12-JUN-2008
Great Spangled Fritillary Butterfly
One of the most abundant butterflies in the spring. Weather and projects had delayed my visit to the Canadian Thistle and even though it appears to have been blooming a while, there wasn't a lot of other activity this day.
16-JUN-2008
Little Glassywing Skipper
Four days later and the skippers have emerged for their spring flight! There is no sign of wear and tear, so this one must have freshly emerged. Note the size difference from the previous Fritillary ...the skippers are very small!!!
16-JUN-2008
Little Glassywing Skipper
A different view of the same specimen as the previous one.
16-JUN-2008
Silvery Checkerspot Butterfly
This is a medium-sized butterfly.
16-JUN-2008
Great Spangled Fritillary Butterfly
These are such beautiful posers!
16-JUN-2008
Mason Wasp
Monodia quadridens. Not the sharpest focus, but I love the blue of the wings in the sun.
16-JUN-2008
Bumble Bee
This is the last of the uploads for June 16th...LOTS more to go! It's been a very busy few weeks here.
17-JUN-2008
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
...and the first of all of the activity documented this day.
17-JUN-2008
Grass Skipper
Unknown species...still searching. It is already a little worn.
17-JUN-2008
Zabulon Skipper
This one is a little worn also. I don't believe it is the same species as the previous one.
17-JUN-2008
It's breezy out here!
Fritillary...determined to nectar.
17-JUN-2008
A Partial View of My Thistle/Butterfly Garden
It is very difficult to show how much activity is going on right now. I tried to count and saw at least 36 fritillaries, the most plentiful species at this time. This is a slight crop of one section. The patch is probably about 40' x 20', at the top of a little hill to the right of our driveway, and starts at the end of our daffodil garden (120' long). The "Rails to Trails" is to the north...the shaded dark area in this photo. I only take BMacro close-ups at the top edge since moving through the patch is impossible. The ground is very uneven and has a steep slope, I'd hate to disturb everything, not to mention that I also would be tangled and scratched up!
17-JUN-2008
I'm Watching You
While I was taking pictures of all the activity in the Thistles, the dogs started carrying on and startled this deer. Here she is watching me from the Rails to Trails in back of the Thistle Patch. This must be one of the gals we feed every winter.
17-JUN-2008
Eight-spotted Forester Moth
In the middle of the patch I spotted this little black and white insect. The picture has been cropped severely, but here you can better see the identifying orange markings on it's leg.
17-JUN-2008
Fitillary and Eight-spotted Forester
17-JUN-2008
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
This one has obviously been around for a while already!
17-JUN-2008
Great Spangled Fritillaries
17-JUN-2008
Zabulon Skipper and Bumble Bee
17-JUN-2008
Honey Bee
Yes! They are still hanging in so far.
17-JUN-2008
Syrphid Fly
Identified from another slightly out of focus shot. From this angle I wouldn't be able to tell if it was a bee, wasp, or fly.
17-JUN-2008
A Trio of Butterflies...
Fritillary, Silver-spotted Skipper, and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (a different specimen from the previous images).
17-JUN-2008
Silver-spotted Skipper
We have a lot of these around here...all throughout the summer. This appears to be recently emerged specimen from the Spread-wing sub-family.
17-JUN-2008
Skipper Butterfly
I believe this is another Zabulon Skipper, or possibly a Hobomok. After a while they all start to look alike...or completely different depending on the lighting and angle.
17-JUN-2008
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
Now this one is easy to identify! I believe it is the male form.
17-JUN-2008
Two Fritillaries and Bug
When I looked at this picture closer, I saw the bug on the back of the thistle stem.
17-JUN-2008
Silvery Checkerspot Butterflies
At first I thought these were Pearl Crescents, but they are a little larger. They are both members of the Brushfoot family.
17-JUN-2008
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and Silver-spotted Skipper Butterflies
...so many different sizes.
17-JUN-2008
Zebra Swallowtail
I have been so excited to see these around here this year, in the past I have only gotten a brief glimpse a few times. I did get a few pictures in 2003, but they were all dorsal views, and had no idea they had the beautiful red stripe underneath. They are very difficult to capture, as they always seem to be fluttering around.
17-JUN-2008
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
17-JUN-2008
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
A side view of the same specimen as previous one.
17-JUN-2008
Little Glassywing Skipper
I love taking Macro shots!
17-JUN-2008
Skipper Butterfly
I haven't been able to ID this one as I didn't get a dorsal view...possibly a Dun?
17-JUN-2008
Widow Skimmer
Woo Hoo, I actually got a dragonfly picture! This has been cropped, as it was aways down in the thistle.
17-JUN-2008
Widow Skimmer
This view shows it at a little different angle, so the gold sides are more apparent.
17-JUN-2008
Tachinid Fly
I'm starting to see a larger variety of insects showing up.
17-JUN-2008
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
I love it when the larger butterflies get close enough to use the B-Macro! When used, I have to be about 10-12" away, so it is necessary to zoom out. It's very difficult to get a sharp focus at full zoom...they don't stay still long, and it was breezy!
18-JUN-2008
Spreadwing Skipper
This is the only shot I got of this one, and the only one I have seen. Could it be the species Dreamywing?
18-JUN-2008
Fritillary and Wasp
I believe this is the same species of wasp taken previously...still working on ID. I'm fairly confident that it is a Mason Wasp, Monodia quadridens. Notice how the thistle is starting to mature now?
18-JUN-2008
Himmelman's Plume Moth
This is a small moth, and difficult to photograph. This is a slightly cropped image taken when I was using the B-Macro.
18-JUN-2008
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
The larger butterflies are alreadry beginning to become scarce. This is the last image of this species I took in the thistle patch.
18-JUN-2008
Bumble Bee
This is one of the Bombus genus and probably difficult to ID to species from this one picture.
18-JUN-2008
Great Spangled Fritillary Butterfly
Close-up with face detail.
18-JUN-2008
Northern Paper Wasp
These are starting to become a little more numerous now.
19-JUN-2008
Five Butterflies and a Bumble Bee
...perhaps I should have said 4 1/2 Butterflies?
19-JUN-2008
Honey Bee
I'm seeing more and more of these now, very encouraging considering the CCD [Colony Collapse Disorder] event that has been occuring for the last couple of years.
19-JUN-2008
Woolly Aphid
This is another first for me...very tiny and looks like a puff of cotton when flying. We have these everywhere this year!
19-JUN-2008
Tiny Sweat Bee
One of the species from the Halictidae family.
19-JUN-2008
Treehopper- Ceresa basalis
This has been confirmed to species ID by Dr. Andy Hamilton.
20-JUN-2008
Little Glassywing Skipper
I'm still seeing these undamaged (freshly emerged?) Little Glassywing Skippers.
20-JUN-2008
Little Glassywing Skipper
A partial view of the upper wing markings. This could be the same specimen as the previous image.
20-JUN-2008
Peck's Skipper Butterfly and Plant Bug
This is the first Peck's Skipper I've seen this year. I'm still looking for the Plant Bug (Miridae Family) ID.
20-JUN-2008
Peck's Skipper Butterfly
Another view of the same specimen as the previous image.
20-JUN-2008
Flower Fly - Syrphid
I'm fairly confident this is a female Eristalis arbustorum.
20-JUN-2008
Flower Fly - Syrphid
Top view of the previous specimen.
20-JUN-2008
Snout Beetle and Bee
This bee may be a Leaf-cutter in the in the Genus Megachile, I'm still hoping for ID confirmation.
20-JUN-2008
Zabulon Skipper Butterfly
There are still a lot of these around.
21-JUN-2008
Zabulon Skipper Butterfly
It's a new day and these are still fairly plentiful.
21-JUN-2008
Grass Skipper Butterfly
This may be the same species as the still unidentified one taken on the 17th.
21-JUN-2008
Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly
This beautiful guy finally came a little closer!
21-JUN-2008
Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly
Same specimen as the previous one, view from the top. It was the last day I was able to capture any pictures of this beautiful butterfly.
21-JUN-2008
Peck's Skipper Butterfly
This is the picture I used to ID the Peck's Skipper, and one of my favorites!
21-JUN-2008
Eyed Click Beetle
Something bumped into my head and fell to the ground. I've never seen one of these before! It didn't move for a while, and must have been stunned since it later moved on.
22-JUN-2008
Zabulon Skipper Butterfly
The skipper butterflies seem to be dwindling, but these were still around.
23-JUN-2008
A pair of Leaffooted Bugs
The butterflies may be dwindling, but the other inhabitants are not.
23-JUN-2008
Transverse Flower Fly
This species is another first for me.
23-JUN-2008
Honey Bee
This may be my favorite Honey Bee picture ever.
24-JUN-2008
Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly
It's a new day, and this is the first Spicebush I've seen this year.
24-JUN-2008
Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly
Side view of the previous specimen. The butterflies are getting scarce and the ones that are around seem to be getting very worn by now.
25-JUN-2008
Canadian Thistle...nearing the end
More blooms are going to seed now, so the peak must be over. Though the thistle still smells so sweet!
29-JUN-2008
Sulphur Butterfly
After a few days of rain, I never expected this! I believe it is an Orange Sulphur Butterfly, but it is very hard to tell the difference between the Orange and the Clouded.
29-JUN-2008
Sulphur Butterfly
Same specimen as the previous...note how different the colors look depending on their angle to the sun. It is sharing the thistle with a Mirid (Plant Bug).
01-JUL-2008
Grass-carrying Wasp
...the first of the final 12 images from this project. Isondontia mexicana.
01-JUL-2008
Leaffooted Bug
This is a member of the Coreidae family.
01-JUL-2008
Differential Grasshopper Nymph
The butterflies have all but disappeared now and other insects are showing up. This is a female 3rd stage instar nymph.
01-JUL-2008
Great Golden Digger Wasp
Oh my! What is this, it's the most beautiful wasp I have ever seen!?! Not identified until two hours later when I went back to try and capture some better images.
01-JUL-2008
Great Golden Digger Wasp
...about two hours later, just look at his face...it is really golden! (do you see the small spider?)
01-JUL-2008
Great Golden Digger Wasp
He keeps going to the back of the patch!
01-JUL-2008
Great Golden Digger Wasp
Now this is quite a stretch, isn't it?
01-JUL-2008
Great Golden Digger Wasp
Finally! Close enough to use the B-Macro to try and capture all the contortions he was going through.
01-JUL-2008
Great Golden Digger Wasp
...and on top! A very fitting end to this extremely long 7 page, 84 image Pblog Gallery, and documentary effort?