-
Flowering Spurge
Flowering Spurge (Euphorbia corollata). A plant that’s in the Spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). Flowering Spurge has a milky sap that is caustic, so be careful. Those flowers are really small at just 1/4 inch. The plant grows to 2 or 3 feet tall and has a taproot which makes it difficult to transplant. It can be…
-
Deptford Pink And . . .
Deptford Pink (Dianthus armeria) is an annual or biennial plant that pops up in just a few places here, in one of my gardens, in a corner of the lane, or a spot in the woods, every summer. It is native to Europe and though I am dedicated to native plants, it makes me happy…
-
THIS Is Why I Love To Fly
This indeed is why I love to fly. I just have to be sure I’ve got one of my many camera with me, the perfect lens, AND a window seat, and I’m a happy camper. Just so long as there are not tons of flight cancellations happening. _______________________________________________________________________ If you would like to receive my…
-
Happy 4th Of Banana!
Yes, Happy 4th of Banana! And speaking of the 4th, here are some flowers, native to eastern North America, that make me think of fire works. These flowers, Scarlet Beebalm (Monarda didyma). They attract all sorts of pollinators, like the Bumblebee in the picture above. A Bumblebee is part of the bee family, Apidae. There…
-
Canadian Owlet Moth Caterpillar
Quite the impressive caterpillar. Caterpillar of the Canadian Owlet Moth (Calyptra canadensis). Native to most of Canada and the United States. Adults have a wingspan of a bit less than 1.5 inches and are pale brown, looking much like a dried up leaf, a perfect camouflage. The caterpillars of Canadian Owlet Moths feed exclusively on…
-
A Gorgeous Beetle
Shiny black, like patent leather shoes, with an impressive purple edging. A Ground Beetle with no common name, but a scientific name of Carabus serratus. Ground Beetles are a large family of beetles, Carabidae, with around 2,000 species in North America. Ground Beetles eat slugs, snails, worms, and insects in all stages of growth. All…
-
Selfheal
Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris). A member of the Mint family (Lamiaceae). Pollinators such as Bees, small Butterflies and Skippers seek the nectar of Selfheal. And Halictid Bees collect Selfheal’s pollen. In the image above, a Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus) is gathering nectar. _______________________________________________________________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign…
-
Tall Bellflower
Tall Bellflower (Campanulastrum americanum), in the Bellflower family (Campanulaceae). In bloom right now, in many spots up here in the woods. The common name of Tall Bellflower is certainly appropriate since these plants grow to be from 2, all the way to 6 feet tall. Usually each plant is a single stem, although on occasion,…
-
Canada Violet
I’ve recently come upon these beautiful snow white Canada Violet (Viola canadensis) on the trail going up Hightop, and also at the yoga studio where I can often be found. As you see here, they often bloom one at a time. Petals of this species are longer and more narrow than other violets. Each of…
-
Berry Plume Moth
Quite the surprise to find these moths on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). These are Berry Plume Moths (Geina tenuidactyla), a member of the family Pterophoridae. Moths that look to me as if they are from the Mesozoic Era, and coexisted with dinosaurs. But they’re here today along with Monarchs and Tiger Swallowtails. Tiny winged creatures.…