nature pics

Spring and summer on the Blue Ridge 2005

In the Yard and garden

Lilies

Irises

Critters

Nursery Web weaver. She used he petals of the echinachia to shelter her babies.

Rather large wolf spider we found in the house! Eek!

i just snapped this picture today, Aug. 22 2005. This beautiful girl is an Orb Weaver, though i'm not sure what type possibly Araneus cavaticus.

This girl was huge and her coloring was different. Instead of the black markings usually seen on the Black and yellow garden spider, this girl was a deep maroon brown color.

This fellow is enjoying a lunch of caterpillar.

Marbled Spider A.marmoreous

White-Backed Garden Spider / Banded Argiope
(Argiope trifasciata)

i haven't been able to identify this Orb Weaver. i'm wondering if it's albino. You can see faint markings similar to the shamrock orb.

This orb weaver was bright orange! Perfect for the season, Oct. 21 . i think it's a marbled orb weaver.

We found this bat hanging out inside the umbrella on the deck. i don't think he was very happy to be disturbed.

A family of Wrens moved into one of my bird feeders and built a nest. Here is mama wren peeking out the top.

Mama wren calling her mate. He usually sits on the garden trellis and they sing back and forth all day.

Here's a peak inside my moon bird feeder. You can just make out the open mouth of a baby wren. :)

This Beautiful Praying mantis came to get a drink at my butterfly feeder.

Butterflies and Moths

We are very blessed to live in a butterfly paradise. i start every morning, with a cup of coffee and a quiet walk through the yard. All these butterfly pictures have been taken in my yard

We gets lots of the fritillaries, not sure if these are all Great spangled or a variety.

Fritillary on Milkweed

These guys are everywhere!!

Great Spangled Fritillary

American Painted Lady

Regal Moth, her wing span was almost 6 inches!

Frid. July 22. About a week ago, we found a cocoon while cleaning out the overgrown comfry. i had pulled the leaf it was attached to out on accident..so i placed the cocoon in some potted flowers. i thought about it today and went to check on it. i touched the bottom of the cocoon and it started to wiggle..and then split! It happened so fast i didn't have time to grab my camera. i did get some pictures of the new butterfly as it began to uncurl itself.

Just out of the chrysalis

Begininning to uncurl her wings

Stretching and letting the wings dry out

Climbing around the echinachia, still working on getting the wings dried.

Finally opening the wings (Painted Lady)

Painted Lady on the butterfly bush.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Another Eastern Tiger Swallowtail with much more color.

Mourning Cloak

Red Spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis) This lovely butterfly had just emerged from it's chrysalis and still has part of it attached.

Undersideside of the Red spotted Purple

This beautiful Monarch really enjoyed my husbands sweaty socks.

Side view, check out the speckled body.

Pearl Crescent Butterfly - Phyciodes tharos

These are tiny, only about 1 " across.

i believe this one is a Sulper.

Monarch

One of the first Swallowtails i've seen this year.

This Swallowtail had interesting cresent moon markings on her wings.

i think this is a spicebush swallowtail, but i'm not sure with the double row of spots.

Another Eastern swallowtail, this one had a bit more orange in it.

Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus

Another red-spotted purple

(i don't know who came up with name!?)

Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar just about to pulpate.

Black Swallowtail Caterpillar muching on some Queen Ann's Lace.

Silver Spotted Skipper Caterpillar

No idea what this thing is!! Please email me if you know. i found it on the underside of an Oak leaf.

Not entirely sure what this is...i'm guessing a type of Sphinx moth hornworm.

???????

Another type of Sphinx moth hornworm i think.

Black swallowtail

i'm still trying for my open wing shot, this one was a bit shy.

The Black swallowtail looks very similar to the black tiger swallowtail, but it is much smaller. It is also darker in color, and has the extra row of yellow spots and less blue at the base.