Long-tailed Skipper

Long-tailed is an appropriate name for this skipper visiting the butterfly bush.

Serenity

Red-banded Hairstreak

A Red-banded Hairstreak visiting the pink Penta blossoms.

Hairstreaks are characterized by the tiny hairlike tails on their hind wings. They move their hind wings up and down which draws attention to the hairs projecting at the back(watch video below). This serves the purpose of fooling predators into attacking the back of the butterfly instead of its head.

Battered Buckeye

This Buckeye butterfly has tattered wings and some of the right hind wing is missing. Butterflies are fragile and almost defenseless creatures. Their predators include birds, spiders, reptiles, other insects (e.g. wasps, flies and mites) and small mammals.

Good Morning Mr. Toad

A Southern Toad in the early morning.

Brown Wasp

A brown wasp on a Purple Coneflower.

Peace Lily

The peace lily tolerates the low light and dry conditions found in most homes, it actually makes the indoors healthier! When NASA did a study on 'sick building' syndrome, peace lilies were rated among the top ten air cleaning plants for interiors.

Fiery Skipper

Fiery Skipper
Skippers are characterized (as their name suggests) by their rapid, darting flight.

Japanese Beetles

The Japanese beetles have made their annual visit to the crepe myrtles and wax myrtles. They arrive after Memorial Day and are usually gone by the Fourth of July. A couple sprayings of liquid Sevin keeps them under control.

Tiger Swallowtail