Fieldnotes
-
Sidewalks of New York
Just some things I’ver seen on the sidewalk recently. This Reddish-brown Stag Beetle wasn’t quite dead. This roach was definitely dead. But what kind of roach? This is not the usual house (German, American, etc.) species. Pigeon Tremex Horntail. I’ve never seen one in Brooklyn before. (And I’ve only seen one once before, in Texas.)…
-
Wasps Cicadas Birds
Looks innocent enough. And, really, it is. These clumps of dirt? Wasp nests.I counted 26 in this patch. Cicada-killer Wasps. As I like to say, they’re not going to bother you much if you’re not a cicada. Sure, the boys can get territorial, but don’t they always? Check out this one eyeballing this nesting field……
-
More Butterflies
Rare to see an Eastern Tailed-blue open like this. Male Monarch with bent wing. Very origami, but still eating. Quite a year for skippers. Spicebush Swallowtail with close-up field mark: the Federation of Planets blue-ish wedge between bottom two and the third inner orange spots. Compare with: The orange boulder wall of the Black Swallowtail.…
-
-
Monarchy
More Monarch eggs! On common milkweed, in a couple of different spots in Green-Wood and Bush Terminal Park. I’ve yet to spot a caterpillar, but this poop is suggestive.
-
-
Moth O’clock
A White-speck Moth landed on my thigh, took to my palm, walked around to my arm, and then was coaxed onto a tree. Raspberry Pyrausta Moth, stirred up as I walked by. Dogwood Borer Moth. Just sitting there.
-
Raptor Wednesday
I could hear this Red-tailed Hawk youngster calling from some distance away.
-
Butterflies
Red Admiral. Orange Sulphur. Clouded Sulphur. Black Swallowtail. Spicebush Swallowtail. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. Question Mark. Red Hairstreak. Fiery Skipper (male). Eastern Tailed-blue. Summer Azure. Sachem (female left, male right).
Backyard and Beyond 