Hey, I called Dibs on this Coneflower.
We have had many Painted Lady butterflies visiting the area this summer and with nectar at a premium competition did seem to heat up for the best coneflowers in the field.
Tag: wildflower
Woodland Pinedrops: Pterospora andromedea
Earlier this summer we ran across a peculiar plant making its way up through the earth in the forest. A strange striped asparagus? No Woodland Pinedrops: Pterospora andromeda.
According to Wikipedia “Like all members of the Monotriopoidiae , Pterospora andromedea lacks chlorophyll (trace amounts have been identified, but not enough to provide energy for the plant or to color it. Plants exist for most of their life as a mass of brittle, but fleshy, roots. They live in a parasitic relationship with mycorrhizal fungi, in which plants derive all their carbon from their associated fungus, but the relationship is not yet well understood.”
This makes it similar to several of the orchids we have encountered along the trail.
Now that summer has passed and fall is in the air the plant looks like this.
Somewhat like a small tree full of small pumpkins decorating the autumn forest.
Waiting for a moment.
Seems like we are always waiting for that moment. A moment that seems to have no beginning and perhaps no ending. Such is the case with trying to photograph bees just taking to flight or just landing. The results are seldom clear but like life itself what is?
Digitalis
Along the trail on a silent hike the digitalis were ringing strong.
Photographed in a dark yet very green forest.
Wings of August
With wings tattered and torn a Fritillary takes a sip of nectar on the coneflowers. Those tattered wings sure feel like a metaphor for the month that has passed.
We don’t know about you but we are looking forward to autumn this year.
The big box
This summers bounty of Indian Paint Brush was like getting that big box of crayons you always wanted as a child. So many colors, so much fun to be had.
And the best thing about getting the big box is that there are plenty of crayons to share.
Still Summer
Alas, while most of the summers wildflowers have come and gone there is still a bit of color to be found. The Dotted Gayfeather have done well this year and are in full bloom in the fields and along the roadside near our home and it looks like other besides ourselves are enjoying them as a little Skipper Butterfly enjoys a late summers sip of nectar.
Orobanche uniflora
I can’t say it better than it is stated in this NY Times article “There’s simply no way to talk about the beauty of Orobanche uniflora without raising a lot of eyebrows.”
Commonly called Naked Broomrape or sometimes Flowered Cancer Root this wonderful flower with unflattering common names was a new one to us when we came across it in meadow on a recent hike.
It is a short leafless plant unable to photosynthsize thus gaining it’s nutrients by parasitism. Often using sedum, saxifrages and asters as a host plant. Typically growing only up to 3 inches tall we found this cluster buried deep in the grass.
It is a beautiful little flower and very unique to say the least.
Duet
A wonderful duet between pollinators and flowers. In this instance Blanket Flower was the host of the party which had numerous attendees all lining up to dance with the host one by one.
On Joe Pye
The Joe Pye Weed is in full bloom and this painted Lady Butterfly is happy about that. Although known for attracting butterflies we have noticed others to find Joe Pye quite to their liking as well.
Dragonflies like Joe Pye.
As well as this wasp.
And this lovely looking bee with pincers you don’t want to mess with like Joe Pye.
A hub of activity with lovely flower to boot.
nature has no boss 
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