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September 6th, 2022 Reader Photo Gallery

August 2022

Your August photos included a diversity of late summer life, including insects and spiders, juvenile birds, and coral fungi. In Hawley, Massachusetts, Amy Quist did her best to shoo a stubborn snake out of the road, while in Strafford, Vermont, Ken Hatch encountered a turtle in the act of shedding scutes. Danielle Durocher dazzled us with two gorgeous bird images from Pelham, New Hampshire (green heron and great horned owl). Meanwhile, in Speculator, New York, Jane Schneider witnessed duck gymnastics, and in Waldo, Maine, Judy Kaiser discovered a toad bonus in a lettuce flat.

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This gallery is made possible through generous support from the Larsen Fund.

Paddle caterpillar Photo: Cheryl Metcalf
Tunbridge, VT. “A rare glimpse of a paddle caterpillar, the larvae of the funerary dagger moth, on an aspen sapling.” | Photo: Cheryl Metcalf
Frog selfie Photo: Brittany G.
Petersham, MA. “Reverse selfie, tree frog.” | Photo: Brittany G.
Green heron Photo: Danielle Durocher
Pelham, NH. “Green heron.” | Photo: Danielle Durocher
Vermont sawlogs Photo: Gordon F. Gould
Waterford, VT. “About 500 board feet of spruce and fir saw logs.” | Photo: Gordon F. Gould
Hummingbird Photo: Peter Hollinger
Sharon, VT. A hummingbird, “in an aggressive posture.” | Photo: Peter Hollinger
Fungus Photo: Jen Adams
Sandwich, NH. “Who knew parasitic fungus could be this beautiful?” Syzygites mold. | Photo: Jen Adams
Clearwing moth Photo: Larry Litke
Jeffersonville, VT. “Hummingbird clearwing moth.” | Photo: Larry Litke
American bittern Photo: Lonnie Jandreau
Ashland, ME. “American bittern.” Also known as “thunder pumpers,” the birds are remarkably hard to spot when they’re standing still among the reeds. | Photo: Lonnie Jandreau
Argiope spider Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Lyman, NH. “An argiope spider wrapping a newly acquired meal in silk.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Monarch caterpillar Photo: Karen Goulet
Epsom, NH. “Monarch caterpillar munches on butterfly weed.” This native plant is a milkweed species. | Photo: Karen Goulet
American spidenard Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “American spikenard (Aralia racemose) fruits.” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Lone Lily Photo: Richard A. Philben
Shelburne, MA. “A lone lily.” | Photo: Richard A. Philben
Skipper Photo: Ross Lanius
North Haven, CT. “Subtribe hespertina, a skipper butterfly, feeding on a purpletop vervain in our weedy garden. Look closely and you will see the proboscis, a feeding tube, in a blossom.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Great egret Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Elimsport, PA. “Great egrets on State Game Land 252 - each year, at the end of breeding season, a few great egrets wander northward to wetlands in north central Pennsylvania.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Bears Photo: Anne O’Malley
Brooklin, ME. “Peach jugglers.” | Photo: Anne O’Malley
Eastern blue Photo: Tracy Sherbrook
Lyndon, VT. “Eastern tailed-blue strutting its stuff.” | Photo: Tracy Sherbrook
Wasp colony Photo: Jack Nelson
Plainfield, MA. “Colony of Cerceris fumipenis wasp nests found on a forest path. They prey upon metallic wood-boring beetles, including Emerald Ash Borer.” | Photo: Jack Nelson
Sandpiper Photo: Sheri Larsen
Colchester, VT. “Migrating birds - lesser yellowlegs and semipalmated sandpiper.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Owl Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “’Who cooks for you?!’ Large barred owl hunting along a woodland trail.” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Mushrooms Photo: Tom Grett
Adirondacks, NY. “Colorful mushroom in the Northern Adirondacks.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Milkweed Photo: Hannah Smith
Thetford, VT. “Monarch caterpillar.” | Photo: Hannah Smith
Swallowtail Photo: Erika Senglaub
Naples, NY. “Thistle lovers.” | Photo: Erika Senglaub
Ducks Photo: Jane Schneider
Speculator, NY. “The duck balancing act made me smile. Paddled past them on Lake Pleasant.” | Photo: Jane Schneider
Wise owl Photo: Danielle Durocher
Pelham, NH. “Great horned owl.” | Photo: Danielle Durocher
Spider web Photo: Chantal Caron
Rockingham, VT. “Argiope spider in her web.” | Photo: Chantal Caron
Prickly pear Photo: Collin Miller
Westchester County, NY. “Rare prickly pear cactus community on a dry ridge.” | Photo: Collin Miller
Brown snake Photo: Amy Quist
Hawley, MA. DeKay’s brown snake. “Tried to encourage a stubborn brown snake to move off the road before it got run over.” | Photo: Amy Quist
Birds Photo: Larry Litke
Jeffersonville, VT. “Ruby-throated hummingbird - adult male and phoebe.” | Photo: Larry Litke
Hornets Photo: Jim Duncan
Tuftonboro, NH. “Bald-faced hornets tending larvae as seen through our dining room window, against which they built their nest.” | Photo: Jim Duncan
Moose Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Small bull moose browses in an old log landing on Dalton Mountain.” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Crossbill Photo: Kirk T. Gentalen
Tenants Harbor, ME. A juvenile red crossbill in “the ‘Summer of the Red Crossbill 2022!’” | Photo: Kirk T. Gentalen
Rainbow Photo: Richard A. Philben
Shelburne, MA. “A very low in the sky rainbow at Wheel-View farm.” | Photo: Richard A. Philben
Monarch Photo: Judy Sweet
Shelburne, MA. “A monarch enjoys prairie coneflowers on a peaceful summer morning.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Baby birds Photo: Karinne Heise
Warner, NH. “Common yellowthroat feeding time.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Ferns Photo: Tom Grett
Adirondacks, NY. “Detail of fern from the northern Adirondacks.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Crown coral Photo: Brittany G.
Petersham, MA. Crown-tipped coral. | Photo: Brittany G.
Nut weevil Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “Various species of nut weevils, like this Curculio obtusus, can have a significant impact on tree reproduction.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Turtle Photo: Ken Hatch
Strafford, VT. “At Miller Pond, a painted turtle shedding its scutes.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Grubs Photo: Char Reed
Underhill, VT. “Grubby fingers.” | Photo: Char Reed
Birds nest Photo: Penelope Harris
Cambridge, VT. “Wrens built their nest on a bluebird nest.” | Photo: Penelope Harris
Praying mantis Photo: Ross Lanius
North Haven, CT. “Praying mantis. Found many bugs in my weedy garden. Here the praying mantis is reducing the bee population.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Mushroom Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Littleton, NH. “A worm’s eye view of a deer mushroom.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Spider Photo: Andrei Burnin
Jackson, NH. “Jumping spider with its prey.” | Photo: Andrei Burnin
Mushroom Photo: David Porter
Blue Hill, ME. “Woodpile wreath - Cerrena unicolor mushroom.” | Photo: David Porter
Hummingbirds Photo: Larry Litke
Jeffersonville, VT. “Ruby-throated hummingbirds - juvenile.” | Photo: Larry Litke
Turtlehead Photo: Thomas Ames Jr.
Pittsburg, NH. “A white turtlehead (Chelone gabra) blossoming at the confluence of Perry’s Stream and the Connecticut River.” | Photo: Thomas Ames Jr.
Kayakers Photo: Leif Tillotson
Swanton, VT. Two kayakers. | Photo: Leif Tillotson
Katydid Photo: Elaine Philbrook
China, ME. A classic late summer scene. “Resting katydid in a sunflower.” | Photo: Elaine Philbrook
Orb weaver Photo: Chantal Caron
Rockingham, VT. A beautiful image of an orb weaver spider. | Photo: Chantal Caron
Western bee Photo: Louanne Nielsen
East Montpelier, VT. A honey bee, nectaring on Joe Pye weed. | Photo: Louanne Nielsen
Female hummingbird Photo: Ross Lanius
North Haven, CT. “This female ruby-throated hummingbird is approaching a feeder with her tongue out and pauses before landing. A great pose for a picture. She has a greenish head and back. The red tinge is from light reflecting from the feeder.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Mushrooms Photo: Jane Schneider
Adirondacks, NY. “Noticed this tiny crown-tipped coral while hiking Blue Mtn. in the southern Adirondacks.” | Photo: Jane Schneider
Walking stick Photo: Ron Becker
Fayetteville, NY. “A walking stick pauses on the door frame of my garage.” | Photo: Ron Becker
Turtles Photo: Sheri Larsen
Milton, VT. “Map turtle and painted turtle sunning themselves on the Lamoille River.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Orb weaver Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Bethlehem, NH. “A beautifully patterned orb-weaver spider found alongside a woodland trail.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Wood grain Photo: Charlotte Reed
Underhill, VT. “Cherry Picasso.” | Photo: Charlotte Reed
Bluebird Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “Juvenile eastern bluebird - part of a brood hatched in a natural tree cavity.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Chaga Photo: C.J. Frankiewicz
Tinmouth, VT. “Inonotus obliquus, commonly called chaga, is a fungus in the family Hymenochaetaceae.” It typically grows on birch trees. | Photo: C.J. Frankiewicz
Fawn Photo: Amy Quist
Heath, MA. “Spooked a fawn from its trail-side slumber, though it definitely spooked me more!” | Photo: Amy Quist
Turtle Photo: Lincoln Lavoie
Goffstown, NH. “This beautiful wood turtle was about to enjoy a juicy blueberry on a hot summer day.” | Photo: Lincoln Lavoie
New pups Photo: Lonnie Jandreau
Ashland, ME. “New pups.” | Photo: Lonnie Jandreau
Sunrise Photo: Greg Shute
T1 R11, ME. “Fourth Debsconeag Lake Sunrise.” | Photo: Greg Shute
Fungi Photo: Gordon F. Gould
Waterford, VT. “My wife and I saw this unusual (to us) furry fungi growing on a bed of moss.” | Photo: Gordon F. Gould
Grasshopper Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Lisbon, NH. “One of many species of grasshopper abundant this time of year.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Frog Photo: Jane Schneider
Wells, NY. “This green frog was spotted on rocks next to Auger Falls.” | Photo: Jane Schneider
Chanterelles Photo: Chantal Caron
Rockingham, VT. “Chanterelle mushrooms.” | Photo: Chantal Caron
Kingfisher Photo: Richard A. Philben
Chatham, MA. “A kingfisher on the Muddy River in Chatham.” | Photo: Richard A. Philben
Lingonberry Photo: Irina N. Burnina
Jackson, NH. “Lingonberry in Carter Notch, White Mountains.” | Photo: Irina N. Burnina
Mushroom Photo: David Porter
Blue Hill, ME. “Gem-studded puffball - the first mushroom after a very dry August.” | Photo: David Porter
Rock Photo: John Blaser
Brewster, NY. “Growth on a rock, Rock Pond, William C. Whitney Wilderness Area, Adirondacks.” | Photo: John Blaser
Katydid Photo: Amy Thurber
South Dartmouth, MA. “Katydid.” | Photo: Amy Thurber
Morning paddle Photo: Dan Fiedler
Chittenden, VT. “Early morning paddle on Chittenden Reservoir during our family’s first overnight canoe camping trip.” | Photo: Dan Fiedler
Camels hump Photo: Sheri Larsen
Huntington, VT. “Break in the clouds on the summit of Camel’s Hump.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Spider webs Photo: Dave Brazier
Sargent Pond, NY. “Spider webs lit by the morning sun on upper Sargent pond.” | Photo: Dave Brazier
Fox chase
Peru, NY. “Bad day for a squirrel possibly.”
Slug caterpillar Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Lyman, NH. “This spiny oak-slug caterpillar measured a mere three eighths of an inch long.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Toad Photo: Judy Kaiser
Waldo, ME. “Toad in lettuce flat.” | Photo: Judy Kaiser
Sunset Photo: Jen Weimer
Washington, NH. “Summer Sunday sunset at Pillsbury State Park.” | Photo: Jen Weimer
Praying mantis Photo: Prudence Wholey
Heath, MA. “Praying mantis at the Heath Fair.” | Photo: Prudence Wholey
Hawk Photo: Geoffrey Bluh
Greenfield, MA. “This red-tailed hawk was discovered in the backyard on the 22nd of August. Being on the ground it seemed like it had caught some prey, but it was soon discovered to be injured, or perhaps starved. A local raptor rescuer said many hawks have suffered starvation.” | Photo: Geoffrey Bluh

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