Tuesday (09-May-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

There are a number of new wildflowers showing up in my backyard. I am not sure of the identification of the yellow, orange, and blue ones. Any help with the ID is appreciated. They could be native weeds, or perennial ones from the wildflower mix that I planted last year. The flowers on the rhododendrons are also starting to bloom. Because of the deer, my rhododendron learned to grow tall — the only leaves and flowers are above where the deer could nibble last winter. I hope to see and photograph some  hummingbird moths on the Rhododendrons again this year.

Yellow wildflower. Backyard spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/8, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Yellow wildflower. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/8, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Orange wildflower. Backyard spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/8, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Orange wildflower. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/8, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Blue wildflower. Backyard spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/8, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Blue wildflower. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/8, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Rhododendron blooms. Backyard spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/8, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Rhododendron blooms. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/8, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)

One-Year Ago (09-May-2016) — New Jersey

Indoor spring nature in New Jersey.

A Brown Marmorated stink bug climbing a cactus. The stink bugs are supposedly vegetarian. The cactus spines are making it difficult for the stink bug to get close enough to suck sap from the cactus. I have observed stink bugs on my cactus plants going back to 2007.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug climbing a cactus. Indoor spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D810A camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 800, 60 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug climbing a cactus. Image taken with a Nikon D810A camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 800, 60 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)