05-JUL-2012
Black swallowtail (Papillio polyxenes), female
This is one of three black swallowtails I saw at the garden (two were hanging around the Queen Anne's lace together, the 3rd was on the other side of the garden). Here, this female is nectaring, but a little earlier, she was ovipositing on this plant.
05-JUL-2012
Butterfly Meadow - new plantings
Diane and her team of volunteers have done phenomenal work in planting thousands of plants in the ever-expanding butterfly meadow. This photo shows only one small area. There is much more. Impressive work.
05-JUL-2012
Juvenile tree swallow
This family of tree swallows has not yet left. The youngster looking out of the box appears ready to take flight, and most of the other swallows have now left. Hopefully, there is nothing wrong here.
05-JUL-2012
Eastern kingbird
Swooping over the pond, this kingbird narrowly missed catching a cabbage white butterfly, but did find some flies that it caught and ate.
05-JUL-2012
Green heron
This green heron was hanging out at the pond, first at the fallen maple (felled a few years back by an overwintering beaver, and now a well, well used perch by all sorts of birds... and dragonflies), and then on the turtle raft.
05-JUL-2012
Jumping spiders (Phidippus clarus)
On July 1st, I photographed one of these spiders and yesterday, while working in the old field, I saw two on a dong-strangling vine leaf.
01-JUL-2012
Great spangled fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
A bit tattered but still flying strongly and here, nectaring on common milkweed.
01-JUL-2012
Jumping spiders (Phidippus clarus)
Milkweeds are always good places to find jumping spiders. I was delighted to find the very striking P. clarus male, the one at the top. He was sparring with another male when I came across them and while one bolted, this one tried to scare me off before retreating to his silken shelter where this other spider was hiding. I assume it is the female, because it is the right colour and pattern (she is very different from the male), but she seems so much smaller and usually the reverse is true. This species is exceptionally large for a jumping spider at about 15 mm for the female (including legs), and somewhat smaller for the male.
01-JUL-2012
Jumping spider (Phidippus clarus), male
Here, the male shows off his vividly coloured abdomen.
01-JUL-2012
Jumping spider (Phidippus clarus), male
And here, the male is trying to scare me off. Look at those shiny green fangs and those big eyes. I find jumping spiders to be the most attractive of all spiders. Very, very cute. I guess it is the big eyes.
01-JUL-2012
Mating Eastern forktails (Ischnura verticalis)
These pretty forktails were in the Backyard Garden pond this afternoon.
01-JUL-2012
Prunus leaf with sections cut out by leaf-cutting bees
Two newly planted prunus trees in the ash woods, have been heavily visited by leaf-cutting bees (Megachilids). They cut circular sections for nest making and in this case, in the nearby bee nest box. The leaf-cutting bees favour plants in the rose family, of which prunus trees are a member.