Butterfly Weed Party
Below is a photo of an absurd scene that became normal this August on any Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) that I could find – look at all those butterflies! The fiery orange flower is a native milkweed and extremely attractive to a wide variety of species looking for some nectar. We have an Orange Sulphur, Crescents, and the iconic and wonderfully matched Monarchs all feeding here. Just how many Crescents can we fit on one bloom? Take a look at this Monarch as it is showing some signs of wear and tear. This individual likely took a long journey to us and now it will mate, lay eggs,...
Read MoreMonarchs Mating
Here are a couple more mating Monarch pairs photographed in the last week – the continuation of the cycle of life for a species that so needs it! What are you doing to help the emblematic butterfly rebound?
Read MoreBlue Jay
This Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) was in the shade on a sunny April day, nevertheless showing off blue hues against a blue sky and flying around with its mate. In this case the blues are not as blue as they could be because they are not actually blue. Huh? Their feather barb cells are specially modified scatter light in a way that makes them appear blue instead of what would be brown melanin, and if this bird flew into the sunlight then it would pop even more. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreFamiliar Bluets
Here we have a pair of Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) damselflies in a “wheel”, a male and female joined together for mating. They are perched at a pond in this case but they can also fly this way. The male will likely remain with her until she lays the eggs. We are about to enter the prime flight time for our odonata – get out there to any local bodies of water to see what you can find. We will continue to survey for them across the Northeast to gain a greater knowledge of their distribution and abundance plus the health of our waterways.
Read MoreGiant Silk Moths
I know I’m easily distracted, and I know I should have been preparing for an RTPI Foundation Board meeting, but I could not pass up the opportunity to get a closer look at the beautiful creatures hanging out on the light post in front of RTPI this morning. I should have known that I would not be able to sneak out of the building carrying a butterfly net and a step ladder without anyone noticing… Two giant silk moths on the same light post! A Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia) and a Luna Moth (Actias luna) were enjoying a little daytime nap before continuing their mission: to...
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