June 30th. Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon).

 

Checking my scent with its tongue.

 

 

 

Time to move on.

 

A female Common Green Bottle Fly (Family Calliphoridae, Lucilia sericata). They lay their eggs in carrion and feces, are important in forensic entomology (to determine how long a body has been dead), and are still used occasionally to clean up deep infected wounds beyond the reach of surgery. They also are attracted to our outdoor picnics. ;-)

 

Back to the Route 207 crossing for another look at Chicory (Cichorium intybus) just as the flowers open for the morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A female Flower Fly (Family Syrphidae, Toxomerus marginatus).

 

A non-descript Long-horned Beetle (Micranoplium unicolor) on Chinese Chestnut male flowers. (Thanks for the ID from Robert Androw via bugguide.net)

 

Tumbling Flower Beetle (Family Mordellidae).

 

Another Tumbling Flower Beetle (Family Mordellidae, Falsomordellistena pubescens).

 

Oriental Beetle (Family Scarabaeidae, Exomala orientalis).

 

July 1st. Deer Flies (Chrysops sackeni) have become a nuisance with the warm humid weather.

 

Check out that patterned eye...

 

...and the beak with oscillating saw blades and a sponge to mop up blood.

 

Canada Lilies (Lilium canadense) are blooming now.

 

 

 

 

 

Momma Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) on the log where her ducklings often sit, but none to be seen today.

 

The Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) has gotten very bold...

 

...barely moving aside for passers-by.

 

 

 

July 3rd. A damp, dark morning sandwiched between showers. The usual Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) in the usual spot.

 

From a distance I thought this was Joe-Pye-weed, but no...

 

...it was Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata).

 

Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) in full bloom. Morrow's Honeysuckle (Lonicera morowii) berries in the background.

 

 

 

A Bumble Bee (Family Bombidae) had sheltered under a leaf overnight. At 57 degrees out, still too cold to be active.

 

Mower has been out. A mixed bag of good and bad consequences and we still lack sight lines into the marsh.

 

 

 

Button Bush (Cephalanths occidentalis) is starting to bloom. It's other common name is Honey-balls". In 2018 I found Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia) caterpillars feeding on it. See: https://www.performance-vision.com/airline2018/airline-summer-18f.htm

 

More Canada Lily (Lilium canadense) pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

Meadowsweet (Spiraea latifolia). In the rose family, Rosaceae.

 

 

 

Raymond Brook at Old Colchester Road was moving right along, though water in the marsh didn't seem particularly high despite the recent rain.

 

It's very rare that I photograph trail users or their pets, but this Long-haired Shepherd really stood out. (Sorry for the motion blur.)

 

July 4th. Fireworks? Button Bush (Cephalanths occidentalis) flowers are opening.

 

Swamp Fly-honeysuckle (Lonicera oblongifolia).

 

Large Lace-border (Scopula limboundata).

 

A different Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus); this one not far from the Route 85 trailhead. I saw two small ones at the marsh, but not the larger, semi-tame one pictured above on July 1st.