Backyard and Beyond

Starting out from Brooklyn, an amateur naturalist explores our world.

As John Burroughs said, “The place to observe nature is where you are.”

Other New Jersey Sightings

The first ever Spotted Lanternfly I’ve come across. This was in Princeton, in Mercer Co, NJ, which is one of the counties in that state under a state quarantine in an attempt to stop their spread. This is the early nymph form. They scurry.

This dreadnought of an ant, a Ferruginous Carpenter (Camponotus chromaiodes), is bigger than any ant species I’ve seen here in Brooklyn.

Peck’s Skipper, I think.

Golden-Backed Snipe Fly.

A very hungry caterpillar who has met a very hungry Black-capped Chickadee.

Cedar Waxwing nest.

mthew

4 responses to “Other New Jersey Sightings”

  1. Chuck McAlexander

    The waxwing nest is the first I have ever seen even in photos. The spoke-like nature of the supporting twigs is obvious and the fill material is very fine and looks soft and fluffy. A robin’s nest looks more like woven sticks on the outside. A grackle nest looks like a big mess of a robins nest. Orioles and Warbling Vireos make pendulous nests which look like a hanging version of the House Sparrow’s hay ball. None of the usual suspects make anything similar to the waxwing nest. This nest would not be hard to identify even without the presence of the bird. Hope I get to see one soon. My patch, Central Park, has a good number of waxwings this year, so there is a chance. Wish me luck.

    Reply
    1. mthew

      Good luck. I’ve seen fledgling Cedar WWs here in Bk, but never the nests.

      Reply
  2. Chuck McAlexander

    Hope you were able to capture and dispatch the lantern fly nymph?

    Reply
  3. They’re Here | Backyard and Beyond

    […] can see the long tube-like mouthpart in this picture. I saw some of the early instar nymphs in Princeton NJ in May, and I was surprised how much larger the adult form is, a solid inch long […]

    Reply

Leave a comment