Red Admiral

Species: Red Admiral (Venessa atalanta)
Family: Nymphalidae
Date: 7.22.15

Observation:

 I wasn't planning on taking any pictures this day, but I changed my mind when this Red Admiral decided to hang around the asters in our backyard.

Facts:

Red Admiral butterflies prefer to feed on sap slows and fermenting fruit; nectaring on flowers is typically a secondary option. Caterpillar hosts are the nettle family.

Learn more at Butterflies and Moths of North America - Red Admiral

Tiger Crane Fly

Species: Tiger Crane Fly (some member of the genus Nemphrotoma)
Family: Tipulidae
Date: 7.13.15

Observation:

I photographed this Crane Fly while I was walking around the yard a coupled of days ago.  Alice and I were able narrow it down to being a Crane Fly.  My best guess is that it is a type of Tiger Crane fly.


A Fact or two:

Crane flies occur worldwide, and there are more than 15,000 different species and subspecies.  Most species inhabit a fairly small geographical range.  These flies are sometimes referred to as "daddy long legs."

Learn more (I hate to do it, but there aren't many good options here) at Wikipedia - Crane Flies

Appalachian Brown

Species: Appalachian Brown (Satyrodes appalachia)
Family: Nymphalidae
Date: 7.6.15


Observation:

I spotted and photographed this Appalachian Brown on the path over the new waterline that runs through the back of our property.  The family spent a good deal of time trying to determine whether this was an Appalachian Brown or an Eyed Brown (Eyed Browns are a bit more common), but we feel it is an Appalachian Brown.  This is the second time we have identified a butterfly that is listed as being "very rare" in Vermont - the first was the Silvery Checkerspot.  That has me a little concerned about our identification abilities.




A Fact from Kate: 

The Appalachian Brown's habitat is wooded wet swamps, shrub swamps, forest edges and along slow moving streams.


Learn more at Butterflies and Moths of North America - Appalachian Brown

Six-spotted Green Tiger Beetle

Species: Six-spotted Green Tiger Beetle (Cicindela sexguttata)
Family: Cicindelidae - Tiger Beetles
Date: 7.03.15

Observation:

This unfortunate tiger beetle was stuck in our kiddie pool, but was liberated shortly after the photo was taken when the pool was emptied.  Alice took charge of identifying the beetle with the help of Michelle.

A Fact from Michelle:

Females place eggs singly in holes along paths in the woods and adults emerge in summer.


Learn more at Nature's Notebook - Six-spotted Tiger Beetle

Honey Bee

Species: Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
Family: The Apids (Apidae)
Date: 7.01.15

  


Observation:

Alice is home with me on this rainy Wednesday, and she decided we should look at pictures and find something to add to our blog.  She has chosen the Honey Bee.  The bees pictured here are on milkweed flowers.





A Few Facts from Alice:

Queen bees have an average lifespan of one to three years, and they can lay over 1500 eggs in one day.  Worker bees are not only responsible for gathering nectar and making honey, but also for maintaining the temperature (93 degrees Fahrenheit) of the nursery. If the weather is hot they use their wings to collectively fan the nursery.  If the weather is cool, they cluster around the nursery to generate heat.  Drone bees serve one function for the colony: they mate with the new queens.  Once a drone mates with a new queen, it immediately dies.

Learn more at Everything About - Honey Bee

Black & White Ichneumon

Species: Unknown
Family: Ichneumonid Wasps 
Date: 6.29.15

           

         

Observation:

This female wasp (a non stinging wasp) caught my attention as I was walking around our porch.  By the time I noticed its remarkably long ovipositor (the long needle like appendage behind the wasp - it is used for laying eggs), the wasp flew away.

A Fact from Dana:

Ichneumonids are parasitic wasps - they lay their eggs in or on other "host" insects.  Scientists estimate there are between 40,000 and 100,000 species of Ichneumoid wasps.

A Fact from Alice:

The females of the Megarhyssa genus (not pictured here) lay their eggs by inserting their ovipositor into a dead log (through up to two inches of wood) in order to reach the lavae host.  Scientists believe the egg laying process may take between seven minutes and five and a half hours, depending on the depth to which the wasp must drill.  How the wasp accomplishes this is unknown.  

Learn more at the Missouri Department of Conservation - The Amazing Ichneumon

Eastern Comma

Species: Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)
Family: Nymphalidae
Date: 6.25.15

                 

Observation:

While I was working on filling in potholes in our driveway, I was joined by an Eastern Comma (or two).  I must admit I was a little rusty on the difference between Commas and Question Marks.  The photo showing the underwing (and the white comma) was very helpful!


A Fact from Dana:

The host plant for Eastern Comma caterpillars are usually members of the nettle or elm family.  


A Fact from Alice:

The caterpillars are usually solitary and feed during the nighttime.


Learn more at Butterflies and Moths of North America - Eastern Comma

Silvery checkerspot

Species: Silvery checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis)

Family: Nymphalidae

Date: 6.22.15

   

Observation:

Kate and I were enjoying our first day of summer vacation, taking a stroll around the yard when Kate spotted this butterfly on the front lawn.  After some careful online research, Alice determined the butterfly is a checkerspot, most likely a Silvery checkerspot.  We are counting on Grandpa Chris letting us know for sure.

A Fact from Alice:

Checkerspots prefer habitat that is moist, such as streamsides, meadows, and forest clearings. 

Learn more at Butterflies and Moths of North America - Silvery checkspot

Cellar spider

Species: Longbodied cellar spider (Pholcus phalangioides) 

To the girls it is a "daddy long legs."  

Family: Pholcidae

Date: 6.21.15

Observation: 

Dana shot out of the garage to tell me there was a spider.  With only a little convincing she decided we should take a picture and add it to our freshly started list.

A fact from Dana:

There is no scientific evidence to support the often heard claim that the venom of the cellar spider is some of the most potent. 

Learn more at Spiders.us or Insect identification - Long-bodied Cellar spiders