Recent Canatara Finds!

The Bristle Fly is appropriately named!!

Warblers are passing through in their Fall colours. A cooperative Palm Warbler allowed me to take its picture. (The other warbler species weren't so accommodating!) 

A prickly caterpillar on a prickly plant!!

A Smeared Dagger Moth nibbled on Common Teasel in the Canatara Meadow.

While sitting on "Hawk Watch Hill" in Canatara, Anne pointed out this Four-toothed Mason Wasp. Sometimes mistaken for Bald-faced Hornets, these wasps are not nearly as social. They help to reduce the number of leaf-rolling caterpillars by using them as food for their newly hatched larvae. https://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.php?identification=Four-Toothed-Mason-Wasp

Immature, male Rose-breasted Grosbeak. He was hiding in the jewelweed then popped up on the branch for me.

A Red-breasted Nuthatch was very close to me on the trail today.