I know that many of you are good at identifying butterflies, insects and plants.I'm going to take a look in a small butterfly i.d. book to see if I can identify the butterflies, but I'm not ready to start looking up plants and insects yet. So-let's make a game of it. We'll start with the butterflies.-I saw this beauty at the Portland Reservoir.-give it a click.-Can You Identify Me?
I saw these two butterflies in the field near the Portland Riverfront Trail. Why do butterflies keep flying in circles before they finally decide to land? I was losing my patience waiting for them. -They look kind of similar in color but only one seems to have tails at the end. Are they different species? Can you identify them? 
Here's a plant that was growing in the tidal sand along the Connecticut River near the fairgrounds in Portland.-What's This Stuff?
I can't believe that I took pictures of ferns. It must be one of those nature blogs like A Passion For Nature or Somewhere In New Jersey that has me looking at stuff like this. I saw these in the shaded woods below the pines in Portland Reservoir.They look different-are they? What kind are they?
Here's two more plants I found in the fields and woods near the river.They were minding their own business when I came along. Can you identify them?
Finally, here are some insects. The top one, I saw in New Hampshire last week. The bottom one I saw today. This is really bugging me.-What are they? Are you seeing these same plants, butterflies, and insects in your area?
12 comments:
Hi Larry,
Here are my guesses for the butterflies:
Great Spangled Fritillary
Black Swallowtail
Spicebush Swallowtail (that one was tough, but I'm going by a field guide that says "prominent single row of white spots on forewings"
The plant growing in tidal sand is Arrow-Head (Sagittaria)
I don't know much about ferns, so can't help with those either.
The white flower looks like Common Yarrow to me and the other plant is Common Milkweed, both of which are growing very well in my yard right now.
I don't know the bugs at all and the next field guide on my wish list is Kaufman's Guide to Insects.
Thanks, Larry, for another great blog post.
Sagittaria again.-I posted a picture before but the plant was much more developed before.-you do good with this stuff Ruth.
Ruth nailed them. The first fern looks like Royal Fern and the second one could be New York Fern. New York Fern tapers towards the stem. It's hard to tell from this pic.
Top insect: Perhaps some type of Stonefly?
Bottom: Red Milkweed Beetle
You guys are too good at this stuff.-Maybe next time I'll make audio recordings of the butterflies and plants-see if you can tackle those.
(Jumping up and down!)
Darn it! I suck at your song lyrics, but this stuff I know and everyone else beat me to it!
lol!
I'm not convinced that white flower is yarrow though - do you have any others that show more of the foliage?
The foliage looks like the "feathery" foliage of yarrow.
I do much better at the song lyrics Laura...lol! I can't even tell exactly what has taken over my empty bluebird house I posted about today. Note to self: I need some new field guides. Beautiful butterflies Larry. :c)
I would have to agree:
Great Spangled Fritillary (although many other Fritillary species are flying right now)
Black Swallowtail
Spicebush Swallowtail
The Dark Green Fern is Christmas Fern and the second one is Hay Scented Fern or New York Fern (my guess is Hay Scented because doesn't taper down all the way that I can see in these photos).
Looks like Yarrow to me and also the common Milkweed! (great place for butterflies)
Bottom bug is the Milkweed Beetle (not sure its real name but thats what I call them).
I had two of the butterflies figured out after looking in the book but was unsure of the 3rd.-After reading these responses,future personal attempts at plant/insect/butterfly identification seems a little more feasible.-thanks to all for the input.-Laura-hope you can jump in quicker next time!
You obviously don't need my input on species at this point. But thanks for the reference to my blog. I'm so happy that my posts have you looking at something besides birds. Not that birds are bad. But there are so many many many things to marvel at in the natural world!
Hi Larry,
I'm late to the party but you have some great photos in this post!!!!
I don't have guides for flowers, bugs, or butterflies yet and I don't know what I'm looking at most of the time. The only comment I can make is that they are beautiful.
I run around enjoying the butterflies and bugs and only know that I love what I see...
I'm pretty much in the same boat Mary but figure that I'll be able to identify more of these things eventually.
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