New Backyard Stuff

Hummingbirds have been busy at our Cana Lilies. We have a feeder for hummers but bees and hornets are taking it over. I recently watched a female hummingbird poke at a bee and the bee backed off! 

It would be easy to pass over this brown butterfly. It is a rare, non breeding migrant with most records being at Point Pelee.The range of the Ocola Skipper is from Argentina to Central America, West Indies, Texas and Florida. The fact that it stopped for a break in our backyard was truly incredible!  I hoped for a return visit the next day, but no luck! Definitely a new species for me!!

If you have an interest in attracting butterflies and pollinators I highly recommend including Missouri Ironweed in your native plant selection. It has attracted a multitude of butterflies including this Fiery Skipper!

Peck's Skipper is the most common Skipper species in our yard.

A Carolina Wren made a stop in our sun room for a quick work out on some exercise equipment. We were able to safely usher it back out into the wilds!

Many seeds were planted but industrious chipmunks and squirrels 

left us with a total of 4 cobs. The final cob was last seen being carried 

up a tree. We will not be eating any corn from our garden this year!

One of my favourite butterflies, the Common Buckeye, graced our Brown-eyed Susans.

The Common Calligrapher Willow beetle made an appearance. I love the combination of silver with black calligraphy lines!