Summer Delights

Our country property is especially lush and beautiful over the summer months. While taking a break from my usual chores, I delight in wandering around our acreage with my camera in hand. There is always something lovely and interesting to see. In this post I feature several of the pretty sights I have observed this summer ~ Identification corrections always welcome

A colorful Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly enjoys the deep purple blooms of a Tall Ironweed plant

 Wild Bergamot flowers attract this beautiful hovering Hummingbird Clearwing Moth

A Monarch Caterpillar navigates the buds of a Common Milkweed plant ~ I have seen very few of these striped beauties this year

A Viceroy Butterfly shows off its gorgeous wings

The iridescent colors on this tiny Condylostylid Long-legged Fly are especially resplendent

Red Milkweed Beetles are regularly seen exploring the Common Milkweed plants

A Wild Bergamot bloom is the flower of choice for this Silver-spotted Skipper

Delicate Eastern Amberwing Dragonflies are a common sight in our peach and apple orchard

 

A busy Honey Bee delights in the tiny blooms of a Sumac Bush

This sightly Eight-spotted Forester Moth was seen flitting around the Common Milkweed plants all day long

Bruce observed a Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly lay this single egg on a peach leaf ~ I kept an eye on it for a few days ~ Sadly, during a recent visit, I noticed it was gone

Had the pretty green egg survived, it would metamorphosized into a lovely Spicebush Swallowtail like this

Summer Beauty

As many of you know, we are currently in the process of building a permanent residence out in the country. This summer, while Bruce has been busy clearing an area for our home with machinery, I have been taking care of maintaining the property and tending to the wildlife. With 14 hummingbird feeders, 6 bird feeders and 4 bird baths to clean and refill, my days are occupied. While going about my daily chores, I make sure to bring my camera and a couple of lenses along in a backpack. There is always something new and interesting to see. Below are several macro photographs taken on our lovely country property.

Identification corrections are always welcome.

The beautiful wings of a Red-spotted Purple

Pearls of dew dot the long feathery bristles of a Common Dandelion

Silver-spotted Skippers are plentiful in our area

A lovely Widow Skimmer perches upon a blade of grass

A tiny Spur-throated Grasshopper explores the tip of some meadow foliage

Sightly Pearly Crescentspots are a common sight during the summer months

The center of this Oxeye Daisy looks very appealing to a busy Hover Fly

The impressive wingspan (3 1/2 - 5 1/2") of a Polyphemus Moth

Butterfly Milkweed fittingly attracts this stunning Great Spangled Fritillary

A Leaf-cutter Bee delights in a Common Milkweed Bloom

A pretty Little Wood Satyr clings to a thin pine needle

A most striking Calico Pennant alights upon field greenery (Identification courtesy of Greg Haworth)

Hanging on ~ Margined Leatherwing Beetle