Back in my hometown for my high school class reunion, Steve and I spent last Saturday afternoon at Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, Ohio. We didn’t get there until high noon, and the sun was blazing. I almost left my camera behind, knowing it would be hard to get a decent exposure in the sun, but decided to bring it along anyway. I’m glad I did because we saw a lot of cool stuff.
There is a large butterfly garden behind the visitor’s center, and we spent as much time there as we could stand to in the heat. There weren’t a lot of butterflies, but this Monarch (Danaus plexippus) did float in to visit the butterflyweed (Asclepius tuberosa) right in front of me.
We also got a good look at a hummingbird moth (Hemaris thyshe) feeding on some wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa). They are very convincing hummingbird mimics, even down to the wing buzz!
Bullfrogs were abundant in the pond. This young one got a bit of shade on a lilypad.
There’s an arid patch, piled with sand and planted with succulents. Here is an Allium sp. planted in front of prickly pear (Opuntia humifusa)--odd to see in Ohio, but perfect in this setting and in the heat.
An assassin bug waits for it’s next victim on a mullein plant.
Center of purple coneflower (Echinacia purpurea).
