Countryside Wonders

This post features many wondrous summer sights seen on our country property

~ Identification corrections always welcome ~

A stunning Common Buckeye Butterfly alights on a blade of grass

A delightfully fuzzy Hickory Tussock Caterpillar makes a meal of a plant leaf

 

Filtered sunlight enhances the striking wings of a Viceroy Butterfly

A colorful Black-and-yellow Argiope wraps its unfortunate prey ~ I was one step away from walking through the web before I spotted this busy, large spider (female ~ 3/4 - 1 1/8")

I visited the same spider four days later to find it feasting of web captured insects

This Common Clearwing Hummingbird Moth surprised me by landing on a locust leaf directly in front of where I was standing ~ I had never seen one stationary prior to this occurrence

A Beautiful Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly explores a fragrant milkweed plant

I found this large, fuzzy, yellow American Dagger Caterpillar dining on lush green ground cover ~ I observed it most often on the underside of the leaves

This is the same American Dagger Moth Caterpillar viewed from a different angle ~ Surprisingly, it stayed in the same general area feeding for at least six days

 Bristly Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillars collectively swallow up the leaves of a Common Milkweed plant

A delicate, tiny Gray Hairstreak Butterfly perches atop a Common Milkweed bud

This Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar has developed what appears to be large eyes, though they are not  ~ The purpose of these distinctive eyespots is to resemble the look of a larger creature or snake, thus scare away predators

This warty toad was larger than my fist ~ It was seen hopping about our building site ~ I believe this is an American Toad

Small Wonders

Since acquiring the new macro lens, I have been viewing my surroundings in a very different manner. My walking gait has become slower in order to get a good look at the tiny wonders around me. A few of my senses seem to be keener, more intensified. I concentrate on small areas, rather than viewing a scene as a whole. I now focus in, as if my eyes are camera lenses. I peer at the undersides of leaves, the scaly bark of trees, the intricate centers of wildflowers, the bristly stems of plants, and the hollowed out crevices in old wooden fence posts. There is so much to see! I find myself listening with a sharpened ear to the interesting and varied sounds of insects that flutter clumsily amongst the leaves, or click, gurgle and burp noisily, calling for a mate. There is so much to hear! Below are some of the small wonders I have delighted in observing lately. All photos were taken on our country property. ~ Identification corrections  are welcome ~

A stunning Acmon Blue Butterfly explores leafy ground cover

A vibrant red Nine-spotted Ladybug Beetle in a luscious sea of green

A pollen dusted Virescent Green Metallic Bee delights in a pretty Ironweed flower

This blooming goldenrod plant attracts a most radiant American Copper Butterfly

A boldly patterned Locust Borer scales a goldenrod plant

A Shamrock Orb Weaver Spider repairs its intricate web

The richly colored wings of a Question Mark Butterfly

This Yellow Woolly Bear Moth reminds me of a diva donning a luxurious white cape

To my naked eye, this Clavate Tortoise Beetle looked like a shred of forest debris ~ Upon focusing in with my macro lens, I saw it was an odd alien-like insect