Yellow in the Meadow

The coreopsis is getting a new lease on life.  Since we have had a little rain the flowers are now full size again, after shrinking to a third of their normal size in the drought.

The wild senna is just starting to bloom and is easily seen in the meadow 2.

This sneezeweed or helenium is a favorite of mine, as it is usually very attractive to insects.

The Partridge Pea doesn't grow very tall and may take some exploring to find it.

The black-eyed Susan is everybody's favorite, and can even be found around the new wetland

Evening Clouds

We took a walk after dinner and admired the clouds in the evening sky.

Good night.

Bronze fennel

I have some large unruly bronze fennel plants in my garden, which I was considering trimming.

That was until I discovered five black swallowtail caterpillars on it, and honey bees nectaring on the flowers.

There were also many other critters including this - black wasp?

Since you asked, are all female tiger swallowtail butterflies black?

No, many of the female tiger swallowtail butterflies are yellow.  In fact, if you live in an area that does not have pipevine swallowtails all the females are yellow.

New Post Office building

Work is really progressing on our newest residence - the old post office.  It must have a new designation now.

If you peer around all the work trucks you can see the stone facade has been preserved on this side of the building.

The view from the post office gardens shows mostly the garage.  When viewed from the other side, the garage does not appear as large.  Interesting roof lines.

Maris Trail and more

The Maris Trail certainly looks good and is easier to walk, thanks to the hard work of several Grounds Committee workers.

I did see the doe as I walked the trail, and glimpsed the fawn following its mother across the road today, but my camera isn't that fast.

An eastern tailed-blue finally found some clover.

Mating pondhawk dragonflies in the wetland.

When is a black butterfly not a black butterfly, when it is a female tiger swallowtail.  The females mimic the pipevine swallowtail, which is poisonous.

My walk today

As I walked out today over the newly repainted Penn-Gwyn bridge, it was overcast and somewhat humid, and I had few expectations for seeing much. 

Here is the clearwing moth that has been everywhere lately.  And I met some fellow residents and was happy to share the walk in the meadow with them.

The seed eater, this lovely little goldfinch was flitting everywhere.

As I went to take a photo of this magnificent teasel, I spotted something else.

The fox, looking not as sleek as it did in the spring, but I was happy that it posed for me.

Imperial Moth

A friend just called to report this strange creature in front of L-1.  Not a butterfly, but an Imperial Moth.

Butterflies

The most numerous and easiest butterfly to see in the meadow is the Tiger Swallowtail.

Red Admirals have been around.

Here is the male black swallowtail.

Even the Monarchs have been nectaring on the bergamot.  Interesting that it is almost finished blooming in the back meadow, and now just at its prime in the front meadow.

And today I photographed this beautiful fresh male spicebush hiding in the grass.  But I have not been able to photograph the one eastern tailed-blue.  They need clover which was blasted with the herbicide, frizzled with the drought and sizzled with the heat.  Poor little blue butterflies. 

Catching Up

I have been out walking, but did not get around to posting my photos.  This deer was pointed out by one of the staff, and I have heard that there is a doe and fawn in this area between the "M" and "N" parking lots,

The new wetlands have been watered and the grass is growing.

The blue dasher is a common smaller dragonfly seen in the wetland.

This common whitetail is also often seen.

This is how the grounds crew is keeping those trees watered.

Progress is really seen in the "Post Office" apartment under construction.

I'm Back

They have started planting the 50 trees for 50 years.  As you can see we are experiencing drought and hot weather.  Not the best time to plant trees, I hope they will be watered deeply.

This gray-headed coneflower was blooming amid the bergamot in the meadow.

Though it looks delicate, this monkey flower is blooming despite the dry and hot conditions.

The sprinklers are watering the wetland, which was newly planted.

This blue vervain is blooming in the wetland, though I suspect it was an escapee from our meadow, and appreciates the wetland watering.