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Along the Air Line... Summer 2006, Part 5 |
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August 21st. Honey bee (Apis mellifera) on Goldenrod (Solidago sp.) |
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New York Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis). |
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Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis). |
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Virgin's Bower or Wild Clematis (Clematis virginiana). |
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August 23rd. Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias). |
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Also on the 23rd, a shy Northern River Otter (Lutra canadensis) visited the marsh. |
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August 31st. A mouse, probably a young White-footed Mouse (Peromyscus leucopus). |
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September 8th. |
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September 9th. |
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September 16th. |
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Rain over the past few days has swollen Grayville Falls. |
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Asters (Aster sp.) |
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A female Blister Beetle (Meloe angusticollis). When disturbed, blister beetles "reflex bleed" from their leg joints. The fluid contains Cantharidin, a defensive compound that blisters skin and causes internal hemorrhaging if eaten. |
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A Yellow Bear (Spilosoma virginica), the caterpillar of a
Tiger Moth. |
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An Assasin Bug (Family Reduviidae; Sinea sp.) on Goldenrod
(Solidago sp.). Assasin bugs typically prey on other insects
but can inflict a painful bite with their piercing mouthparts if handled
carelessly. Note the powerful front legs for grasping prey. |
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Diverse mushrooms have appeared after the rain. |
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September 18th. A brief excursion to the East Hampton trail head where I found a patch of Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), an invasive plant that has choked waterways in the south. Thankfully, so far it has not survived our New England winters. |
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A Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos) on Asters. |
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Asters (Aster sp.) |
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August 19th. I took a brief noontime walk along the trail in North Westchester. These photos were taken near Norton Pond off River Road. |
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Fall colors are subtle along the trail. |
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Asters (Aster sp.) |
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A Broad-headed Bug (Family Alydidae, Megalotomus quinquespinosus).
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Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina communis). |
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Knapweed (Centaurea sp.). |
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