June 8th.  Several inches of rain yesterday and last night made for high water in the marsh and roaring streams and falls.  Water flowed across the trail in the usual places.  This Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) was stranded in shallow water right in the middle of the trail.  After taking this pictuire, I helped it on its way.

 

The high water left pond and water lily pads submerged for now.

 

 

 

A family of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) seemed unconcerned.

 

The stream at the Route 85 trail head was rushing along.

 

 

 

Grayville Falls was roaring!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 9th.  Dew on Yarrow (Achillea millifolium) flowers...

 

...and leaves.  (The highly branched leaves account for "millifolium" in the species name.)

 

Dew on various grasses too.

 

Dew, plus a Flower Fly (Family Syrphidae) and, barely visible, a much smaller fly.

 

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) blossoms should be opening in a few days.

 

Milkweed Longhorn Beetles (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus) are already out.

 

 

 

Grape Tumid Galls are caused by the larvae of tiny midges (Janetiella brevicauda) in the family Cecidomyiidae.

 

These are also grape tumid galls.

 

A Treehopper (Family Membracidae, probably Cyrtolobus sp.).

 

 

 

A male Fragile Forktail damselfly (Ischnura posita).

 

Best guess is a female Emerald Spreadwing damselfly (Lestes dryas), but wait, there's something odd about the photo...

 

Too many wings.  Ah, it's feeding on a smaller damselfly (one wing visible towards the upper right, and the abdomen - covered with orange phoretic mites - towards the lower left.)  It's a damsel eat damsel world.

 

Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) is just starting to bloom.

 

Pollenia labialis is a Calliphorid fly that forms mating "leks" in the same sunny spots along the trail each summer.  Today I saw the first few of this year.  For the full story of these interesting and harmless flies see: http://www.performance-vision.com/airline2012/airline-summer-12c.htm#flies

 

Males' eyes meet at the top of the head.

 

Female eyes a separated.

 

A Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis) goes head-to-head with an ant.

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure this is Night-blooming Catchfly (Silene noctiflora).

 

 

 

June 13th.  Swamp Azalea (Rhododendron viscosum).

 

June 14th. Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron annuus).

 

Spreading Dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium).

 

 

 

Deptford Pink (Dianthus armeria).

 

Wild Garlic (Allium canadense).

 

Hop Clover (Trifolium agrarium).

 

A Beardtongue (Penstemon sp., probably P. digitalis).

 

Beardtongues get their name from the lower, hairy sterile stamen.  Note the deep purple fertile stamens above it.

 

Yet another male Fragile Forktail damselfly (Ischnura posita).  They were everywhere today.

 

Wool Sower Gall on White Oak, formed by larvae of a tiny cynipid wasp.

 

A quick afternoon check of the Great Blue Heron roost in Lebanon.

 

Three chicks in each of the two active nests.

 

The young are looking more like adults every day.

 

Best watched full-screen.

 

Some ornamental Iris at the Cook Hill Road parking area.