Happy to have the insects back in action at Presque Isle State Park. Except mosquitos. And most flies. And ticks, which yes, are arachnids. Anyway, after a cold early spring and a slow start, it’s back to normal (at least anecdotally) with the warmer weather.
Took a while to ID the yellow/orange-flowering groundcover all over the sunny/open areas of Presque Isle State Park: invasive Cypress Spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias). This is along the ‘outer old’ Gull Point Trail:
Three closeups of unknown ant species + Cypress Spurge, Dead Pond Trail:
Cypress Spurge from earlier in the spring:
Following might be Fragile Forktail damselfly (Ischnura posita):
Very cool sighting of Hobomok Skipper butterfly (Lon hobomok) along the Dead Pond Trail:
Fun shots of Common Eastern Bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) on the Long Pond Trail:
Finally, the beautiful Lupine (Lupinus perennis) is in bloom, and plenty of it in the ‘habitat restoration area’ on the south side of the main park road between Leslie Beach (by the lighthouse) and Beach No. 9 (Pine Tree):
