Aunt Suzy Comes to Town

My dear sister Suzy came east from Seattle for the first time in maybe ten years.  We had a little party for her yesterday.  For fun, here are some of the pictures:

Back Row: Vicki Russell, Caitlin Russell, Abby Riley, Suzy Blair,
Peter Riley, Kitty Riley Kono, Alex Riley;
Front Row: Claire Riley, Josey Russell, Avery Russell

Josey, Claire and Avery

Lexie

Peter and Suzy

Peter, Suzy and Kitty

The Whole Gang

Yumiko hugging Josie with Charley looking on

Balance

Goldfinch Fighting Over Thistle Blossoms

Little White Crab Spider (Click to see that Face!!)

Just waiting for breakfast to walk by on the Thistle Blossom

Pure Joy for a Bug Lover

I know where all the praying mantises hang out in Valley Forge.  But also, I have to be patient because it takes all summer for them to grow up and become that much more visible.  Yesterday was PURE JOY.  I went to my secret garden and within five minutes found a couple in all their glory making a new batch for next year.  Then two beautiful boys posed individually in perfect light.  Finally a big fat momma had just caught her breakfast and was munching away on a thistle plant.  Here you go:

Making babies

Male looking for Love

Another Male also Looking for Love

Momma having Moth Breakfast

Just Hanging Out on a Leaf

The Spotted Lantern Fly

Oh dear.  I was walking in the tall grass in one of my favorite fields in Valley Forge yesterday and there was one after another after another of the Spotted Lantern Fly.  The dreaded beautiful leaf hopper has invaded our state.  They are terribly destructive to trees, grape vines, and the fruit industry.   I contacted the bad bug people to let them know they are here in Valley Forge, but I think they already knew that.  We too shall get past this.

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Portrait of The American Carrion Beetle

My first time ever seeing this beetle.  I took way too many pictures then headed back out of the field and all the tall grass where I found him. Then what do I see?  ANOTHER ONE.  So I came home and looked him up.  Yuck... He is a beetle that eats dead bodies.  Oh well, I guess somebody has to do it, but I wonder who had died near where I was......

Cormorants at Eastern College Pond

There are never cormorants at Eastern College Pond.  But yesterday, there were!!  Two of them!

The Praying Mantis in Valley Forge Today

The Empty Shell

There once was a nymph dragon fly in this casing or "exuivia", but the adult dragonfly made her way out the back and will live another two months or so, mate, and begin the life cycle all over again.

Mr. Blue Eyes at Eastern College Pond