August 20th.  Late afternoon at the marsh.  A Viceroy (Limenitis archippus) butterfly's caterpillar feeding on Willow.  A spiny bird poop mimic: odd combination.

 

Carrion-flower (Smilax herbacea) berries are ripening.  Soon they will be blue-black.

 

An earth-boring Scarab Beetle (Geotrupes sp., probably G. semiopacus).

 

A Sharpshooter (In the Leafhopper family Cicadellidae; Graphocephela sp.) on Great Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida).

 

August 21st.  Mid-day, east of Route 207.  Hops (Humulus lupulus) grow over a boulder at the trail crossing.

 

 

 

A Yellow-jacket Wasp (Vespula maculifrons).

 

NOT a Yellow-jacket, but a harmless fly mimic of one.  (Family Syrphidae)

 

A Fritillary and Bumblebee sharing a Thistle.

 

The Fritillary is old in butterfly days.

 

The marsh east of Route 207.

 

Meadow-rue (Thalictrum sp.) has turned to its fall color.

 

 

 

One of the early Asters.

 

Oddly colored Beach leaves.

 

Field Milkwort (Polygala sanguinia).

 

 

 

Hog-peanut (Amphicarpa bracteata).

 

 

 

 

 

Indian Tobacco (Lobelia inflata).

 

Wild Sensitive-Plant (Cassia nictitans).

 

 

 

 

 

One of the Smartweeds (Polygonum sp.).

 

 

 

Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris).

 

 

 

Fruits of False Solomon's-seal (Smilacina racemosa).

 

Bluecurls (Trichostema dichotomum).

 

 

 

Mating Ambush Bugs (Family Phymatidae; Phymata sp.) on Goldenrod.

 

Bumblebee on invasive Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria).

 

Lots of Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) where the trail crosses the power lines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cardinal Flower and Joe-Pye-weed.

 

Chestnut at the Route 207 crossing.

 

August 22nd.  Joe-Pye-weed and Goldenrod edge Cranberry Bog in East Hampton.

 

Invasive (but pretty) Purple Loosestrife and white Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum).

 

Lots of insect activity on the Joe-Pye-weed.  Honeybee (Apis mellifera).

 

An inchworm (Family Geometridae).

 

A Sweat Bee (Family Halictidae, Agapostemon sp.).

 

A mated pair of Goldenrod Soldier Beetles (Family Cantharidae; Chauliognathus pensylvanicus).  Orange specks are phoretic mites, along for a ride.

 

An Ambush Bug Family Phymatidae; Phymata sp.).  Note the nasty grasping front leg.

 

A male Peachtree Borer (Synanthedon exitiosa).  A moth that impersonates a wasp.

 

 

 

A Sheld Bug nymph.

 

A few Sweet Peas hanging in there; late in their season.

 

Groundnut (Apios americana).