August 5th. Back on the trail after 10 days in New Hampshire. Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura).

 

(New Hampshire vacation pictures here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanmalcolm/albums/72157710146589066)

 

Hmm, looks like a young...? (Russ, what do you think? "Juvenile Yellow Warbler", Dendroica petechia. Thanks, Russ!)

 

 

 

 

 

Young female Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos). Wing feathers not developed enough for flight.

 

Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus).

 

(The next day, the flower was almost entirely eaten.)

 

Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia).

 

Wonderfully fragrant.

 

Common Evening-primrose (Oenothera biennis).

 

I'm pretty sure this is Fringed Loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata).

 

August 6th. High humidity ground fog. (Headlights required driving to the trail.)

 

Common Reed (Phragmites australis). Highly invasive and spreading across the marsh.

 

 

 

A young Sparrow. I won't attempt species but am open to suggestions. (Russ: "Swamp Sparrow", Melospiza georgiana. Thanks again, Russ.).

 

A male Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)...

 

...and the female nearby.

 

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius).

 

 

 

Spotted Joe-Pye-weed (Eupatorium maculatum).

 

Highbush Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) are all ripening at once.

 

Seedling White Oaks (Quercus alba).

 

August 7th. Primrose Moth (Schinia florida).

 

Adults are usually found head deep in Evening Primrose flowers. They lay eggs there and the larvae feed on the seed capsules.

 

Bumble Bee (Family Bombidae), one of many attracted to Evening Primrose. The bees' tarsal claws rip the flowers to shreds.

 

A Monarch caterpillar and distictive yellow aphids feeding on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca).

 

The Monarch caterpillars (Danaus plexippus) sever the main veins of the leaf, halting the flow of toxic "milk" before feeding beyond the break.

 

Milkweed Aphids (Aphis nerii) also feed on Oleander. They were introduced to North America on infested Oleanader.

 

New York Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis).

 

August 8th. Late morning. Sun and clouds after a damp and dreary start to the day.
Buffalo Treehopper (Ceresa alta).

 

A thorn mimic from the right angles (and when perched on a stem).

 

Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) with a full pollen load on Goldenrod (Solidago sp.).

 

 

 

 

 

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius).

 

 

 

Male Blue Dasher dragonfly (Pachydiplax longipennis).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Early afternoon at Cranberry Bog. A newly eclosed male Monarch (Danaus plexippus) on Joe-Pye-weed (Eupatorium maculatum).

 

Male because of the swollen spots (scent glands) on a hind wing vein.

 

 

 

 

 

Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus).

 

Skippers can be tough to identify. Pretty sure this is Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius).

 

 

 

Getting crowded on the flower head.

 

I'm guessing that this is a Crossline Skipper (Polites origenes).

 

 

 

Northern Flatid Planthopper (Anormenis chloris). They're fun to play with: as you approach, they circle around to the back of the stem. Wiggle your finger behind the stem and they circle back to the front.

 

Two Ambush Bugs (Phymata sp.).

 

Wild Sensitive Plant (Chamaecrista nictitans).

 

 

 

August 9th. A Wave moth (Family Geometridae, Subfamily Sterrhinae, Genus Lobocleta or Scopula).