M
@elfndragon.bsky.social
Hack photographer, paddling muskie hunter, rampant birder/hiker, homesteader, zymurgist, biologist, and outdoor enthusiast.
The poofs are getting big. They're already integrated into the main flock and are even going to roost in the coop at night on their own. Granted, they haven't quite figured out the roosting bars and roosting pecking order yet, but they're well ahead of the curve, already, so not complaining! 😁
August 29, 2025 at 10:22 PM
The poofs are getting big. They're already integrated into the main flock and are even going to roost in the coop at night on their own. Granted, they haven't quite figured out the roosting bars and roosting pecking order yet, but they're well ahead of the curve, already, so not complaining! 😁
Day 2 of reared wild monarch releases from the 5 year moth-balled (because no one showed up to breed) from Elf & Dragon Wildlife Refuge & Monarch Respite #monarchwaystation. 😁🥰 #becurious #natureiscool #getoutside #monarchbutterfly
August 26, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Day 2 of reared wild monarch releases from the 5 year moth-balled (because no one showed up to breed) from Elf & Dragon Wildlife Refuge & Monarch Respite #monarchwaystation. 😁🥰 #becurious #natureiscool #getoutside #monarchbutterfly
The monarchs were sunning on the corn leaves this morning before taking wing over the common milkweed and spreading dogbane patches in the adjacent fields and breaks. This pretty girl actually let me get close. 🦋 #becurious
August 24, 2025 at 1:19 AM
The monarchs were sunning on the corn leaves this morning before taking wing over the common milkweed and spreading dogbane patches in the adjacent fields and breaks. This pretty girl actually let me get close. 🦋 #becurious
We may have collected sap from some gooey pine trees of various species (always carry vessels of collection, because you never know!). Why? Retsina-style mead making, of course. 🌲🥂
August 24, 2025 at 1:18 AM
We may have collected sap from some gooey pine trees of various species (always carry vessels of collection, because you never know!). Why? Retsina-style mead making, of course. 🌲🥂
Oh, and the zebra swallowtail pids are also doing well, though OMFG they are so smol (compared to the monarchs and the BSTs. One of their parents egg bombed my paw paw tree saplings on the front porch, the beautiful, rotten, stinker. 🤣💚 #zebraswallowtail #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
August 23, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Oh, and the zebra swallowtail pids are also doing well, though OMFG they are so smol (compared to the monarchs and the BSTs. One of their parents egg bombed my paw paw tree saplings on the front porch, the beautiful, rotten, stinker. 🤣💚 #zebraswallowtail #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
Dorito would like to remind you that these five are doing well, integrating with the rest of the flock well, and still looking like 4 out of 5 are pullets. #backyardchickens #chickenlife #hatchyourown #homesteading
August 23, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Dorito would like to remind you that these five are doing well, integrating with the rest of the flock well, and still looking like 4 out of 5 are pullets. #backyardchickens #chickenlife #hatchyourown #homesteading
I did not expect this fatty #yellowbear catty to come running at me out of one of our patches of purple top grass while I was planting a spotted joe pye weed by one of our drainage ditches. Sorry, folks, it's my favorite season and the caterpillar wins. 🐛😎👍 #virginiatigermoth #becurious
August 23, 2025 at 12:21 AM
I did not expect this fatty #yellowbear catty to come running at me out of one of our patches of purple top grass while I was planting a spotted joe pye weed by one of our drainage ditches. Sorry, folks, it's my favorite season and the caterpillar wins. 🐛😎👍 #virginiatigermoth #becurious
The boys are back in town! Look at all these beautiful paper wasp bois (this is an old hornet's nest; their actual nest is probably in the soffit). If I start posting pictures of me holding wasps, remember, don't be alarmed. These cuties are harmless. #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
August 21, 2025 at 11:48 PM
The boys are back in town! Look at all these beautiful paper wasp bois (this is an old hornet's nest; their actual nest is probably in the soffit). If I start posting pictures of me holding wasps, remember, don't be alarmed. These cuties are harmless. #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
A new (to me) little moth in the backyard (that made itself all apparent on the garage door for a moment. A yellow-fringed dolichomia moth. That's a bit of a mouthful, so I'm just going to call her Steph. 😝 #becurious #natureiscool #getoutside
August 21, 2025 at 10:54 PM
A new (to me) little moth in the backyard (that made itself all apparent on the garage door for a moment. A yellow-fringed dolichomia moth. That's a bit of a mouthful, so I'm just going to call her Steph. 😝 #becurious #natureiscool #getoutside
Ok, I've been piling a lot of Lepidoptera in your feeds, lately, so I'm going to mix it up and remind you about our thicc cuddle noodle, Jerry, who is shyly trying to eat the ass-end of his dinner. 😑😒 #ballpython #royalpython #snekfren #snekfamily
August 20, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Ok, I've been piling a lot of Lepidoptera in your feeds, lately, so I'm going to mix it up and remind you about our thicc cuddle noodle, Jerry, who is shyly trying to eat the ass-end of his dinner. 😑😒 #ballpython #royalpython #snekfren #snekfamily
Do you know about or have the #milkweed that doesn't look, smell, or grow like a milkweed (other than the seed pods!)? It's not a monarch's favorite, but they absolutely can and will use it. Meet the #honeyvinemilkweed (Cynanchum laeve). 😅 #savethemonarchs #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
August 19, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Do you know about or have the #milkweed that doesn't look, smell, or grow like a milkweed (other than the seed pods!)? It's not a monarch's favorite, but they absolutely can and will use it. Meet the #honeyvinemilkweed (Cynanchum laeve). 😅 #savethemonarchs #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
Found another two of these fancy f*cks in the garden this evening. I THINK I got them all now; sneakin' thieves. Also have one saddled up and ready to find its chrysalis form, and another two fatties were on walkabout and will be following close behind. #bst #blackswallowtail #becurious
August 19, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Found another two of these fancy f*cks in the garden this evening. I THINK I got them all now; sneakin' thieves. Also have one saddled up and ready to find its chrysalis form, and another two fatties were on walkabout and will be following close behind. #bst #blackswallowtail #becurious
A brief shower left some drops on the #Colocasia we have at the edge of the rain garden. I like big leaves and I can not lie, so you're getting photos of it.... 😜
#becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
#becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
August 17, 2025 at 5:46 PM
A brief shower left some drops on the #Colocasia we have at the edge of the rain garden. I like big leaves and I can not lie, so you're getting photos of it.... 😜
#becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
#becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
We can't forget the magnificent air shrimps of the day time moth world, either, and we had both of our local species about all day; hummingbird clearwing and snowberry clearwing moths. 🤎♥️
#clearwingmoth #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
#clearwingmoth #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
August 17, 2025 at 3:03 AM
We can't forget the magnificent air shrimps of the day time moth world, either, and we had both of our local species about all day; hummingbird clearwing and snowberry clearwing moths. 🤎♥️
#clearwingmoth #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
#clearwingmoth #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
He was too cooperative not to pause & grab a few shots of. Male #easterntigerswallowtail butterfly.
Also, if you don't have Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’, then you don't have Phlox for your butterflies & moths. They have been blooming for weeks & get pounded by sooo many proboscis, daily. 🤯 #becurious
Also, if you don't have Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’, then you don't have Phlox for your butterflies & moths. They have been blooming for weeks & get pounded by sooo many proboscis, daily. 🤯 #becurious
August 17, 2025 at 2:53 AM
He was too cooperative not to pause & grab a few shots of. Male #easterntigerswallowtail butterfly.
Also, if you don't have Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’, then you don't have Phlox for your butterflies & moths. They have been blooming for weeks & get pounded by sooo many proboscis, daily. 🤯 #becurious
Also, if you don't have Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’, then you don't have Phlox for your butterflies & moths. They have been blooming for weeks & get pounded by sooo many proboscis, daily. 🤯 #becurious
The faded, rough-wing female monarch was in the backyard most of the day, but so was this younger lady & a rather fresh looking male. This is in addition to the mant skippers, eastern tiger swallowtails, black swallowtails, zebra swallowtails, and who knows what I missed laying eyes on. #becurious
August 17, 2025 at 2:41 AM
The faded, rough-wing female monarch was in the backyard most of the day, but so was this younger lady & a rather fresh looking male. This is in addition to the mant skippers, eastern tiger swallowtails, black swallowtails, zebra swallowtails, and who knows what I missed laying eyes on. #becurious
We fought SO hard for these carrots; had rabbit problem and then a groundhog problem and replanted twice to get to today, AND, holy $h!t, we got a bonus with them. Black swallowtail caterpillars!!!!!
#blackswallowtailcaterpillar #bst #blackswallowtail #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
#blackswallowtailcaterpillar #bst #blackswallowtail #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
August 17, 2025 at 2:36 AM
We fought SO hard for these carrots; had rabbit problem and then a groundhog problem and replanted twice to get to today, AND, holy $h!t, we got a bonus with them. Black swallowtail caterpillars!!!!!
#blackswallowtailcaterpillar #bst #blackswallowtail #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
#blackswallowtailcaterpillar #bst #blackswallowtail #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
Good thing we have over two dozen paw paw tree saplings going, because I found a trio of these fine zebra swallowtail cats in the backyard this morning! 😄
#zebraswallowtailcaterpillar #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
#zebraswallowtailcaterpillar #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
August 17, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Good thing we have over two dozen paw paw tree saplings going, because I found a trio of these fine zebra swallowtail cats in the backyard this morning! 😄
#zebraswallowtailcaterpillar #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
#zebraswallowtailcaterpillar #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
Just a mix of dark clouds and bright sun on our power walk and bird survey through the community this evening. 😊 #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool #gobirding
August 16, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Just a mix of dark clouds and bright sun on our power walk and bird survey through the community this evening. 😊 #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool #gobirding
One of, now many, of our halberd-leaved rose mallows blooming. We collected some seed pods from a few growing on the margins of the Shenandoah River and brought them a few hundred feet uphill to our rain garden. They aren't mad (and leave their offspring EVERYWHERE)! 😁 #becurious #getoutside
August 16, 2025 at 2:31 AM
One of, now many, of our halberd-leaved rose mallows blooming. We collected some seed pods from a few growing on the margins of the Shenandoah River and brought them a few hundred feet uphill to our rain garden. They aren't mad (and leave their offspring EVERYWHERE)! 😁 #becurious #getoutside
She's an old, worn girl who is probably approaching the end of her few weeks of life, but for now, she's still flying strong and hanging around the backyard. Her offspring will be the generation that heads for Mexico for the winter & live up to 7-8 months. Nature is pretty wild. #becurious
August 16, 2025 at 2:19 AM
She's an old, worn girl who is probably approaching the end of her few weeks of life, but for now, she's still flying strong and hanging around the backyard. Her offspring will be the generation that heads for Mexico for the winter & live up to 7-8 months. Nature is pretty wild. #becurious
A butterflyweed (milkweed) in bloom and a leaf cutter bee visitor that I almost caught in focus (but it saw me first and bombed right on out of there!)
#butterflyweed #milkweed #leafcutterbee #getoutside #becurious #natureiscool
#butterflyweed #milkweed #leafcutterbee #getoutside #becurious #natureiscool
August 15, 2025 at 12:19 AM
A butterflyweed (milkweed) in bloom and a leaf cutter bee visitor that I almost caught in focus (but it saw me first and bombed right on out of there!)
#butterflyweed #milkweed #leafcutterbee #getoutside #becurious #natureiscool
#butterflyweed #milkweed #leafcutterbee #getoutside #becurious #natureiscool
This female green darner dragonfly was just exquisite (and I still can't believe she sat still for so long and even let me get away with this). 😍 #dragonfly #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
August 15, 2025 at 12:14 AM
This female green darner dragonfly was just exquisite (and I still can't believe she sat still for so long and even let me get away with this). 😍 #dragonfly #becurious #getoutside #natureiscool
A big morning stretch for Mr. Red-winged blackbird. #redwingedblackbird #pabirdatlas #pabirdatlas3 #pba3 #getoutside #becurious #natureiscool
August 12, 2025 at 10:37 PM
A big morning stretch for Mr. Red-winged blackbird. #redwingedblackbird #pabirdatlas #pabirdatlas3 #pba3 #getoutside #becurious #natureiscool
I don't think I've given swallowtail butterflies enough attention, lately, and since I'm currently stuck with nothing to do but go through whatever I missed on my mobile camera roll at the moment...
Have a fancy zebra swallowtail feasting on one of our giant ironweed plants. 😁 #becurious
Have a fancy zebra swallowtail feasting on one of our giant ironweed plants. 😁 #becurious
August 12, 2025 at 7:24 PM
I don't think I've given swallowtail butterflies enough attention, lately, and since I'm currently stuck with nothing to do but go through whatever I missed on my mobile camera roll at the moment...
Have a fancy zebra swallowtail feasting on one of our giant ironweed plants. 😁 #becurious
Have a fancy zebra swallowtail feasting on one of our giant ironweed plants. 😁 #becurious