds. The larvae eat the leaves of low growing grasses and sedges. They also eat lichens which have toxicity which is transferred to adults, which makes them unpalatable.
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