המועדפים של c_marie

Very large and quite active. Observed by GNA Student Intern Maeve Dowd. The only individual noted. Visiting Porcelainberry(Ampelopsis brevipedunculatus sp.) in the photos.

Habitat: 'casually-maintained', wet meadow (i.e., in 2015 it was mowed, planted with trees, portions of it were brush-hogged a couple of times, and then the area was pretty much left alone). Area dominated by various species of Goldenrod (Solidago spp.), Virginia Mountainmint (Pycnanthemum virginianum), Arrowleaf Tearthumb (Polygonum sagittatum), New York Ironweed (Vernonia novaeboracensis), and Calico Aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum), with an 'understory' of Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans). The brush-hogged areas are dominated by Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora), with abundant Allegheny Blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis).

found newly molted around ~12 pm, picked it up, and it stayed on me until it was finally ready to fly. finally took off from my back at 4 pm on the dot. it kept me company during field work for a few hours, and i guess i made a pretty good place for it to sclerotize and get its wings ready, where it wouldn't get snatched by a predator :-)