What is Yellow & Black, Eight Legs & Alive in Jericho?

August, a time to splash at your favorite waterhole, hike in the dappled shade of the town forest and parks, harvest the fruits and vegetables of your garden bounty, and leisurely walk and sit in your yard. 

We found some time to Stop, Look, and Listen in our Jericho backyard as well as to hike in nearby VT Family Forest conserved land around Norton Brook Reservoir in Monkton.

Below is a sample of the web of life we witnessed.

White Admiral  Butterfly 

Limenitis arthemis

                                       Spotted coming out of its cocoon (on Jewelweed)                                                 just outside our back door.

One does not need to go far to have nature astound you!
Read here about this species and its mimicry, a prime example of convergent evolution. See more photos of the species variations here. 

What is Yellow & Black, with eight legs & is alive in Jericho?







The YELLOW GARDEN SPIDER
Argiope aurantia

I spotted this one in our backyard while clearing a small patch of tall grass in order to plant a Rugosa Rose shoot.



The web, which I unfortunately inadvertently damaged, was nearly two feet in diameter, with a zigzag pattern of silk in the center.




The next photos were taken at Norton Brook Reservoir in Monkton (Aug. 2019)

The black-purplish large colored wasp is the Chalybioncalifornicum [Blue Mud Wasp]. Also called blue mud wasp. The spider it is chewing on, actually does help a bit [to I.D.]. 

~Don Miller, consulting field Biologist and Naturalist.

Check out those pincers. ID pending. Perhaps a Vespid Wasp (Parancistrocerus pedestris)

The frontal of the dragonfly with the venation so beautifully depicted.

 It is a Band-winged meadowhawk of the genus Sympetrum. 

~Don Miller, consulting field Biologist and Naturalist.

Count the feet! Note the nearly transparent wings.





 Jericho Vermont Images of Community -  Intimate, caring, and personal; reflecting the community and its stories. Published by Bernie Paquette 
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