July 10th.  A brief walk from River Road along the Blackledge River to the Air Line Trail bridge.

 

Red Admirals (Vanessa atalanta) are super fast fliers.  Makes you wonder how a bird was able to get a nip out of its hindwing.

 

Lots of butterflies on Fleabane (Erigeron sp.), including this Hickory Hairsteak (Satyrium caryaevorum).

 

But the highlight for me was a number of American Coppers (Lycaena phlaeas).

 

Some females like this one have metallic blue spots on the hindwing and are noted as form caeruleopunctata.  More here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycaena_phlaeas

 

Males and some females lack the blue spots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Camouflaged Looper (Synchlora aerata), caterpillar of the Wavy-lined Emerald.  After each molt, it decorates itself with clippings of whatever flower it's feeding on.  In this photo, its head is at the lower left, about to snip off two remaining ray flowers.

 

Another looper, this one is a Blackberry Looper (Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria)...

 

...on Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta).

 

 

 

 

 

Deptford Pinks (Dianthus armeria), the one on the left with a Thrips.

 

Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea maculosa).

 

A Sweat Bee (Family Halictidae).  This bright metallic green specimen is probably Augochloropsis metallica.

 

 

 

I teased this Weevil (Family Curculionidae) out from deep in the flower.  I'm going out on a limb to say it is genus Larinus, possibly L. planus or L. turbinatus.

 

A quick stop at Cranberry Bog.  The Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) goslings are showing adult plumage.

 

 

 

 

 

A male Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) that hasn't quite developed its prunose blue coloring.

 

A male Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis).

 

July 11th. Cloudy and humid after rain.  Deer Flies brutal.  Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris).

 

 

 

 

 

Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata).

 

Pickerelweed (Pontaderia cordata)...

 

...is spreading as the marsh fills in.

 

There used to be more water lilies and open water in summer.

 

A Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) family out for a stroll.

 

 

 

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius) resting with one leg tucked up.

 

 

 

July 18th.  A female Meadowhawk dragonfly (Sympetrum sp.).

 

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius).

 

A young male Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)...

 

...and two more.

 

A brief afternoon stop at Cranberry Bog.  The Canada Goose adults and goslings are indistinguishable now, except for the watchful behavior of the parents.  None have full wing feathers; the adults from a molt, the young because, well, they're still young.

 

Mallard mom and six pretty mature ducklings.

 

 

 

There was also a family of Wood Ducks.

 

July 19th.  A double Day-lily (Hemerocallis fulva), presumably an escaped garden variety.

 

 

 

Tall Meadow-rue (Thalictrum polygamum) leaves often turn to pastel purples.  I don't know why.

 

Water-lilies (Nymphaea odorata) carpeting the marsh.

 

White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus).  Probably the same doe I've seen several times recently.