Gleaning Facebook: Arrowhead in June

A Sweetgum tree fell across our gravel road near the beaver pond, so a took the opportunity to snap some pics of the immature fruit.

 

Don't know which black-eyed suzie-Q this is, but she's lovely. Richard Ware says it is probably Rudbeckia hirta, the other species here (such as R. fulgida) bloom later in the summer.

The Red Buckeye trees are beginning to bear fruit.

The boardwalk from our new lakeside trail.

The Hophornbeams are beautiful right now with their unusualnfruit? Ostrya virginiana (American hophornbeam)

Some entomological porn on Queen Anne's Lace.

Today we cleaned the absolutely yuckified tank of our three very aggressive, if diminutive, gators. I thought I'd expire from the olfactory assault.

Just when a few blackberries are ripening someone decides to do some major herbicide spraying --- not sure of the target --- so our blackberries should not be eaten. Grrrrr...

From Richard Ware: "This is either Cornus stricta (Southern Swamp Dogwood) or Cornus amomum (Silky Dogwood). According to Weakley C. stricta has 3-4 veins per leaf side and C. amomum has 5 or more. So, you probably need to look at several leaves to make a good id, but it's probably C. stricta, which seems to be more common here in Floyd Co."

A big clump of Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Dumplin’, a very young Box Turtle, is a messy eater.

Thea and I model our Greek Fisherman hats…

Our four Gopher Tortoises enjoy some strawberries.