More nature shots

[CathyA]

Most of our fields are covered in goldenrod. I guess I've always thought it was a weed, but seeing all the butterflies, honey bees, and other insects that feed on it, I'm realizing how important it is to have around. The days have been perfect lately.......cool and sunny, and when I'm riding through the goldenrod (on my golf cart), I'm feeling like life is perfect. Sometimes, I just stop and listen. All I can hear is the buzz of bees. And we've had so many monarchs this year!

Here's some pics I've taken recently...

Monarch butterfly on goldenrod
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/IMG_0654.jpg

monarch butterfly on thistle blossom
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/IMG_0663.jpg

praying mantis.......(it followed me with its eyes!)
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/IMG_0341.jpg

cicada killer on goldenrod
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/cicada%20killer.jpg

bald-faced hornet nest
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/IMG_0656.jpg

buckeye butterfly
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/IMG_0678.jpg

[CathyA]

A couple more. I hope I'm not boring you with all these. :~)

A tired little guy...
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/IMG_0339.jpg

A green darner dragonfly
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/IMG_0452%20green%20darner%20dragonfly.jpg

I finally got my old lotus to flower.......just one blossom this year, but still very much enjoyed.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/IMG_0428.jpg

[Gardenarian]

So beautiful! Thank you!

[TVRodriguez]

Gorgeous. Can't get enough of that lotus flower . . .

[rosarugosa]

Cathy: I could never get bored looking at such wonders - thanks for sharing!
PS: Goldenrod is a wildflower; nothing so beloved by butterflies should be considered a weed!

[catherine]

Love the pics! I have to admit to being partial to the thistle, given my husband's roots.

[iris lilies]

Beautiful!
,!

youve got a male monarch there on the purple flower, .I can tell because he has a spot on each wing.

[kib]

I love praying mantises. (Manti?) I find them to be the one insect that's both creepy to the extreme, delightful in its strangeness, and not scary at all. Most other bugs are one or the other for me - disturbing to the point of atavistic loathing, or so darn cute I'm ridiculous (ladybugs, for example).

[catherine]

Cathy, start planning your 2016 calendar… I'll buy one!

Getting calendars made is really easy. I made one for my family one Christmas and my photography is nowhere near the quality of yours. Let me know if you want to know more.

[CathyA]

Thanks everyone! This late summer/early Fall has sure made up for the monsoons/cloudy days of spring and early summer. It's always so interesting watching nature's reaction to things. Everything is so perfectly balanced. Everything seems to get a chance and everything seems to take turns. Even the various nut trees seem to take turns making nuts. One year, certain plants do great....the next year others do. Nature sure knows what she's doing. I love this planet!

[CathyA]

I think these might be the last 2 monarch caterpillars of summer.........
This has been a great year for the monarchs. I'm so glad, because they haven't been doing so well with all the habitat loss. I think they really liked all our goldenrod for nectar and the milkweed to raise their youngins'.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/IMG_0631.jpg

[kally]

beautiful. I love the tired little guy.

[Tussiemussies]

Thanks for posting Cathy, I could never tire out of seeing beautiful nature pictures. It is so nice to see everything looking so healthy. I did not go outside much but never saw a Monarch here and only saw Mason bees digging their holes in our gross unfinished deck!