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Long-Bracted Tickseed Sunflower
All along the roadsides. Rich warm yellow greets the cars and trucks that pass. Long-bracted Tickseed Sunflower (Biden polylepis). It’s native to eastern and central United States and south-central Canada. The leaves of Long-Bracted Tickseed Sunflower are quite distinctive, with sharply toothed margin, opposite and pinnately compound. These flowers bloom from late summer to early fall. Attracting all sorts of…
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Common Buckeye Revisited
I’m looking forward to my Asters blooming. They are a big draw for an incredibly beautiful butterfly. The Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia). It’s when those Asters are blooming that I get to see the Common Buckeye. As an adult and butterfly they have a life of just six to twenty days. During those few days…
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A While Back on 29
Taking a break from nature for just a moment to look back. Route 29 in Charlottesville, just east of the airport. By 2004 when these pictures were taken the only thing left were signs. The motel was on the east side of Route 29. Now at that intersection there is a Walgreens and to the…
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Red Berries of Spicebush
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin). In spring this bush of the eastern woods of North America create a wash of soft yellow with small but plentiful blooms. By autumn the blossoms have turned to brilliant red berries. Much to the delight of many birds, including two of my favorites, the Hermit Thrust, and the Red-eyed Vireo.
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American Beautyberry
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is native to the southern United States including Maryland to Florida, west to Texas and Arkansas, also Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas and Cuba. The berries are ripe right now in Florida. They attract many species of birds including Cardinals, Mockingbirds, Finches, Woodpeckers and many more. Don’t be fooled though. Pay attention…
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Sachem
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris). A small grass skipper butterfly with a wingspan of just 1.25 to 1.5 inches. Skippers (Hesperiidae) are a family of butterflies that have the characteristics of both butterflies and moths. Host plants of Sachem caterpillars are many grasses such as Bermuda Grass, Hairy Crabgrass, Red Fescue, St. Augustine Grass, Indian Goosegrass and…
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Hummers Heading South
Within the past two weeks the population of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) here at my feeders, has dropped considerably. I had been putting out two quarts of syrup each day. Now I put out one cup each day. Big drop. They’re packing their bags. Heading south. Migrating for the winter to Central America and Mexico.…
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Where Are My Bears?
Labor Day Weekend is just days away. Considered by many to be the end of summer. But there has been something lacking in my summer here in the mountains. Bears. They arrive all set to eat all the apples out of the apple tree or the all the cherries out of the cherry tree. Breaking…
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Happy Anniversary!
Youngsters, two and three years old, or so it seemed. A mighty fine pair. Happy 54th Anniversary!
