The Backpath at Fox Trail

The tall, bushy grass-leaf goldenrod (Solidago graminifolia) is going by but the flies seem to love it. Here is yellow one but I also saw a bright blue fly. and a black one with bright red eyes.This is a different goldenrod, the tall Solidago altissima (2-7')

The sweet-smelling Apios americana is also known as groundnut or wild bean. If you follow the root underground, you may find a string of little tubers which are edible. This one is climbing up the stem of a tall goldenrod.

Look at this little critter probing the spearmint. I love the smell of those leaves!
Can you see what's happening here? A white crab spider has a rusty moth in it's clutches. Gruesome.

Lake Wangumbaug August 2, 2010

I've been looking at the center of Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) trying to photograph the tiny maroon floret - I'll try again somewhere away from the windy lake.
















This is a Cyperus, one of our prettiest waterside sedges. There are 217 sedge species on my Connecticut "list," 13 of the genus Cyperus.

This tiny creature, the size of a fleck of dirt (maybe 1.5mm), somehow caught my attention as I was examining a Eupatorium (boneset). Nick says it's a dung caterpillar - I will try to find out.

This mama mallard is keeping a close eye on her chicks.