Home Field and Swamp: Animals and Their Habitats

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Archived-by-Date Pages

 

May 2022

Moses Cone Memorial Park, Watauga County, NC  5/31/22

Cinquefoil (Potentilla genus) Common Speedwell (Veronica officinalis), one stem and basal leaves Common Speedwell (Veronica officinalis), still not complete! Common Speedwell (Veronica officinalis) Common Speedwell (Veronica officinalis), with flower fly

Probably Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys) Probably Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys) Venus' Pride (Houstonia purpurea) Venus' Pride (Houstonia purpurea) Venus' Pride (Houstonia purpurea)

       
Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)        

Tanawha Trail, Avery County, NC  5/31/22

Aphid Bigleaf Magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) Cinquefoil (Potentilla genus) Lettuceleaf Saxifrage (Micranthes micranthidifolia) Mountain Meadow Rue (Thalictrum clavatum)

   
Mouse ear chickweed (Cerastium genus) Umbrella Leaf (Diphylleia cymosa) flowers and leaves Same Umbrella Leaf (Diphylleia cymosa) flowers and leaves    

Boone, Watauga County, NC  5/31/22

Climbing Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) Ragwort (Packera genus) Juvie American Robin Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

       
Yellow Salsify (Tragopogon dubius)        

Boone Gardens, Watauga County, NC  5/30/22

Chipmunk Same chipmunk Common Water Strider Flame Azalea Fungi

Boone, Watauga County, NC  5/30/22

Arctium lappa Cedar Waxwing Cow Parsnip (Heracleum maximum) Same Cow Parsnip (Heracleum maximum) Cress

Orchard Grass (Dactylis glomerata) Orchard Grass (Dactylis glomerata) Orchard Grass (Dactylis glomerata) Orchard Grass (Dactylis glomerata) Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)

Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) Dotted Hawthorn (Crataegus punctata) Dotted Hawthorn (Crataegus punctata) Fly on grass Grass

Gray Catbird with insect prey Heal-all (Prunella vulgaris) European Honeybee Jumping plant louse Kouza Dogwood

Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) Mountain view Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora), an officially invasive species Ragwort (Packera genus) Male Red-winged Blackbird

 
Same male Red-winged Blackbird Same male Red-winged Blackbird Rhododendron Juvie American Robin  

 
Song Sparrow Same Song Sparrow singing Female Common Starling Common Starling family, with father  

   
A whole Common Starling family? Father Common Starling flying away with food This feeding scene might have taken place first    

Attempted mating (behind the adult male)? A thistle-like plant, with an elaborate wing shape Velvetgrass (Holcus lanatus) Velvetgrass (Holcus lanatus) Wild Garlic (Allium vineale)

       
Yellow Salsify (Tragopogon dubius)        

Julian Price Park, Watauga County, NC  5/29/22

   
Swallows Tulip Poplar flowers More Tulip Poplar flowers    

Durham, NC  5/28/22

Leaf-footed bug egg Same leaf-footed bug egg Leafhopper (Scaphoideus genus) nymph Praying mantis nymph Head of same mantis

Female Purple Martin Purple Martin pair Same pair Beetle Bug nymph on the underside of a leaf

     
Same bug nymphs Jumping spider (male Colonus sylvanus)      

Durham, NC  5/27/22 (after flooding rains)

Ant floating Ground beetle swimming Same beetle Flooded part of the Third Fork Creek Trail Great Blue Heron in a flooded field

 
Flood in field Spider on the water The swamp, with a large puddle in front Wild Garlic (Allium vineale)  

Durham, NC  5/26/22

Antmimic spider Winged ants on Wild Garlic (Allium vineale) Bee fly (Lepidophora lepidocera) Bee fly (Lepidophora lepidocera) Bee fly (Lepidophora lepidocera)

Brazilian Vervain (Verbena brasiliensis) Female Northern Cardinal Cixiid planthopper  (Melionarus placitus) Cixiid planthopper  (Haplaxius pictifrons) Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Male Eastern Bluebird Probably a Willow Flycatcher, at the edge of its range Same Willow Flycatcher Bronze Frog (Lithobates clamitans) Greenbriar

Honewort (Cryptotaenia canadensis) Same Honewort (Cryptotaenia canadensis) Japanese Beetle Jumping spider (male Colonus sylvanus) Jumping spider (Attidops youngi)

Leaf-footed bug egg, front view Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) buds Swamp Milkweed Beetle Tarnished Plant Bug

Tarnished Plant Bug Virginia Spiderwort Wedge-shaped Beetle Mystery beetle Wild Garlic (Allium vineale)

Durham, NC  5/25/22

 
Ebony Jewelwing Leaf-footed bug eggs Hearts-a-bustin (Euonymus americanus) seedhead Hearts-a-bustin (Euonymus americanus) seedheads  

Durham, NC  5/24/22

       
Leaf-footed bug egg        

Durham, NC  5/23/22  (the others)

Cat Common True Katydid nymph Same  Common True Katydid nymph Leaf-footed bug eggs Eggshell on ground

Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea) American Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) Another American Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) Meadow Garlic (Allium canadense) Panicled Bulrush (Scirpus microcarpus)

Red Tip Photinia Sedge South American Skullcap (Scutellaria racemosa) South American Skullcap (Scutellaria racemosa) Spotted Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)

Stiff March Bedstraw (Galium tinctorium) Tachinid fly Dew-laden web White Campion (Silene latifolia) Wild grapes

Durham, NC  5/23/22 (birds only)

Purple Martin Eastern Bluebird and Purple Martins Male Northern Cardinal Carolina Wren Male Eastern Bluebird and a Purple Martin

Male Eastern Bluebird Female Eastern Bluebird?      

Male Eastern Bluebird Same male Eastern Bluebird      

Eastern Bluebird and Purple Martin House Finch pair Same House Finch pair Juvie Ruby-throated Hummingbird Purple Martin and female Eastern Bluebird

Two Purple Martins? Two Eastern Bluebirds and a Purple Martin Purple Martin Another Purple Martin Yet another Purple Martin

Purple Martin Another Purple Martin Purple Martin looking the apartment house Purple Martin and Eastern Bluebirds Purple Martins

Durham, NC  5/21/22

Carolina Wren Same Carolina Wren Same Carolina Wren Leaf-footed bug eggs, with eyes and a pair of legs showing in each Field Madder (Sherardia arvensis)

Hearts-a-bustin' (Euonymus americanus) Hearts-a-bustin' (Euonymus americanus) Hearts-a-bustin' (Euonymus americanus) American Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis)

Mock Strawberry (Potentilla indica) fruit Orchard Spider Parlin's Pussytoes (Antennaria parlinii) seedheads Parlin's Pussytoes (Antennaria parlinii) seedheads, close up Red-necked Cane Borer

Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) flower Spider, probably unidentifiable since a dorsal view was unobtainable Venus' Looking Glass (Triodanis perfoliata) White Campion (Silene latifolia) White Campion (Silene latifolia)

Durham, NC  5/20/22

Appalachian Brown Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina communis) Bird Vetch (Vicia cracca) Buffalo Treehopper nymph, in bad shape Red-headed Bush Cricket nymph

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Crab spider (Synema parvulum) Cuckoo wasp (Holopyga ventralis) Eastern Gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides) stigmas Same Eastern Gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides) stigmas

 
Eastern Gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides) anthers Greenbriar (Smilax glauca) fruits Ground Skink Carolina Horsenettle (Solanum carolinense)  

Leafhopper (Graphocephala coccinea) Least Skipper Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) Another Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) Rabbit

 
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) Water Hemlock Wild Garlic (Allium vineale) Wild graphes  

Sandy Creek Park, Durham, NC  5/19/22

 
Alligator Weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides), an invasive plant Alligator Weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides), up closer Arrowleaf Tearthumb (Persicaria sagittata) Black Willow (Salix nigra) seedheads  

Male Northern Cardinal Crane fly Female Downy Woodpecker Eastern Mud Turtle Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron Green Ash Little Brown Jug Lizards Tails Meadow Garlic (Allium canadense)

 

Moth Partridgeberry flowers Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) Swamp

 

 
Same swamp        

Durham, NC  5/18/22

Antmimic jumping spider Asian Multi-colored Ladybug Beetle Plant bug Crab spider Earwig

Eastern Gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides ) with anthers Little Quaking Grass (Briza minor) Marsh fly Meadow Garlic (Allium canadense) Pennsylvania Leather-wing Beetle

Picture-winged fly (Delphinia picta) Picture-winged fly (Delphinia picta) Plant bug Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) Probably a female Fiery Skipper

South American Skullcap (Scutellaria racemosa) Sticky Willy (Galium aparine) seedheads) Swamp Milkweed Beetle larva Swamp Milkweed Beetle larvae Swamp Milkweed Beetle larvae

 
Tumbling flower beetle Velvet mite Venus' Looking Grass (Triodanis perfoliata) Male Zabulon Skipper  

North Carolina Botanical Garden, Orange County, NC  5/17/22

Ants in pond Backswimmer (Notonecta genus) nymph Backswimmer (Notonecta genus) nymph Backswimmer (Notonecta genus) nymph Backswimmer (Notonecta genus) nymph

Backswimmer (Notonecta genus) nymph Backswimmer (Notonecta genus) nymph Juvie Northern Cardinal Male Northern Cardinal Common Water Striders

Common Water Striders in collision Milk Thistle Rose Pogonia (part of rare plant exhibit) Sundew Tadpoles

Durham, NC  5/15/22

Antmimic jumping spider (Synemosyna formica) Mating cryptocephalid beetles Boxelder Bugs Boxelder Bugs Boxelder Bugs

Boxelder Bugs Cutleaf Cranesbill (Geranium dissectum) Dock Hemp Dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum) Hairy Woodland Brome (Bromus pubescens)

Quackgrass? Green Six-spotted Tiger Beetle Male House Finch House Finches Same House Finches

Jumping spider (male Pelegrina proterva) Leaf beetle (Bassareus detritus) Leafhopper Leafhopper (Scaphoideus genus) nymph Mantis nymph

Same mantis nymph Marsh fly Moth Pearl Crescent Virginia Pepperweed (Lepidium virginicum)

Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) Question Mark Same Question Mark Male Red-winged Blackbird River Birch (Betula nigra) female catkin

Orb weaver Same orb weaver Spoonleaf Purple Everlasting (Gamochaeta purpurea) Spring Azure Same Spring Azure

 
Swamp Milkweed Beetle Mystery tree Turkey Vulture Another Turkey Vulture  

 
West Indian Nightshade White Clover Wild Grape Male Zabulon Skipper  

Durham, NC  5/14/22

       
Mite (Pergamasus genus)        

Durham, NC  5/13/22

Appalachian Brown Beetle (Podabrus rugosulus) Beetle (Podabrus rugosulus) Brazilian Vervain (Verbena bonariensis) Mystery bug on Meadow Garlic flower

Corn Salad (Valerianella radiata) Two-flower Dwarf Dandelion (Krigia biflora) Grass in the Third Fork Creek Grasshopper nymph Hornet

Katydid Leafhopper (Scaphoideus genus) nymph Same leafhopper (Scaphoideus genus) nymph Long-jawed orb weaver Long-legged fly

Meadow Garlic (Allium canadense) and Purple Lo Meadow Garlic (Allium canadense) Meadow Garlic (Allium canadense) Meadow Garlic (Allium canadense) Meadow Garlic (Allium canadense)

Meadow Garlic (Allium canadense) Meadow Garlic (Allium canadense) Meadow Garlic (Allium canadense) flower Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis pectinacea) Spittlebug

Spring Azure Same Spring Azure Swamp Milkweed Beetles Warty leaf beetle White Avens (Geum canadense)

 
White Avens (Geum canadense) White Avens (Geum canadense) White Avens (Geum canadense) Blue-eyed grass  

North Carolina Botanical Garden, Orange County, NC  5/10/22

Common Buckeye Same Common Buckeye Cabbage White, showing wrinkling of its forewings Same Cabbage White Same Cabbage White

Same Cabbage White, showing even more forewing wrinkling Common Grape Fern (Botrychium virginianum), on Nature Trail Littleleaf Buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus) March fly Rose Pogonia Orchid (Pogonia ophioglossoide) Spotted Salamander larva Same Spotted Salamander larva

Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus), on Nature Trail Tadpoles Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) flowers Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), showing about 25 flowers Budding Venus Flytrap

       
Common Water Strider, with prey        

Durham, NC  5/9/22

Antmimic jumping spider (Synemosyna formica) Bristly Mallow (Modiola caroliniana) Brown-headed Cowbird Bug nymph on American Hornbeam Same bug nymph on American Hornbeam

Carolina Cranesbill (Geranium carolinianum) Dwarf dandelion Eupelmid wasp (Brasema rhadinosa) Flea beetle  (Disonycha procera), Durham, NC Frank's Sedge (Carex frankii)

Green Six-spotted Tiger Beetle Male House Finch Jumping spider Jumping spider Jumping spider

Meadow Garlic (Allium canadense) Another Meadow Garlic (Allium canadense) Nymph Another nymph Seven-spotted Ladybug Beetle Seven-spotted Ladybug Beetle

South American Skullcap (Scutellaria racemosa).  ID provided by Keith Bradley, Botanist at South Carolina DNR, and confirmed by Carol McCormick of UNC-Chapel Hill and Harry LeGrand. Song Sparrow Same Song Sparrow Same Song Sparrow Same Song Sparrow

Same Song Sparrow Same Song Sparrow Spring Azure Weevil Yellow Nutsedge Moth

Durham, NC  5/8/22

Song Sparrow     Sticky Willy (Galium aparine) seedheads Weevil, with strange photography effects

Weevil Woodland Spurge (Euphorbia obtusada) American Black Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) Awl Sedge (Carex stipata) Beaked Corn Salad (Valerianella radiata)

Beetle (Podabrus rugosulus) Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Carolina Cranesbill (Geranium carolinianum) seedheads Common Rush (Juncus effusus) Fly

 
Cat Greenbrier (Smilax glauca) flowers Japanese Honeysuckle Jumping spider Largeseed Forget-me-not (Myosotis macrosperma)  

Leafhopper nymph Same leafhopper nymph Meadow Garlic (Allium canadense) Meadow Garlic (Allium canadense) Miniature Rose (ours)

 
Sharpshooter nymph? Picture-winged fly (Delphinia picta) Male Red-winged Blackbird Skullcap  

Durham, NC  5/5/22

Annual Blue-eyed Grass Eastern Rat Snake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) Honeybee on Sawtooth Black Narrowleaf Blue-eyed Grass Annual Blue-eyed Grass

Cabbage White     Carolina Wren Chinese Privet

Common Chickweed (Stellaria media) Common (European) Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) Crane fly Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum) Dwarf Dandelion seedhead

Eastern Pondhawk Ebony Jewelwing Spoonleaf Purple Everlasting (Gamochaeta purpurea) seedheads Another Spoonleaf Purple Everlasting (Gamochaeta purpurea) seedheads Field Madder (Sherardia arvensis)

Fungus Hearts-a-bustin (Euonymus americanus) Hearts-a-bustin (Euonymus americanus) Hearts-a-bustin (Euonymus americanus) Japanese Meadowsweet (Spiraea japonica)

Flower Longhorn Beetle (Typocerus velutinus) Mapleleaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium) Mock Strawberries (Potentilla indica) Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens) flowers and leaves Big Periwinkle (Vinca major)

Red Admiral Shepherd's Purse Soldier fly (Psellidotus hieroglyphicus) on Sticky Willy seedheads Southern Blue Flag Irises (Iris virginica) Southern Blue Flag Irises (Iris virginica)

Sticky Willy (Galium aparine) Sticky Willy (Galium aparine) Mystery plant Venus' Looking Glass Warty leaf beetle Rabid Wolf Spider Bee

Durham, NC  5/4/22

Aphid Annual Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium rosulatum) Buttercup Carolina Cranesbill (Geranium caroliniana) Dwarf dandelion

Earwig Greenbriar flowers Jumping spider (Attidops genus) Jumping spider Jumping spider (Pelegrina proterva)

Little Quaking Grass (Briza minor) Anomalous Low Hop Clover (Trifolium campestre) Low Hop Clover (Trifolium campestre) Meadow Garlic (Allium canadense) Mock Strawberry (Potentilla indica) Wildflower

Pearl Crescent Pearl Crescent Same Pearl Crescent Polished Ladybug Beetle Running crab spider

Durham, NC  5/1/22

Antmimic jumping spider (Synemosyna formica) Beaked Corn Salad (Valerianella radiata) Sawtooth Blackbery (Rubus argutus) Blue-eyed grass Caterpillar

Chipping Sparrow, with prey Crab spider with prey Dusky ladybug beetle: Mealybug Destroyer (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri) Female juvie Eastern Bluebird Golden-backed Snipe Fly

Grass plant with colored flowers Greenbriar (Smilax glauca) flowers Greenbriar (Smilax glauca) flowers Greenbriar (Smilax glauca) flowers Leafhopper nymph

March fly Monarch visiting Common Milkweed Monarch visiting Common Milkweed Monarch visiting Common Milkweed Monarch visiting Common Milkweed

 

Copyright © 2022 by Dorothy E. Pugh.  All rights reserved.  Please contact for rights to use photos.

 

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