Dragonflies, Butterflies And Bees At Lake Irena And Community Park.

I  returned to Community Park in Hazle Township, Luzerne County  a couple of times these past two weeks. I took my usually three mile afternoon hike around Lake Irena and into the surrounding  woodlands. No eagles or  bears  but a lot of bees, butterflies and dragonflies. 

The was nice  Summer weather for all of my hikes. We have had little rain here in Northeastern Pennsylvania the past month.  Some days were mostly cloudy,

And on other days  puffy cumulus clouds floated over the scenic lake. 

The pickerelweed was now in full bloom along the shores of the lake. 

And  these pretty flowers, attracted many bees,

butterflies, 

and dragonflies.

I tried  to identify  some of the dragonflies I saw,  but  I am no expert so please correct me if I am wrong. I believe this is a male widow skimmer.

I think this is a male blue corporal, 

and this a northern bluet.

I tried, but I just didn’t have the time to identify  some of the others I seen. 

They are beautiful insects. I always imagine huge yard long dragonflies flying

over the swamps of our Commonwealth long before the dinosaurs were here. 

The pickerelweed also attracts other critters including bull frogs and

this watersnake. 

Walking  on the trail around the lake I only saw a few birds on my hikes this week, this white breasted nuthatch, 

an oven bird, 

and a few red-eyed vireos .

I always begin my three mile hike walking around Lake Irena. It is a scenic walk and I encounter a lot of folks enjoying the peace and  quiet of the lake including fishermen, families out for a walk with their children, elderly couples taking a leisurely stroll, and so many other.  The lake is a great asset to our community. 

After walking around the lake I walk  on the trail  to the Babe Ruth Ball field and on a old abandoned road into the surrounding woods. 

On many hikes I see deer and birds here but not this past week. I did find a large patch of milkweed  plants that were now blooming. 

The milkweed flowers attract  many species of bees,

and  butterflies including this pretty tiger swallowtail butterfly,

this, I think a spicebush swallowtail butterfly and 

many different species of fritillary butterflies. 

The bees,

were literally swarming around the milkweed flowers.

I love watching and photographing them. 

There were some other  wildflowers blooming along the trail in the woodlands including these pretty grass pinks, 

and this musk mallow, 

sneezeweed and, 

a lot of daisies, which also attracted a lot of insects,  such as this small wasp 

and this spider.

I saw a few other insects on my hikes including this  mourning butterfly, 

this insect, I am not sure what it is, and,

another spider. Here is a link to a gallery with more photos of the dragonflies, bees and butterflies I saw on my hikes in Community Park. Community Park critters July 6 to 14 2022

I love walking in the woodlands of Northeastern Pennsylvania in the Summer. There is so much beauty in nature all around us just waiting to be discovered. 

This is a link to another gallery on my blog website with some more photos from my hikes in the park. Community Park July 6 to 14 2022. 

Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain.  Henry David Thoreau

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