Wildflowers, Insects, & Amphibians by the Lower Flat- August 16 2007

I’m not sure what plant this is.  The purple plant in the back is the invasive plant, purple loosestrife.

HPIM3573, originally uploaded by Camp Naturalist.

Bumble bee on Goldenrod.

 

 

Wasp and another insect on goldenrod

Mayfly on Autumn Olive(Autumn Olive is an invasive species).

I think this might be an early phase of a spicebush swallowtail caterpillar on spicebush leave(?). It looks like bird scat which is great camouflage.  If this is a spicebush swallowtail then the silk that it’s sitting on will be used to seal up the leave as it transforms.

Here’s what it looks like with its antenae out:

Here’s a yellow jacket(upside down) eating a dead cicada(circle of life).

Here’s the after effects of a leaf miner on the shrubs by main beach.

 Here’s a spring peeper.

Colorful Milkweed Tussocks Moth caterpillar(Euchaetes egle) on a milkweed plant.

Female praying mantis.

Purple Loosestrife – July 27, 2007

IMG_1137, originally uploaded by Camp Naturalist.

This beautiful invasive wildflower is growing on the roadway of our fen. A problem plant because it has such reproductive power, loosestrife is of special concern because it chokes out native waterplants. But all that aside, this butterfly seems to be enjoying this plant’s all the same.

Bee on Dandelion – May 5 2007

IMG_9114_crop, originally uploaded by Camp Naturalist.

Damselflies & Japanese Beetles by the Fen – July 12, 2006

Here are two damselflies resting on some plants on the edge of our fen.  I’m not sure but these two may be male and female of the same species.

 
IMG_3142e

Originally uploaded by Camp Naturalist.

Here is a japanese beetle eating a rose flower.

 

Here are mating japanese beetles.

Insects in Spring – May 2006

Ants with their young

  

IMG_1747 Originally uploaded by Camp Naturalist.

Hornets nest beginning to take shape

   

 

Large Bee Fly

Asian Ladybug on Garlic Mustard plant

Garlic mustard and Asian ladybugs are both invasive species.

  

 Painted hickory borer

Twig Borer

Zelus assassin Bug nymph