Just a few things to report.  The last few butterflies of the year are still around.  I saw a couple of monarchs on the 14th.  They'll have a heck of a time making it down to Mexico unless they have remarkably good weather.

From Fall 2010

I don't know if I've even seen a cloudless sulfur in the yard.  This one stopped for Stacey's big lilies out front.

From Fall 2010

There are still a lot of skippers around.  This Carolina mantis found a silver-spotted skipper very tasty.  Both were on a butterfly bush, which is one of few things in bloom, along with asters, stonecrops, zinnias and a few other ornamentals

From Fall 2010

Out at Lowell's these little mushrooms were blooming around oak stumps.  I had to get down on the ground to get these shots, but I was pretty happy with the results.

From Fall 2010

I was surprised that this ironweed was blooming so late. 

From Fall 2010

Things were pretty slow in the tree stand until I found this looper (also known as an inchworm).  He got spooked after I moved him, and I had to wait awhile for him to start looping. 

From Fall 2010

It was late in the day, and I loved the shadow effect I got here.

From Fall 2010

This is the same looper on the first knuckle of my index finger. 

From Fall 2010

Could this be the last bumblebee of the year?

From Fall 2010

We have gobs of skippers about, but I don't normally pay them much attention.  I've not yet bothered to learn to identify them, and I'm not sure I ever will.  This is one of the common ones, but I liked this view of it, taking a sip of nectar from butterfly bush.

From Fall 2010

The checkered skipper is widespread and not uncommon, but I hadn't seen one in awhile.  It flitted from flower to flower on the white heath aster in the back yard.