Home Field and Swamp: Animals and Their Habitats

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Archived-by-Date Pages

 

August 2021

Durham, NC  8/31/21

 
Ambush bug Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardi) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Same Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Climbing Hempvine (Mikania scandens) Wingstem (Verbesina alternifolia) Elephant's Foot (Elephantopus tomentosus) Female Fiery Skipper

Leafhopper nymph Same leafhopper nymph Pennsylvania Smartweed (Persicaria pensylvanica) Pennsylvania Smartweed (Persicaria pensylvanica), with fly Male Fiery Skipper

     
Two-lined Froghopper Wool Grass (Scirpus cyperinus)      

Durham, NC  8/30/21

Antmimic jumping spider (Synemosyna formica) Elephant's Foot (Elephantopus tomentosus), fading after bloom Elephant's Foot (Elephantopus tomentosus), after blooming Elephant's Foot (Elephantopus tomentosus), on the way to blooming Carolina Horsenettle (Solanum carolinense)

Muscadine Grapes Labyrinth Orb Weaver (Metepeira labyrinthea) Picture-winged Fly (Delphinia picta) Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia) Ironweed (Vernonia genus)

 

       
Paper wasp on goldenrod        

Durham, NC  8/29/21

Bearded Beggarticks (Bidens aristosa) Climbing Hempvine (Mikania scandens) Common Axil Flower (Mecardonia acuminata) Elephant's Foot (Elephantopus tomentosus) Moth

Swamp Agrimony (Agrimonia parviflora) Velvet Mite with aphid prey Another Velvet Mite tried to take the aphid away. Male Zabulon Skipper Common Axil Flowers (Mecardonia acuminata)

Durham, NC  8/28/21

Common Axil Flower (Mecardonia acuminata) Common Axil Flower (Mecardonia acuminata) Common Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) Common Dodder (Cuscuta gronovii) Ironweed

 
Orchard Spider Sericea Lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) Swamp Agrimony (Agrimonia parviflora) More Swamp Agrimony (Agrimonia parviflora)  

Virginia Dayflower (Commelina virginica) Wild Sensitive Plant (Chamaecrita nictitans) Wild Sensitive Plant (Chamaecrita nictitans) Winged ant Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardi) Jumping spider with web

Durham, NC  8/27/21

Ambush bug Asian Multi-colored Ladybug Beetle Dew drops on a Seven-spotted Ladybug Beetle Eggs Female Fiery Skipper

 
Mating leaf-footed bugs Pennsylvania Leatherwing Beetle Seven-spotted Ladybug Beetle Six-spotted Sining Leaf Beetle  

 
Orb weaver? American Robins Local swamp Another view of the local swamp  

Durham, NC  8/26/21

 
Teneral Blue Dasher Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosus) Differential Grasshopper Five-lined Skink  

 

Small White Morning Glory (Ipomoea lacunosa) Eastern Phoebe Same Eastern Phoebe Same Eastern Phoebe Same Eastern Phoebe

 

   
Robber fly (Promachus rufipes) West Indian Nightshade (Solanum ptychanthum) West Indian Nightshade (Solanum ptychanthum) flowers    

Durham, NC  8/25/21

Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina communis) Bald-faced Aerial Yellow Jacket (Dolichovespula maculata) Same Bald-faced Aerial Yellow Jacket (Dolichovespula maculata) Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum) Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum)

Chalk drawing Common Dodder (Cuscuta gronovii) Common Dodder (Cuscuta gronovii) Crabgrass Crape Myrtle

Grass Jumping spider Leaf beetle (Oulema sayi) Persimmon fruits Pink Fuzzybean (Strophostyles umbellata) flowers

Pink Fuzzybean (Strophostyles umbellata) flowers Ragweed Marsh Fleabane (Pluchea odorata) Orb weaver Swamp Agrimony (Agrimonia parviflora)

   
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Virginia Dayflower Virgin's Bower    

Durham, NC  8/24/21

Juvie female Northern Cardinal Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia) Arrowleaf Tearthumb (Persicaria sagittata) Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), faded, Durham, NC, 8/25/21 Buttonbush, the last still blooming

Mystery plant Ragweed Seedbox (Ludwigia alternifolia) Spotted Jewelweed Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

   
Virginia Buttonweed Virgin's Bower Web    

Durham, NC 8/23/21

 
Arrowleaf Tearthumb (Persicaria sagittata) Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardi) Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) Juvie Gray Catbird  

   
Same juvie Gray Catbird Marbled Orb Weaver Eastern Phoebe    

Durham, NC  8/21/21

Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia) Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardi) Common Dodder (Cuscuta gronovii) Common Dodder (Cuscuta gronovii) Common Dodder (Cuscuta gronovii)

Female Eastern Bluebird Muscadine Grape (Vitis rotundifolia), one of about ten dropped on the trail, perhaps by a wild herbivore Another Muscadine Grape Male Great Blue Skimmer Jumping spider

Mushroom Path Rush (Juncus tenuis) Juvie Eastern Phoebe Adult Eastern Phoebe Planthopper (Rhyncomitra microrhina)

Red-shouldered Hawk Sericea Lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) flower Sericea Lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) Slender tree bending over trail

   
Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans) Velvet Nite Virgin's Bower (Clematis virginiana)    

Durham, NC  8/20/21

Cardinal Flower Eggs on the underside of a sycamore leaf Female Fiery Skipper Golden-reined Digger Wasp (Sphex habenus) Same Golden-reined Digger Wasp

Goldenrod Leaf-footed bug Ocola Skipper Potter Wasp (Eumenes fraternus) Six-spotted Shinig Leaf Beetle

 
Smooth Flower Spider with Spined Soldier Bug prey Smooth Flower Spider with Spined Soldier Bug prey Mottled Tortoise Beetle Crabronid wasp  

Durham, NC  8/19/21

Eastern Tailed-blue Teneral Blue Dasher Climbing Hempvine, with a tiny spider Cobweb spider (Theridula emertoni) Male Downy Woodpecker

Juvie Eastern Bluebird Eggs on a sycamore leaf Fiery Skipper Little White Morning Glory Moth

     
Pond Wasp      

Durham, NC  8/18/21

Climbing Hempvine (Mikania scandens) close-up Climbing Hempvine (Mikania scandens) Common Dodder (Cuscuta reflexa), with one open flower More Common Dodder (Cuscuta reflexa), with one open flower Enchanter's Nightshade (Circaea lutetiana) flowers

Flatid planthopper Another planthopper Female Eastern Pondhawk with damselfly prey Big wasp Female Zabulon Skipper

       

Same female Zabulon Skipper

       

Durham, NC  8/16/12

Arrowhead (Sagittaria genus) Female Northern Cardinal Same female Northern Cardinal Carolina Dayflower (Commelina caroliniana) Carolina Wren

Chipping Sparrow Climbing Hempvine (Mikania scandens), blooming Juvie Eastern Bluebird Male Fiery Skipper Jumping spider

Katydid Leafhopper (Graphocephala coccinea) Mild Waterpepper (Persicaria hydropiperoides) Milkweed Bug nymphs Monarch

Mystery moth Tiny mushrooms Pennsylvania Smartweed (Persicaria pensylvanica) Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata) Planthopper (Criomorphus genus)

Paraguayan Purslane (Portulaca amilis) Sawfly larva Six-spotted Fishing Spider Song Sparrow Swamp Agrimony (Agrimonia parviflora)

       
Yerba de Tajo (Eclipta prostrata)        

Durham, NC  8/15/21

     
Rose of Sharon Spreading False Foxglove      

Durham, NC  8/14/21

Ambush bug nymph Mystery bird Brown Thrasher Same Brown Thrasher Another Brown Thrasher flying

Cutleaf Coneflower, with new petals Cutleaf Coneflower Male Downy Woodpecker Male Eastern Bluebird False Dandelion

Field Cricket Gray Catbird Gray Catbird Horseweed Inchworm, mimicking a twig

 
Planthopper Red-headed Bush Cricket Same Red-headed Bush Cricket Male Slaty Skimmer  

Orb weaver Spider, possibly Tmarus genus, with ant prey St. Andrew's Cross Swamp Agrimony Swamp Milkweed Beetle larva

 

 
Spider (Tmarus genus) Mystery bird, maybe a warbler Wild Sensitive Plant Enchanter's Nightshade (Circaea lutetiana)  

Durham, NC  8/13/21

Brown Thrasher Juvie Eastern Bluebird Everlasting Ruby-throated Hummingbird Ironweed

   
Juvie Northern Mockingbird Another juvie Northern Mockingbird Trumpet Creeper    

Durham, NC  8/11/21

Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina communis) Carolina Dayflower (Commelina caroliniana) Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) Clouded Plant Bug Juvie male Common Yellowthroat, transitioning to adult plumage

Juvie male Common Yellowthroat, transitioning to adult plumage Juvie male Common Yellowthroat, transitioning to adult plumage Juvie male Common Yellowthroat, transitioning to adult plumage Dotted Smartweed (Persicaria punctata) Seedbox (Ludwigia alternifolia)

   
Virginia Dayflower (Commelina virginiana) Wool Grass Male Zabulon Skipper    

Durham, NC  8/10/21

Ambush bug nymph Same ambush bug nymph Arrowleaf Tearthumb (Persicaria sagittata) Cutleaf Coneflower, with petals starting to come in Male cobweb spider (Theridion pictipes)

Cutleaf Coneflower False Nutsedge or Straw-colored Flatsedge (Cyperus strigosus) Orb weaver (Mangora genus) Orb weaver (Mangora genus) Moth (Olethreutes sericorana)

     
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Male Slaty Skimmer      

Durham, NC  8/9/21

Male Imperial Moth Robber fly (Promachus genus) Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Same Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Same Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Durham, NC  8/8/21

A handsome fungus beetle (Stenotarsus hispidus) Ailing Buffalo Treehopper nymph Eastern Bluebird pair Swamp Agrimony (Agrimonia parviflora) Wild Sensitive Plant (Chamaecrita nictitans)

Durham, NC  8/7/21

 
Assassin bug nymphs (probably Wheel Bugs" on Dog Fennel, probably newly hatched from brown egg cases Climbing Hempvine (Mikania scandens) Spider wasp Same Spider wasp  

Moses Cone Memorial Park, Watauga County, NC  8/4/21

Spreading Dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium) Southern Harebell or Appalachian Bellflower (Campanula divaricata) Bearded Beggarticks (Bidens aristosa) Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) Fire Pink (Silene virginica)

Might be a Broadtooth Hedgenettle Mosquito Corn Chamomile (Anthemis arvensis), an introduced species. Southern Horse Balm (Collinsonia canadensis) Southern Horse Balm (Collinsonia canadensis)

St. John's Wort Starry Campion (Silene stellata) Same Starry Campion (Silene stellata) Lanceleaf Tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata) White Clover (Trifolium repens), anomalously pink

Boone, Watauga County, NC  8/4/21

Scarlet Beebalm (Monarda didyma) Bee Boone neighborhood Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) with bumblebees Cabbage White

Chicory (Cichorium intybus) Chicory (Cichorium intybus) Deptford Pink (Dianthus armeria) Acadian Flycatcher Same Acadian Flycatcher

Same Acadian Flycatcher Common Forget-me-not (Myosotis arvensis) Golden Alexander (Zizia genus), maybe, but later than normal if so Hummingbird Clearwing Moth and Silver-spotted Skipper on a butterfly bush Leafcutter bee

Monarch Purple Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea) Moth Potter Wasp Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota)

American Robin Male Sachem Silver-spotted Skipper Another Silver-spotted Skipper Skipper

 
Thrip on morning glory Mystery wildflower Part of the plant on the left Same wildflower  

     
Yellow Loosestrife (Lysimachia punctata) Yellow Loosestrife (Lysimachia punctata)      

Boone, Watauga County, NC  8/3/21

Ambush bug Aphids Sawtooth Blackberries (Rubus argutus) Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) Crane fly

Eastern Tailed-Blue Elongate springtail Fruits Leafcutter bee Tarnished Plant Bug

Boone, Watauga County, NC  8/2/21

Anemometer Possibly Cowbane Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail on a Bull Thistle Apples Same apples

Arrowleaf Tearthumb Scarlet Bee Balm Bindweed Blowfly on Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) Bouncing Bet or Common Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis)

 
Bouncing Bet or Common Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) Bouncing Bet or Common Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) Buttercup Chickweed  

Chickweed Closed-up Chicory (Cichorium intybus), early in the morning Chicory (Cichorium intybus) Common Burdock (Arctium minus) Common Mullein

Common Wingstem Common Yellow Wood-sorrel Crabapple fruits Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)

Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) Dock English Plantain Maybe an Evening Primrose flower Evening Primrose

 
Heal-all (Prunella vulgaris) Carolina Horsenettle Japanese Meadowsweet (Spiraea japonica) Japanese Meadowsweet (Spiraea japonica)  

 

 
Mint family plant Common Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea) Climbing Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) Pale Jewelweed (Impatiens pallida)  

 
Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) Red coneflowers American Robin  

American Robin Spotted Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) St. John's Wort Brown lacewing larva Brown lacewing larva Steeplebush (Spiraea tomentosa)

   
Steeplebush (Spiraea tomentosa) Cloudless Sulphur? Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)    

Wild Cucumber (Echinocystis lobata) Wild Cucumber (Echinocystis lobata) Wild Cucumber (Echinocystis lobata) Mystery wildflower Yellow Loosestrife

Moses Cone Memorial Park, Watauga County, NC  8/2/21

Appalachian Bellflower or Southern Harebell (Campanula divaricata) Appalachian Bellflower or Southern Harebell (Campanula divaricata) Mystery aster Same mystery aster White Beebalm (Monarda clinopodia)

Broadtooth Hedgenettle (Stachys latidens) Broadtooth Hedgenettle (Stachys latidens) Cat's Ear Dandelion (Hypochaeris radicata) Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Tickseed

 
Cutleaf Coneflowers? Fleabane (Erigeron genus) Shaggy Soldier (Galinsoga quadriradiata) Another Shaggy Soldier (Galinsoga quadriradiata)  

Meadow Phlox (Phlox maculata) Monarch Pale Jewelweed (Impatiens pallida) Pale Jewelweed (Impatiens pallida) Pale Jewelweed (Impatiens pallida)

Pale Jewelweed (Impatiens pallida) Pale Jewelweed (Impatiens pallida) Great Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum) Song Sparrow Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea stoebe), an officially invasive species.

Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea stoebe) Common St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) Starry Campion (Silene stellata) Tall Bellflower (Campanula americana) Tall Bellflower (Campanula americana)

Tall Bellflowers (Campanula americana) Tall Bellflower (Campanula americana) Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on Common Milkweed Mystery tree with fruits White Avens (Geum canadense)

   
Mystery wildflower Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) Spreading Dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium)    

Boone, Watauga County, NC  8/1/21

Ambush bug Aphids Bee Another bee Broad-headed Sharpshooter

Same Broad-headed Sharpshooter Ebony bugs on goldenrod Black Swallowtail caterpillar on Queen Anne's Lace Crown Vetch (Securigera varia) Drone Fly

Flower fly (Anasimyia grisescens) Flower Fly (Syrphini tribe) Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) More goldenrod Heal-all (Prunella vulgaris)

Brown lacewing larva Brown lacewing larva Mayfly Budding Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) Spotted Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)

       
Virgin's Bower (Clematis virginiana) Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail on Bull Thistle Common Mullein        

 

Copyright © 2021 by Dorothy E. Pugh.  All rights reserved.  Please contact for rights to use photos.

 

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