Saturday, October 10, 2015

New England Asters

It is hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that it is October.  I am thankful for having blooms this time of year that are having so many insect visitors.  I am also glad that I did not thin out all of the volunteers that are around the yard.

I am seeing more sulphurs than usual this year, I'm not sure how many different kinds.  I like this kind with the black on it.


We are still seeing more than one size of bumblebee. This looks to be the smaller kind.


I'm not sure how many kinds of skippers have been visiting, but there have been a good number of them this season, too.


I'm not sure if this is the same sulphur shown earlier.


I always like to get more than one insect in a photo.


These two New England asters are the original ones, whose seeds have ended up in different parts of the yard.  I moved them from where we lived before here.  The stems get diseased late summer most years, even though I cut them back a few times in the spring and early summer.  That does not stop them from having loads of blooms with pollen for the insects.


We are still seeing monarchs each day, but not as many as a few weeks ago.  I counted 7 insects in this photo.  Is that how many you see?


When I saw this at first, the wings were out, like a butterfly, but like this, it looks like a skipper.  Do you know what it is?


Here is another skipper, a sweat bee, and I'm not sure if that is a bee or hoverfly on the right.


I am pleased to be seeing a painted lady or more most days.


I've been seeing a buck eye or two off and on for awhile.  This poor one's "eyes" did not fool some bird or other.


I like the little green sweat bees.


Here's another view of a painted lady.


I decided to add a few more photos, these taken today.  I've learned this is a tachnid fly.


I am not sure what kind of wasp this is.  I've also had yellow jacket hover flies this year.  I didn't even know there was such a thing, but I'm thinking this actually is a wasp.


This clump, in the area where the tree used to be, mixed with some rigid goldenrod, is one I did not plant.  I like where it chose to grow.


This is a different kind of sulphur than the one I showed previously.


I thought this was an interesting looking critter.  I was glad it came to a spot where I could take a photo of the rest of it.


I am not sure what it is, though.  If you know, please tell me.  It's about half an inch wide if my memory is correct.


I have not yet visited those who left comments on my Wildflower Wednesday post.  I am spending too much time on Facebook!  I need to make an adjustment so I can get more blogs visited.  Have a great fall, all!



12 comments:

  1. Hi Sue: Congratulations on all your pollinators and garden visitors! My garden is winding down now, but we still haven't had a frost, so many flowers are still blooming. I'm planning to head out to the garden in mid-afternoon tomorrow to capture some photos of the last pollinators of the season. I like those little green sweat bees, too. ;)

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  2. Wonderful photos. I 've had a difficult time getting good photos of my pollinators this year~We've had breezes every day that don't help, so I am loving yours! The Ex-asters are wonderful plants to have. My woodland asters are exploding into bloom. xogail

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  3. Nice photos. Seeing a lot of butterflies here too but the numbers are starting to go down. Glad there are some flowers for them along the way.

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  4. Wow Sue, lots of great 'flying flowers' and other pollinators visiting your lovely gardens. GREAT photos.

    Have a wonderful week ~ FlowerLady

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  5. Oh, Sue! You DO know your insects! What beautiful asters...

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  6. Sue, I can hardly believe that Fall is here and Winter is not far away. This summer really slipped through my fingers. I have accomplished many things in Terra Nova Gardens structure but many more are yet to come. I completed the six foot wooden fence so the deer won't be a problem next year. I'm working on the sweet corn fortress which will keep the raccoons at bay .... well .... at least I hope so. It is amazing just how much life there is in a garden with blooming plants if we just take the time to look real close.


    I'm rejuvenating my Spring flower bed with fresh tulips, daffodils, crocus, and hyacinth. It's been several years since I've planted the old flower bed. I have come a long way with flowers the last few years. My experience has been with row crop farming so the current flower bed is planted in rows. It's one of the reasons that I'm replanting the entire bed. I've since learned that flowers never grow in rows. :-) Hopefully, the bed will look better next Spring.

    Have a great Nebraska Fall Day in the garden.

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  7. Hi Sue, I love Butterflies and your pictures are lovely! You have so many of them! A couple of my Milkweed plants are bare. The leaves are completely eaten. Do you think it was Monarch caterpillars? Is there anything else that would eat them like that? I know what you mean about FaceBook. I've found a couple of local gardening groups and haven't blogged as much. Wishing you a happy fall!!

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  8. What gorgeous photos Sue! I've been looking out for something in the purple/blue range that would offset all the orange in my garden for next year. Those asters look beautiful. I wonder if they would do well down here? Wishing you and your family a wonderful Fall.

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  9. You take such wonderful photos insect and butterfly photos, Sue! Your garden must seem like a buffet to them, as many visitors as you have. Although it's still warm here, I haven't seen a Monarch in over a week; I think they have all moved South already. I started out with just one New England aster several years ago, but like yours, mine has made itself at home and spread all over. I vow to thin them out each spring, but come fall, I am so happy to have them.

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  10. I love that one plant (or a lot of one kind of plant) is a happy host to so many different pollinators. What a keeper!

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  11. Super pretty asters! I had one Monarch hanging around for about a week but that's all this year. Lots of skippers, and a few larger flutters as well. What a treat you've had to see so many around your garden.

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  12. I sure enjoyed seeing all those critters on your asters! I find a lot at my house too, but I've noticed fewer butterflies this year. I never saw a single Buckeye, and I live in Columbus Ohio. LOL But I sure enjoyed raising two monarchs in my kitchen, that was quite a thrill for me.

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