Along the Air Line...

Summer 2007, Part 6

July 31st. Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus).

Cast skin of a dragonfly nymph.

Late afternoon and the Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) are again congregating to groom in the trees.

The swallows flew fast over the water...

...and appeard to be taking bathing dips in the marsh.

Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus).

Monatch (Danaus plexppus).

Great Blue Heron using open-mouthed "gular flutter" to try and stay cool in today's 90+ degree temperatures.

Fred and Ginger?

Climbing False Buckwheat (Polygonum scandens).

August 5th. Climbing False Buckwheat with Queen Anne's Lace.

A Thread-waisted Wasp in the family Sphecidae.

ID help please?

Banded Longhorn Beetle (Typocerus velutinus), a wasp mimic.

Danger lurks on Goldenrod in the form of Ambush Bugs (Family Phymatidae). These capture insects with their strongly spined front legs and pierce them with their beak.

Cardinal Flowers (Lobelia cardinalis).

Male Eastern Tailed Blue (Everes comyntas).

The female has much darler upper surfaces.

Here it is ovipositing on Tick-Trefoil.

August 6th. Bluecurls (Trichostema dichotomum).

White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawn. No sign of the doe.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias).

August 7th. Hazy humid summer morning.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) and Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) share a fog-shrouded dead tree.