Lots of Critters this Week

I have been seeing more and more butterflies. A dark colored swallowtail of some kind has split the scene whenever I've had my camera out. Other butterflies have hung around, knowing I was out.

The bees are enjoying the Joe Pye weed, since the globe thistles are finished.

From looking at my book, this looks to be a gray hairstreak. I've seen several the last few days.

I've been seeing huge numbers of skippers.

Here's an insect I probably had identified last year, but now, can't remember what it is.

Painted ladies like to come around a lot.

Maybe I should get a guide for dragonflies. I was so tickled that I was able to get a photo before it flew away from the veggie garden fence.

I've mentioned I'm seeing 2 or more monarchs a day. Actually, every time I go out, I see them.

The next photos were taken Thursday.

I've seen this kind of butterfly a few times this year. I wonder if it's a spread wing skipper of some kind. Do you know?

I didn't get a good shot of this one before it darted off. I wonder if it's a checkerspot.

I haven't seen as many honeybees as bumblebees.

I missed the shot of the squirrel on the neighbor's roof, but saw a dove on the birdbath in time to take a quick photo before it flew off.

I liked this photo of the monarch dancing on the short toothed mountain mint. I didn't see the butterfly on the right side of the photo until I was editing the photos. I think it's another gray hairstreak.

The next 2 photos show 2 different monarchs on my oldest butterfly bush.

After I took the above photos, I was surprised to see this hummingbird moth on the agastache, out in the bright sun. Not only that, but it put up with me taking loads of photos, and even a couple videos. I had trouble getting clear photos because of how fast it flapped its wings. I looked it up, and it appears to be a white-lined sphinx moth.