June 27th. LifeStar over Raymond Brook Marsh. Sombody having a very bad day I fear.

 

Showy Tick-trefoil (Desmodium canadense). Their jointed seed pods are covered in "velcro" causing them to break off and stick tight to clothing.

 

 

 

Yarrow (Achillea millifolium) with a foraging Bumble Bee (Family Bombidae).

 

An afternoon walk over the Lyman Viaduct. Rabbit's-foot Clover (Trifolium arvense).

 

Field Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense).

 

Bouncing Bet (Saponaria officinalis).

 

 

 

 

 

Some Ants (Family Formicidae) herd Aphids (Family Aphididae) in a mutualistic relationship. The ants protect the aphids from predators and parisitoids while the aphids provide excess sweet "honeydew" which the ants imbibe.

 

 

 

Round-headed Bush-clover (Lespedeza capitata).

 

 

 

Eyebane or Nodding Spurge (Euphorbia nutans). It left my fingers sticky where the cut stem spread milky latex to my fingers. I was lucky that I got it only on my fingers and quickly rubbed it off. It can cause severe irritation and is dangerous if you get it in your eyes.

 

This is a Scarab beetle; common name Oriental Beetle (Family Scarabaeidae, Subfamily Rutelinae, Exomala orientalis).

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Enchanter's Nightshade (Circacea lutetiana). Another plant with "velcro" fruits.

 

 

 

As usual, at Cranberry Bog, lots of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) in the shade.

 

A female Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) has caught a teneral (just molted to the adult winged form but not yet "colored up") Dragonfly.

 

One of the Knapweeds (Centaurea sp), perhaps Black Knapweed (C. nigra).

 

A Stink Bug (Family Pentatomidae) on Yarrow.

 

Note the tiny parasitic wasp on the bug's head. Not sure what it's up to.

 

June 28th. Sweet Peas (Lathyrus odoratus) at Cranberry Bog on a misty day.

 

 

 

June 29th. A male Ebony Jewelwing damselfly (Calopteryx maculata).

 

Spreading Dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium) with a bonus ant.

 

Bracted Plantain or Buckhorn (Plantago aristata).

 

 

 

 

 

Green Frog (Rana clamitans).

 

 

 

Little Wood-Satyr (Megisto cymela).

 

 

 

A Sweat Bee (Family Halictidae) approaching a Hedge Bindweed (Convolvulus sepium) flower...

 

...and landing.

 

A Flower Fly (Toxomerus marginatus) approaching a Sweat Bee.

 

A different Halictid Sweat Bee, this one easily identified to species (Agapostemon virescens) getting an early start feeding on a barely open Chicory flower (Cichorium intybus).