July 2009 Photos

Field and Swamp: Animals and Their Habitats

Click on arrows to show pull-down menus:

Archived-by-Date Pages

July 2009

Johnston Mill Nature Preserve, Orange County, NC 7/30/09

Acanaloniid planthopper Filmy Dome Spider Praying mantis Spined Orb Weaver Leafhopper

Grass Miner Moth New York Ironweed Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera pubescens) Spider and larva (not sure what's going on here)

Mountain Mint Crane Fly Orchid Crane Fly Orchid (closeup)

American Tobacco Trail (miles 4-6) 7/26/09

Burdock Beetle (Leptinotarsa juncta) Virginia Meadow Beauty (Rhexia virginica) Canadian Thistle Mating Asian Multi-colored Ladybug Beetles Silktree flower and seed pods

Cat's Ear Sericea Lespedeza or Chinese Lespedeza Muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia) fruit, Durham, NC, 7/26/09, not Scuppernongs.

Durham, NC (marsh/swamp) 7/26/09

Male Great Blue Skimmer

Durham, NC (local marsh/swamp) 7/25/09

Blacktailed Red Sheetweaver, in dew-laden web. See other spiders. Slaty Skimmer. See other dragonflies.

Durham, NC 7/24/09

Thread-legged Bug

UNC-Chapel Hill, NC 7/24/09

Green June Beetle

Durham, NC 7/23/09

Firefly beetle (Photuris pennsylvanica). Photo taken at night. (Copes?) Gray Treefrog Orb weaver

Eno River State Park, Old Cole Mill Rd. access 7/22/09

Copperhead Snake. It was not quite 2 feet long. Eastern Box Turtle Dog-day Cicada. See other hoppers.

Praying Mantis nymph Velvet mite moving in on a much smaller critter Stink Bug (Banasa dimiata) Fruit fly (Eutreta genus), alternately bending each wing.

Spirobolid millipede Crab spider

Mostly adult (winged) aphids, with two nymphs

Durham, NC 7/21/09

Praying Mantis, about 2 inches long Same Praying Mantis, with a leafhopper on its hindmost leg Close-up of the leafhopper, which was about 1 mm long Praying Mantis exuvia (cast-off exoskeleton after molt). This was found earlier far away.

Durham, NC 7/19/09

Zebra Swallowtail on lantana Carolina Satyr Male Great Blue Skimmer. See other dragonflies. Female Great Blue Skimmer

Durham, NC 7/18/09

Flower flies (Toxomerus marginata) Fly Jumping spider

Rice Stink Bug nymph, with wing pads, dorsal view Rice Stink Bug nymph, with wing pads, ventral view Rice Stink Bug nymphs without wing pads

Mason Farm Biological Reserve, Orange County, NC 7/17/09

Common Wood Nymph Wild onion

NC Botanical Garden, Orange County, NC 7/17/09

Green Frog Acanaloniid planthopper nymph Sensitive Brier or Sensitive Plant (Mimosa microphylla) Female Spicebush Swallowtail

Jack-in-the-Pulpit, with fruit. Two plants are seen here. Silvery Checkerspot on Purple Coneflower. Virginia Spiderwort Green Lynx Spider

Silvery Checkerspot Rattlesnake Master Silvery Checkerspot and Bumble Bee on Purple Coneflower Weevils on goldenrod (Solidago genus, Asteraceae family)

Dogbane Beetle Spider Citrus Flatid Planthopper (Metcalfa pruinosa)

Durham, NC 7/16/09

Picture-winged Fly (Eumetopiella genus) Acanaloniid planthopper Blowfly Spider Rice Stink Bug

Bush cricket nymph

Durham, NC 7/15/09

Spotted Cucumber Beetle Convergent Ladybug Beetle Soft-winged flower beetle (Collops genus) Two-lined froghopper Flesh fly

Crabgrass flowers and seeds Tiny spider (1-2 mm long)

Pokeweed berries Courting Fiery Skippers (female on left) Blueberries

Durham, NC 7/14/09

Leaffooted bug nymph (late instar)

Peaks of Otter Recreational Area (National Parks Service), Bedford County, VA

The "peaks" are three mountains surrounding Abbott Lake, which feeds the Otter River. Sharp Top Mountain's peak is 3862 feet in elevation; Harkening Hill's is 3372; the elevation of Abbott Lake and the Visitors Center is about 2550.

Sharp Top Mountain 7/10/09

Bleeding Heart (Dicentra eximia), seen at about 3700 feet in elevation. About 20 plants were seen in close proximity near a small rain forest. Blueberries, just starting to turn ripe at about 2700 feet in elevation. Columbine flower Columbines, seen at about 2800 or 2900 feet.

Common Plantain Stink Bug (Mormidea lugens, Carpocorini tribe, Pentatominae subfamily), appeared near the Visitors Center. Dogwood Twig Borer (Oberea tripunctata), a kind of flat-faced longhorn beetle. Dogbane Beetle

Harkening Hill 7/9/09

Beetle on Common Milkweed in a meadow Common Milkweed at the Visitors Center Common Toadflax at Lake Abbott Deptford Pink flower, in a meadow Earwigs, on a Common Milkweed plant in the same meadow

Great Spangled Fritillary Wasp Jack-in-the-Pulpit, at Abbott Lake Lavender

Jumping Spider, at Abbott Lake Leafhopper: Common Meadow Spittlebug (Philaenus spumarius). ID thanks to Andy Hamilton. This is a common coloring in this somewhat variable species. Netwing Beetle Bullfrogs: they leaped into Abbott Lake when they saw me coming.

Bee-balm or Wild Bergamot, at the summit Spiderwort, at about 3000 feet elevation. None on this mountain succeeded in blooming. Limited sunlight may have been at least part of the problem. Water Hemlock

Natural Bridge area, artificial pool, Rockbridge County, VA 7/9/09

Water strider (Trepobates subnitidus)

Natural Bridge, Rockbridge County, VA 7/8/09

Rainbow Trout, in Cedar Creek (running under the Natural Bridge) Common Meadow Spittlebug (Philaenus spumarius). ID thanks to Andy Hamilton. This color is unusual for the species. Mydas fly (about an inch long)

Southern Magnolia flower Everlasting Pea (Lathyrus latifolius), on Cedar Creek Nature Trail Chicory (Cichorium intybus), seen in large groups along the sides of highways in this part of Virginia. Cabbage White on unidentified flower Spined Orb Weaver

Durham, NC 7/6/09

Young raccoon attempting to reach a raccoon-proof bird feeder. All photos were taken at 10:20 pm.

Basilica spider Sachem Purple Coneflower Scuppernong grape Pokeweed fruit. Note purple color, not present when flowering.

West Point on the Eno, Durham, NC 7/4/09

Fowler's Toad with residual tadpole tail, on Eno River bank. Leafhopper (Graphocephalus genus) Widow Skimmer Aquatic Leaf Beetle (Donacia genus) Karl

Common Foxglove Mullein Morning Glory Mountain Mint American Water Willow (Justicia americana) flowers, with sweat bee inside one. On Eno River bank. American Water Willow (Justicia americana). Same plant as on left.

Durham, NC (local marsh) 7/3/09

Rice Stink Bug nymph, dorsal view Same Rice Stink Bug nymph, ventral view Adult bug (Oedancala crassimana, Pachygronthidae family) Another adult bug on a sedge.

Marsh fly Fly (Copes?) Gray Treefrog, about half an inch long Same treefrog, dorsal view Flowers of a sedge plant Rice Stink Bug

Johnston Mill Nature Preserve, Orange County, NC 7/3/09

Common Wood Nymph Mydas Fly, about an inch long Spined Orb Weaver Adult Spined Assassin Bug

Passion Vine with opening flower. One of a few remaining after a large field was mowed. Spider, Mangora genus Katydid nymph Mating flower longhorn beetles It's hard to tell what kind of planthopper nymph this was, but certainly is fancy!

Durham, NC 7/1/09

Round-headed katydid Tarnished Plant Bug Female Citrine Forktail Gray (Copes?) Treefrog, recent metamorph

Rhopalid bug (Niesthrea genus) Mosquito Brown Stink Bug Rice Stink Bug

Field Cricket Dark Fishing Spider

Copyright © 2008-2019 by Dorothy Pugh. All rights reserved. Please contact for rights to use photos.


Acanaloniid planthopper	Filmy Dome Spider	Praying mantis	Spined Orb Weaver	Leafhopper


Grass Miner Moth	New York Ironweed	Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera pubescens)	Spider and larva (not sure what's going on here)


Burdock Beetle (Leptinotarsa juncta)	Virginia Meadow Beauty (Rhexia virginica)	Canadian Thistle	Mating Asian Multi-colored Ladybug Beetles	Silktree flower and seed pods


Cat's Ear	Sericea Lespedeza or Chinese Lespedeza	Muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia) fruit, Durham, NC, 7/26/09, not Scuppernongs.


Blacktailed Red Sheetweaver, in dew-laden web. See other spiders.	Slaty Skimmer. See other dragonflies.


Firefly beetle (Photuris pennsylvanica). Photo taken at night.	(Copes?) Gray Treefrog	Orb weaver


Copperhead Snake. It was not quite 2 feet long.	Eastern Box Turtle	Dog-day Cicada. See other hoppers.


Praying Mantis nymph	Velvet mite moving in on a much smaller critter	Stink Bug (Banasa dimiata)	Fruit fly (Eutreta genus), alternately bending each wing.


Praying Mantis, about 2 inches long	Same Praying Mantis, with a leafhopper on its hindmost leg	Close-up of the leafhopper, which was about 1 mm long	Praying Mantis exuvia (cast-off exoskeleton after molt). This was found earlier far away.


Zebra Swallowtail on lantana	Carolina Satyr	Male Great Blue Skimmer. See other dragonflies.	Female Great Blue Skimmer


Rice Stink Bug nymph, with wing pads, dorsal view	Rice Stink Bug nymph, with wing pads, ventral view	Rice Stink Bug nymphs without wing pads


Green Frog	Acanaloniid planthopper nymph	Sensitive Brier or Sensitive Plant (Mimosa microphylla)	Female Spicebush Swallowtail


Jack-in-the-Pulpit, with fruit. Two plants are seen here.	Silvery Checkerspot on Purple Coneflower.	Virginia Spiderwort	Green Lynx Spider


Silvery Checkerspot	Rattlesnake Master	Silvery Checkerspot and Bumble Bee on Purple Coneflower	Weevils on goldenrod (Solidago genus, Asteraceae family)


Dogbane Beetle	Spider	Citrus Flatid Planthopper (Metcalfa pruinosa)


Picture-winged Fly (Eumetopiella genus)	Acanaloniid planthopper	Blowfly	Spider	Rice Stink Bug


Spotted Cucumber Beetle	Convergent Ladybug Beetle	Soft-winged flower beetle (Collops genus)	Two-lined froghopper	Flesh fly


Pokeweed berries	Courting Fiery Skippers (female on left)	Blueberries


Bleeding Heart (Dicentra eximia), seen at about 3700 feet in elevation. About 20 plants were seen in close proximity near a small rain forest.	Blueberries, just starting to turn ripe at about 2700 feet in elevation.	Columbine flower	Columbines, seen at about 2800 or 2900 feet.


	Common Plantain	Stink Bug (Mormidea lugens, Carpocorini tribe, Pentatominae subfamily), appeared near the Visitors Center.	Dogwood Twig Borer (Oberea tripunctata), a kind of flat-faced longhorn beetle.	Dogbane Beetle


Beetle on Common Milkweed in a meadow	Common Milkweed at the Visitors Center	Common Toadflax at Lake Abbott	Deptford Pink flower, in a meadow	Earwigs, on a Common Milkweed plant in the same meadow


Great Spangled Fritillary	Wasp	Jack-in-the-Pulpit, at Abbott Lake	Lavender


Jumping Spider, at Abbott Lake	Leafhopper: Common Meadow Spittlebug (Philaenus spumarius). ID thanks to Andy Hamilton. This is a common coloring in this somewhat variable species.	Netwing Beetle	Bullfrogs: they leaped into Abbott Lake when they saw me coming.


Bee-balm or Wild Bergamot, at the summit	Spiderwort, at about 3000 feet elevation. None on this mountain succeeded in blooming. Limited sunlight may have been at least part of the problem.	Water Hemlock


Rainbow Trout, in Cedar Creek (running under the Natural Bridge)	Common Meadow Spittlebug (Philaenus spumarius). ID thanks to Andy Hamilton. This color is unusual for the species.	Mydas fly (about an inch long)


Southern Magnolia flower	Everlasting Pea (Lathyrus latifolius), on Cedar Creek Nature Trail	Chicory (Cichorium intybus), seen in large groups along the sides of highways in this part of Virginia.	Cabbage White on unidentified flower	Spined Orb Weaver


Young raccoon attempting to reach a raccoon-proof bird feeder. All photos were taken at 10:20 pm.


Basilica spider	Sachem	Purple Coneflower	Scuppernong grape	Pokeweed fruit. Note purple color, not present when flowering.


Fowler's Toad with residual tadpole tail, on Eno River bank.	Leafhopper (Graphocephalus genus)	Widow Skimmer	Aquatic Leaf Beetle (Donacia genus)	Karl


Common Foxglove	Mullein	Morning Glory	Mountain Mint	American Water Willow (Justicia americana) flowers, with sweat bee inside one. On Eno River bank.	American Water Willow (Justicia americana). Same plant as on left.