When summer gathers up her robes of glory, and, like a dream, glides away.
~Sarah Helen Whitman
Though the temperatures sure don’t seem like it, I’m seeing signs that Summer is coming to a close and Fall is just around the corner. The butterflies that so many thought had forsaken us this year are now everywhere and the hummingbirds are squabbling over the feeders and flowers in preparation for their departure in a few weeks. The house seems suddenly shrouded in orb webs and a yard tour quickly turns up a host of caterpillars. And though I feel sapped of all energy every time I try to do anything outside, nature (especially in the invertebrate world) seems to be in high gear as we get ready to turn the calendar page again. Here are a few of our tiny neighbors enjoying the jungle of native plants in our slightly sunny hole in the canopy.
The highlight was definitely the last thing I found on my sweaty yard tour – several rolled leaves made by early stage caterpillars of a Long-tailed Skipper. I wrote about seeing one laying eggs in the yard last week and here are the fruits of her efforts. The abundance and variety of our mini-beast neighbors continues to fascinate and amaze us.
Roads End Naturalist 
I also like the Spicebush’s fake pair of sunglasses farther back. 😁
Indeed.
What a great site, I’m new to this, can I send a photo of a dragonfly that I can’t ID except to guess it is some kind of Ebony Jewel, with white wing tips, I saw on the BRP near Sparta, NC
Thanks, Frank. Sure, send your Odonate pic and I’ll see what I can do. Send to my email at roadsendnaturalist@gmail.com
Lucky find with the long tailed skipper! I’ve yet to see them on a native legume yet but they really enjoy my beans! Great finds—things are ticking upwards here in Texas, too.
That is cool, a friend said they loved his beans as well. I’ll need to check mine.
Your posts are always so delightful. thank you!
Thank you, Marianne.
I found a caterpillar in my yard yesterday and I can’t identify it by looking at all your photos, plus others on the web. I live in Wake County in Raleigh. May I send a photo to you?
Certainly. Send it to roadsendnaturalist@gmail.com.