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August 21st, 2023 Reader Photo Gallery

July 2023

Your July photo subjects included summer butterflies and moths, forest flowers, and everyone’s favorite: insect egg slime (Leocarpus fragilis), which is actually the fruiting form of a slime mold. In Wilmington, Vermont, Diana Dube made two lucky early morning moth finds. Sarah Hale crossed paths with a high-speed porcupine on New York’s Thomson Island, and Ross Lanius observed a distinctly disgruntled looking black-crowned night-heron that was drying out its wings at the top of a tree in Milford, Connecticut. Check out Frank Kaczmarek’s image of pit traps in sand, then see this recent article in the Outside Story series, which describes the insects that make them.

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

Juvenile horned owl Photo: Danielle Durocher
Pelham, NH. “Juvenile great horned owl.” | Photo: Danielle Durocher
Abbotts Sphinx Moth Caterpillar Photo: Ken Hatch
Bethel, VT. An Abbott’s sphinx moth caterpillar. “My wife found this when she was pruning the grapevine back. After I got some photos she put it back on the grapevine.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Native wood lilies Photo: Karinne Heise
Belknap Mountains, NH. “Wood lilies – one of the few native lilies in New England.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Insect egg slime Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Tenants Harbor, ME. “Insect egg slime (Leocarpus fragilis).” | Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Porcupine Photo: Sarah Hale
Thompson Island, NY. “Porcupine on tour.” | Photo: Sarah Hale
Fritillary on milkweed Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Fritillary on milkweed.” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Cuckoo Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “With a high spongy moth population, cuckoos, like this yellow-billed cuckoo, had an abundance of food.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Pine trees Photo: Ben Haubrich
Francestown, NH. Still-green eastern white pine cones. “Next gen Pinus strobus (or good bird food).” | Photo: Ben Haubrich
Wood thrush Photo: Tom Grett
Berks County, PA. “The elusive shy wood thrush whose beautiful haunting songs delight the summertime forests.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Oyster mushrooms Photo: Judy Sweet
Buckland, MA. “Oyster mushrooms are happy in the Purple Forest after plentiful rainfall.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Dagger moth larva Photo: Ross Lanius
North Haven, CT. “Found this colorful smeared dagger moth larva in our garden.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Chestnut saplings Photo: Stephen Fox
Canterbury, NH. “American chestnut saplings.” | Photo: Stephen Fox
Small eyed sphinx Photo: Diana Dube
Wilmington, VT. “A small-eyed sphinx moth, found in the early morning.” | Photo: Diana Dube
White Fungi Photo: Cathy Lather
West Windsor, VT. White fungi, probably genus Clavaria. “After the rain Mother Earth blooms.” | Photo: Cathy Lather
Eastern comma butterfly Photo: Kit Hood
Sharon, VT. “Eastern comma.” | Photo: Kit Hood
Puffball Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Lyman, NH. “White puffball.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Millipede Photo: Katie
State College, PA. “Millipede on forest floor.” | Photo: Katie
Ruby throated hummingbird Photo: Dan Grey
Fair Haven, VT. “Ruby-throated hummingbird.” | Photo: Dan Grey
Tooth fungus Photo: David Porter
Sedgwick, ME. “Hydnellum scrobiculatum (tooth fungus).” | Photo: David Porter
Warbler Photo: Karinne Heise
Concord, NH. A black-and-white warbler. | Photo: Karinne Heise
Spider Photo: Jim Buckley
Sandown, NH. “Bright green spider having a yellow jacket lunch on the back of my game camera.” | Photo: Jim Buckley
Immature heron Photo: Vladimir Burnin
West Lebanon, NH. “Immature great blue heron.” | Photo: Vladimir Burnin
Fringed orchids Photo: Sharon Bombard
Hawley, MA. “White fringed orchids on Hawley Bog.” | Photo: Sharon Bombard
Grackle lovely plumage Photo: Tom Grett
Lancaster County, PA. “A grackle displays his iridescent plumage.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Polyphemus moth Photo: Diana Dube
Wilmington, VT. “A polyphemus moth found early in the morning on the back deck.” | Photo: Diana Dube
Wood pewee Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “Eastern wood pewees are flycatchers that feed low in the forest canopy, flying from lower branches to catch flying insects.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Slug Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, MA. “Hanging by a thread...errr...web!” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Cormorant Photo: Richard Philben
Wayland, MA. “A cormorant sunning itself on Dudley Pond.” | Photo: Richard Philben
Antlion doodles Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Lyman, NH. “Antlion ‘doodles.’ Conical shaped furrows called doodles are created by antlion larvae in sandy soils. The larva waits at the bottom of the pit ready to ambush prey that has fallen into the pit. Insert photo shows a hapless bug being pulled under the sand by the waiting larva.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Waterfalls Photo: Dave Adler
Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain, NY. “My son and granddaughter came down Poke in a deluge. These three waterfalls are results of the storm.” | Photo: Dave Adler
Milk snake Photo: Kevin McDonough
Jay, NY. “Milk snake raiding a phoebe’s nest.” | Photo: Kevin McDonough
Northern Pearly Eye Photo: Kit Hood
Sharon, VT. “Northern pearly-eye.” | Photo: Kit Hood
Black trumpets Photo: Stephen Fox
Canterbury, NH. “Black trumpet mushrooms.” | Photo: Stephen Fox
Black crowned heron Photo: Ross Lanius
Milford, CT. “This black-crowned night-heron suddenly decided to air out its wings after sitting in the top of the tree gazing out over the water.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Summer lake Photo: Leif Tillotson
Highgate Springs, VT. Summer lake scene. | Photo: Leif Tillotson
White water lily Photo: Matt DeLuca
Errol, NH. “An American white water-lily on the Androscoggin river.” | Photo: Matt DeLuca
Downy rattlesnake Photo: Jack Nelson
Plainfield, MA. “Downy rattlesnake plantain in bloom.” | Photo: Jack Nelson
Spangled fritillary Photo: Diana Dube
Wilmington, VT. “Great spangled fritillary!” | Photo: Diana Dube
Arachnid artistry Photo: David Andler
Victor, NY. “Arachnid artistry.” | Photo: David Andler
Snail Photo: Katie
State College, PA. “Snail on damp forest floor.” | Photo: Katie
Pickerel frog Photo: Peter Hollinger
Sharon, VT. “Pickerel frog (Lithobates palustris).” | Photo: Peter Hollinger
Great blue heron Photo: Richard Philben
Royalston, MA. “Great blue heron posing for me on the North River.” | Photo: Richard Philben
Variable dancer Photo: Paula Jean Schlax
Lewiston, ME. “Variable dancer and reflection in Lincoln County.” | Photo: Paula Jean Schlax
Violet toothed polypore Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Franconia, NH. “Violet toothed polypore.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Barred owlet Photo: Danielle Durocher
Windham, NH. “Barred owlet.” | Photo: Danielle Durocher
Coral slime mold Photo: David Porter
Brooklin, ME. “After taking the photo of the coral slime mold, Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa, I noticed a couple of invertebrates along for the ride.” | Photo: David Porter
Black and white warbler Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “Black-and-white warblers often behave like nuthatches, feeding along large branches including by hanging on the underside of the limb.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Coral fungus Photo: Katie
State College, PA. “Coral fungus.” | Photo: Katie
Vireo nest Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Red-eyed vireo nest and hatchlings. Momma decided to build her nest in a branch three feet off the ground and overhanging our mowed area!” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Sundews and pitcherplants Photo: Sharon Bombard
Hawley, MA. “Sundews (and a pitcher plant) on Hawley Bog.” | Photo: Sharon Bombard
Oystercatcher Photo: Ross Lanius
New Haven, CT. “This rare American oystercatcher was hunting for crabs at Long Wharf Veterans Memorial and Nature Preserve just off I-95 in New Haven.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Pine sap Photo: David Porter
Sedgwick, ME. “Pine sap (Monotropa hypopytis).” | Photo: David Porter
Pitcher plants Photo: Sue March
German, NY. “Pitcher plant at Jam Pond Bog.” | Photo: Sue March
Dogwood fruits Photo: Judy Sweet
Shelburne, MA. “Alternate leaf dogwood near a wetland flowered earlier this summer and has abundant fruit for birds to enjoy in July.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Fishing at sunset Photo: Leif Tillotson
Georgia, VT. Fishing at sunset. | Photo: Leif Tillotson
Red admiral Photo: Kit Hood
Sharon, Vt. “Red admiral on hanging begonia.” | Photo: Kit Hood
Big boletes Photo: Tricia Knoll
Williston, VT. “As soon as the sun came out after the huge rainstorm in July, I found ten of these boletes behind my house.” | Photo: Tricia Knoll
Birds in trees Photo: Ben Haubrich
Deering, NH. “New friends (immature northern flicker & eastern king bird) on Wilson Hill.” | Photo: Ben Haubrich
Ladyslipper seedpod Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Tenants Harbor, ME. “Pink lady’s slipper seed pod developing.” | Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Green mountain forest Photo: CJ Frankiewicz
Mt. Tabor, VT. A view downstream of Silver Bridge in Green Mountain National Forest, after the July flood. | Photo: CJ Frankiewicz
Cedar waxwing Photo: Tom Grett
Lancaster County, PA. “A beautiful cedar waxwing.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Blue bead lilies Photo: Sharon Bombard
Lenox, MA. “Blue bead lily fruits (Clintonia borealis).” | Photo: Sharon Bombard
Yellow stagshorn Photo: Stephen Fox
Canterbury, NH. Yellow fungi (possibly golden spindle). | Photo: Stephen Fox
Goldfinch on cattails Photo: Ken Hatch
Addison, VT. “Goldfinch in the cattails at Dead Creek WMA.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Balsam pond Photo: Sue March
McDonough, NY. “Balsam Pond paddle.” | Photo: Sue March

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