Chrysanthemum 'Venus' seems to be where all of the cool insects hang out these days. There and aster 'Miss Bessie', but that's another post.
I haven't seen many buckeyes this year, although it's been a butterfly mecca here for most of the growing season. It's probably because the vegetable garden was heavily mulched last winter, covering the seed of the blue toadflax that had volunteered there, and my husband mowed the toadflax that was in the lawn before it could go to seed. (The battle between neatness vs. patience continues.) I will have to get some toadflax seed. We do have a lot of wild Gerardia though in the floodway fields and by the creek, so the buckeyes may have been there. I think this is one of the most beautiful of butterflies.
The bumblebees are still hard at work.
Virginia ctenuchid moth, a diurnal (daytime) moth that is
frequently seen side by side with bees, wasps and butterflies.
frequently seen side by side with bees, wasps and butterflies.
The honeybees are hard at work too, quickly buzzing from flower to flower.
Coming in for a landing
Nope, not this one
Perfect
To see more critters of all sorts, visit Camera Critters!
Stunning photos of the Buckeye and my favorite today. Great post for camera critters.
ReplyDeleteWow! Awesome shots!
ReplyDeleteI played too :)
Lovely shots, love all of them especially the butterfly!
ReplyDeleteBOO, happy Halloween! Here's my Camera Critters entry. Have a spooky one!
Hi Sweetbay,
ReplyDeleteI am on my parents' computer while they play with Grandson. My dad has his Safari set to large print, and the photos are large, too. I'm glad I made it here to see your awesome blooms with the butterfly, bees and other critters, Is that a hoverfly with the bee in the last photo?
I planted some toadflax this year, and then found out it can be invasive. I have had photos exported for a post about a relative of toadflax for a few weeks. I hope to get it posted soon. Do yours spread from the roots?
It still looks so nice and warm there! What a pretty combination of flowers and butterflies.
ReplyDeleteEvery single photo is so beautifully done. The Buckeye is amazing...wow!
ReplyDeleteLove this post!
I love the bees halted in mid-flight, but all of your shots are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteYour shots are perfectly amazing.
ReplyDeleteLike your critter choices. No spiders.Yeah!
Rosey
The buckeyes are great pictures but boy...to get those honeybees in flight!!! whoooaaa
ReplyDeleteMagnificent post!I love this flower and those little critters are so cute!
ReplyDeleteHappy camera critters
purrs and love
Luna - We love Luna
WOW. That was amazing.I love Buckeyes and the catch the bee in flight, well, it was fantastic. I look forward to returning next week.
ReplyDeleteSuch great shots! I've only seen one buckeye here. It was a thrill though.
ReplyDeleteYou're right...the buckeye is one of the most beautiful, and your photos show it off to perfection.
ReplyDeleteThe flying bee is quite a feat! Beautiful shots! You do so well with your camera.
And the mum is gorgeous too :)
Sweetbay, Your photos are fantastic! What a joy to visit and see the honeybees in mid flight~~you've captured them wonderfully. I agree the Buckeye butterfly is a beautiful critter. gail
ReplyDeleteWow, those are some wonderful shots, both artistically and because they radiate summer, when here, bees and flowers are gone...
ReplyDeleteI am at loss for words which can do justice to these awesome photographs; they have captured every detail perfectly...beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI love these photos!! They really made me feel so cheery on this dark rainy day we are having here in Massachusetts.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots Sweetbay.
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love your shots with the butterfly! Amazingly beautiful!
ReplyDeleteKatarina
PS You asked if one of the shrubs was a rugosa - and the answer is yes.
Oh my word! THe beauty and charm of this post filled with purity, butterfly and buzzing wings..certainly has curative powers! Wonderful!!
ReplyDeleteWhat stunning photos, is that a moth? Great shots, what a joy to see.
ReplyDeleteWow, your insect photos are just amazing. I love all of them, but the honeybees in flight are my favorites.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your comments.
ReplyDeleteSue I think that is a little tiny Hoverfly in the last picture.
The Blue Toadflax that was here is either an annual or biennial, which is why the mulching and mowing sadly made it disappear. We did have quite a lot of it so it spreads readily.
Sweetbay, those plants are Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra' and Rosa rugosa 'Wasagaming'. I like them too! : )
ReplyDeleteWhat amazing photos. I have a long way to go in the photo area.
ReplyDeleteYour pictures are stunning!
ReplyDeleteThe buckeye butterfly is so beautiful and shows up perfectly against those white blooms. I wish we had them in my area. Great shots of the bees in motion.
ReplyDeleteMarnie
Oh just fabulous, Sweet Bay! Thanks for the ID on the moth, we have seen it around here as well. Your buckeye is a beauty, I didn't know about the toadflax, will have to get some seeds. We normally have plenty of those, but this was an off butterfly year for all of them. Love seeing the markings so up close and personal. :-)
ReplyDeleteFrances
Your Buckeye photos are gorgeous Sweet Bay... you are right that they are one of the most beautiful butterflies. The light is so bright on your white daisy Chrysanthemums... so cheery! I love all the busy bee photos too. Great post. Carol
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos, Sweet Bay! You've captured the tiny gossamer wings of the bees so well, but my favorite has to be the Buckeye. I didn't see a single Buckeye this summer, but then we didn't have a lot of butterflies either.
ReplyDeleteSomehow I missed this post earlier--sorry; it was a treat!
SweetBay - am going to add my ditto. Fabulous b.fly photos. Really well done.
ReplyDeleteHello SweetBay,
ReplyDeleteDaisy-like flowers just brighten my day and make me smile!
Heisann!
ReplyDeleteLucky you, soon getting summer...
Very nice "prestekraver" and butterflies and bugs. I love these white meadows.
Sorry, I read NZ instead of NC, you have the same season as we have!
ReplyDeleteAmazing photos, Sweetbay! Loved the Buckeye shots and the diurnal moth too.
ReplyDeleteTruly marvelous pictures. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSweetbay, extraordinary photos of flowers and butterfly!
ReplyDeleteOutstanding shots! White can be so difficult to shoot in bright sunshine and you've done it amazingly well:) I have plenty of Toadflax in my flowerbeds but saw less Buckeyes this year than last.
ReplyDeleteSimply gorgeous pictures!
ReplyDeleteOh Sweet Bay ~ you and your camera are one. That has to be it. PHENOMENAL pictures these are. I'm SO envious that you still have flowers to photograph and bees to visit them. Maybe next year we'll have a more gentle fall. Meanwhile, you rock.
ReplyDelete