June Bugs

?, Charles River Peninsula, Needham, MA

Inspired by Hugh Raffles's Insectopedia and Sonia Dourlat's Insect Museum, I went out in search of June insects at the CRP.

The milkweed have really grown over the last week, though are not quite ready to bloom. Here's an early milkweed muncher, the Swamp Milkweed Beetle. (These are mostly macro shots, so clicking on the image will give you giant bugs).


Many butterflies, especially skippers.


This skipper is a little different than most I saw this morning.


Common Ringlets were everywhere.


Unlike this one, which was the only one of its type I saw. A Crescent of some sort, maybe a pearl.


And this moth in the woods, which I mistook for a gypsy moth. Looks to be a Pale Beauty.


Lots of different dragonflies too. I may have the time and energy to ID these guys, but for now here are some close-up shots.