YOUR MONTHLY FIELD GUIDE
June
Living Light
Southern Blue Ridge • Western North Carolina
Long days linger into warm evenings as the mountains settle into summer. Fireflies begin to glow beneath the canopy, young birds move through the branches, and the woods remain full of sound long after the light begins to fade.
Meet This Month's Species
Ted Bodner, Southern Weed Science Society, Bugwood.org, CC BY 3.0 US httpscreativecommons.orglicensesby3.0usdeed.en, via Wikimedia Commons - Copy
Galax
Galax urceolata
An evergreen woodland groundcover with round glossy leaves and slender flower spikes that rise from shaded mountain forests.
Luna Moth
Actias luna
One of North America's largest moths, with pale green wings and sweeping tails; adults live only briefly and focus on finding a mate.
Synchronous Firefly
Photinus carolinus
A mountain firefly known for courtship displays in which groups of males synchronize their flashes, creating waves of light beneath the trees.
Chanterelles
Cantharellus
Golden chanterelles emerge from damp summer forests, forming hidden partnerships with tree roots that help sustain the woodland ecosystem.
Veery
Catharus fuscescens
A woodland thrush whose descending, spiraling song is one of the distinctive evening sounds of early summer in the mountains.
Fire Pink
Jason Hollinger, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Silene virginica
A brilliant red native wildflower of rocky slopes and open woods, standing out vividly against the green of early summer.
June Small Wonders
Synchronous Firefly
Photinus carolinus
On warm June nights, synchronous fireflies gather beneath the trees, timing their courtship flashes until whole stretches of forest seem to pulse with light. For a few brief weeks, the darkness flickers in rhythm.
Appalachian Glowworm
Orfelia fultoni
Along damp, mossy banks, tiny Appalachian glowworms shine like blue stars after dark. These fungus gnat larvae glow beside sticky silken threads used to capture tiny prey.