Summer flowers are emerging with gusto, and chances are if you watch a flower for a few minutes you’ll see a butterfly, bee, or other pollinator stop by for a quick snack of nectar or pollen. When they stop, these insects will get pollen on their bodies, either intentionally or not, and spread it to the next flower. We depend on pollinators for many of the foods we enjoy every day, including the strawberries you might be picking this weekend.

One of the pollinators I found this week was this Baltimore Checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton) in a sedge meadow at Paint Creek Heritage Area – Wet Prairie. It was probably resting before finding its next meal, maybe the mountain mint I found flowering nearby!

This Baltimore Checkerspot is chilling on the leaf of a New England aster at Paint Creek Heritage Area – Wet Prairie.

On a butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) also at Paint Creek Heritage Area Wet Prairie we found a monarch caterpillar (Danaus plexippus). Loss of breeding ground is one factor contributing to the recent decline of monarchs throughout their range, so these milkweeds provide critical habitat for these beautiful butterflies in their breeding grounds.

This monarch caterpillar is feeding on the orange-flowered butterfly milkweed. As the larva feeds on the milkweed, it gets toxic chemicals that it uses to protect itself from most predators.

Finally, after finding these plant-feeding butterflies, I stumbled upon a fierce, dark-winged predator. Like most damselflies, the ebony jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata) feeds on gnats, aphids, and other flies. This individual was very cooperative during the photo session, calmly letting me snap a few close-up photos.

This ebony jewelwing uses the hairs on its legs to catch flies for its next meal. Click on the pictures to check out the hairs!

What insects have you seen in the parks? Leave a comment below to let us know!