I despise house sparrows (non-native species). Case in point: a male house sparrow has destroyed all of the bluebird eggs still in the process of being laid. Two were pecked (pictured) and one was tossed to the ground (not pictured). Sigh, this just happened on Saturday.
#bluebirds
When I observed this firefly hanging around, I thought there was something peculiar about the firefly's leg, but I couldn't tell what it was. Upon inspection of the photos I took, I noticed, on its leg, a hitchhiker: a pseudoscorpion.
From 07/03/25 (also on iNat)
#insects#fireflies#arachnids
On boneset in my yard in the evening. Large lace-border moth (Scopula limboundata). I make an effort to photograph pollination after nightfall since it isn't as commonly noticed.
09/09/25. Also posted on iNaturalist.
#moths #lepidoptera #pollinators #nativeplants #insects
If you notice debris excavated from a woody, pithy stem, it might be ceratina (small, native bees) creating a nesting chamber. They are important pollinators. I'm always happy to see the debris!
#pollinators #bees #insects
Native Plant Month
Sure, poison ivy is no one's favorite plant, but it is part of the ecosystem. I took these pics, got very close, but made sure to avoid contact. Pics of a larva and mines of a little moth called the Poison Ivy Leaf Miner Moth.
#insects #moths #lepidoptera #macrophotography
Yay! Very happy to see six bluebird eggs in the nestbox in my yard. The mother bluebird flew out from the box, but stayed close by. Looking forward to another nesting season!
#birds #bluebirds #nests
Native Plant Month
Common Milkweed. Not only is this plant a host for monarch butterfly caterpillars, it also draws other insects. Here are a few examples...
#insects #nativeplants #macrophotography #macro
More pics in the reply
Native Plant Month
Luna moth caterpillar on hickory. I just love moths (and their larvae) and lunas are one of my favorites. From my files.
#lepidoptera #caterpillars #insects #native #macro #macrophotography #larvae
Native Plant Month
Banded Longhorn Beetle on New Jersey Tea in my yard. (From my files).
The adults of this species feed on nectar; the larvae are decaying wood borers.
#pollinators #insects #beetles #nativeplants #macrophotography #macro
Native Plant Month
On pycnanthemum muticum (clustered mountain mint), the 2025 PPA Perennial Plant of the Year. Orange Mint Moth. I love spotting these eye-catching little moths in my garden. From my files.
#moths #lepidoptera #pollinators #insects #nativeplants #macrophotography
Native Plant Month.
From my files. An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly nectaring on Echinacea purpurea (coneflower) in my yard. Such a large and beautiful pollinator.
#insects #pollinators #lepidoptera #butterflies #nativeplants #macrophotography
Native Plant Month
On Late Boneset. Always a pleasure to see one of our native ladybeetles in my garden when the introduced species seem to be much more abundant. I love the flair pattern these guys have. From my files.
Polished Lady Beetle.
#insects #nativeplants #ladybeetles #macrophotography
Native Plant Month.
PPA Perennial Plant of the Year 2025. Pyncanthemum muticum (Clustered Mountain Mint). This is absolutely one of my favorite plants for insect draw. Bees, wasps, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, and more.
Northern Paper Wasp
#Pollinators #Wasps #Insects #Macrophotography
Native Plant Month.
White snakeroot in my backyard with an interesting visitor, the Lesser Peachtree Borer moth. This moth is almost "un-moth-like" in appearance. Fascinating. Pics from a few years ago.
#insects #lepidoptera #moths #pollinators #nativeplants #macrophotography #macro
Native plant month.
Here is a sunflower moth caterpillar(?) using its silk to join the petals of rudbeckia fulgida to create a shelter. In my backyard several years ago.
#insects #lepidoptera #caterpillars #moths #nativeplants #macrophotography
April is native plant month. These are pics from 09/05/23, taken at night. A katydid appears to be interested in a small caterpillar on a native plant, Euthamia graminifolia (flat-topped goldenrod), in my backyard.
#insects #katydids #nativeplants #macrophotography #macro #nocturnalphotography
From a distance, these moths look like dried plant debris. These cool moths definitely don't have the typical moth silhouette. I love spotting them.
Plume moth on daisy fleabane in my backyard. 10/9/24
#moths #pollinators #insects #macrophotography #macro #nativeplants #lepidoptera
From a while back. I first noticed this frog when I was inside and saw its form sticking on the sidelight window. So cute! The second photo was taken outside, when the frog moved to the trim.
Gray Tree Frog
Saddled Prominent caterpillar on parasitic wasp cocoons. This caterpillar was the unwitting host to the wasp eggs/larvae which emerged from its body. They then spun cocoons that the "zombie" guards until the wasps emerge as adults. Night pic.
#insects #caterpillars #parasitoids #macrophotography
My previous backyard had very large Eastern Red Cedar trees. Many times, I would spot adult Juniper Geometer moths resting, very flat, during the day. Here, at night, I found an active adult on white snakeroot flowers.
#pollinators #moths #nativeplants #caterpillars #nocturnal #macrophotography
Always a fan of spiders, but I think that the jumping spiders are the cutest.
High Eyelashed Jumping Spider (phidippus mystaceus) in my backyard.
#spiders #arachnids #jumpingspiders #macrophotography #macro
Lobelia inflata that had appeared in my yard.
A bit of a party on this tradescantia ohiensis flower in my garden. Four margined calligraphers had gathered on one flower.
These small pollinators are often overlooked, but are fascinating little insects.
#flies #insects #pollinators #nativeplants #macro #macrophotography
Yay! Such a fantastic pollinator plant. I absolutely love it! Yes, you are right: deer leave it alone. My husband, who never has interest in my gardens, was truly impressed when he noticed how the clustered mountain mint was absolutely buzzing with life. It's a winner.
Silver-spotted skipper on Clustered Mountain Mint (pycnanthemum muticum) in my garden.
My favorite native plant due to the numbers that it draws (wasps, bees, flies, leps). It's no wonder it's the 2025 PPA Plant of the Year.
#nativeplants #insects #butterflies #pollinators #macrophotography #macro
If on a quick glance you thought this is a bee, you'd be mistaken. It's very bumblebee-like, but something just isn't quite right. Still, what a fantastic mimic! A robber fly.
5/29/23 laphria (one of the bee-mimic robber flies) in my backyard.
#insects #flies #robberflies #beemimic
A friend of mine once casually mentioned that moths serve no purpose. Obviously, I informed her otherwise.
I will occasionally post photos of nocturnal pollination.
#insects #moths #pollinators #nocturnal #nativeplants #macro #macrophotography
Palthis moth on white snakeroot 9/28/22 at night
Underside view of a caterpillar grasping a fine grass-like leaf.
I just love these caterpillar feet! Adorable.
This view shows how its prolegs help this caterpillar grasps narrow surfaces.
Virginian Tiger moth caterpillar on vernonia lettermannii 'Iron Butterfly' in my backyard. 9/18/20
#caterpillars #moths #nativeplants #macro #macrophotography
A Spotted Lanternfly is on its back. A hammertail has it pinned.
I noticed this attack on the ground. The hammertail was struggling a bit with its sizeable prey.
Northeastern Hammertail with a Spotted Lanternfly. 08/01/24
#insects #spottedlanternfly #robberflies