Karmic-Dragonfly

It definitely feels like Fall -- cool, dreary, damp!

Out on the porch today, I finally realized why the Question Mark Butterfly is called that -- it's because of the white marking on the underside of the wings that looks like a question mark! (All this time, I kept thinking it must be the shape of the wings or something -- I finally got it today!

This one landed under the eaves of the porch on a cloudy day. As a I told a friend, the best camera is the one you have, so this is with the phone. It's not as good as I could have maybe gotten with the macro lens on the DSLR, but by the time I got back outside, the butterfly was gone.

You can see the white curve with the dot underneath -- the "question mark":

Oh, you thought I was talking about a cute guy?

Maybe, but I can't tell the sex of jumping spiders. This is a Bold Jumping Spider (Phidippus audax) --

Back to the river today....Pawpaw fruits dropping off a lot of the trees. I picked up a couple (like that black one in the back of this picture) that were over-ripe, so I composted those.


Here's after I scooped out the 'custard' and I also splashed in a bit of Chambord.


I believe another name for these is a 'custard apple', and the flesh is definitely sort of custardy.

A Double-crested Cormorant trying to air out its wings and get to that pesky itch!


And an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail --

When my current contract ends (soon), I want to spend some time with my cameras. Taking photos really does calm me and center me. Although I have continued to take pictures over the last couple years, I haven't really tried anything new.

I used to be really into macro insect shots -- these are not the greatest, but the poor Jumping Spider was scared of me and kept going to the underside of the spigot outside.

Phidippus audax is a native of North America. I love the green fangs!

As usual, I'm excited to see my first Hummingbird Moth of the season! I didn't realize the Creeping Phlox would be a food source, and glad to see that! This is s a Snowberry Clearwing.

Lots of well-wishes as I got to see friends this week --


In the interest of doing something new during this 'birthday week', I drank Mead for the first time -- I liked it! And I also had Crawdad Étoufée at Book Club for the first time (a flex from my normal vegetarian ways) -- I also liked it, but it won't be a part of my regular menu.

I saw several groups of friends for dinner, and spent some time at the beach with friends. I have not gotten to see the family this week -- that will be next week, but it's been a good week!



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Also still taking the camera out on my walks. I liked the contrast of light and dark of this Tawny Emperor on a log in a spot of sun in the woods.


On the rocks at the river --



I liked the vertical "stripes" created by the plants in this photo --

Actually, the Mulberries are at the park, so they don't belong to anyone in particular :) But someone got there before me this year! At least I got a few today, so I got my taste of them for the season.


And I saw my first damselflies of the year, this one an Ebony Jewelwing --

As I was driving out the driveway today, I saw a Black Swallowtail laying eggs, so I got a few pictures of freshly laid eggs!


The butterfly did not like me being there - she flew off several times, but I guess the urge to lay the eggs overcame her fear of me. This picture is out of focus -- she was gyrating, I was startled that she landed so close (just a few inches away), but this is her right beside me getting more eggs eggs onto the Fennel.

I think the first chilly Fall morning (38F/3C) deserves pancakes!


Last weekend (3 day holiday weekend for Indigenous Peoples' Day or older school Columbus Day) was very social -- dinner with friends (outside on their patio), walk in the park with another friend, board games playing with a 3rd set of friends, a Zoom call with mates from undergraduate, and then a Book Club Zoom during the week. The walk in the park friend gave me a (late) birthday gift of a piñata filled with chocolates! I'm afraid the chocolates didn't last long 😁


In contrast, this weekend has been very quiet, lol -- that's how it seems to go sometimes -- lots of social life for a while, and then a pause!

Having had precious few larger butterflies this year, I was pleased to see a Monarch on my Asters this week, taking advantage of the last of the 70+ degree days. The weather just hasn't been normal this year -- wet and cool late in the spring, then sudden scorching hot a bit too early in the summer, then very wet again, and now the Fall chill has arrived.


There is a lot of strain on people now. Between COVID19, and the election, and the tearing of the body politic, people are a bit on edge. Years ago I gave up Facebook (the day after the 2016 election, because I blamed Facebook for that result). I just gave up Twitter. Basically, I'm finding social media to be a net negative in my life. However, I'm still finding pleasure in watching videos on TikTok. I don't actually post anything, but the app is a pleasant diversion.

That Eastern Black Swallowtail butterfly I saw the other day has been busy! I counted 6 small caterpillars on the fennel out back!


For scale reference, this is an iPhone pic, taken at about 6" away. So I almost didn't notice them!


And I am confused by these, as they appear to be eggs. But I think butterfly eggs should be dispersed and laid singly, not in clutch like this. I’m gonna keep an eye on it!