It's Aster Time Along the Creek!

Autumn begins officially this week, and rather than dread the end of summer, I truly look forward to this season of cooler days and colorful foliage.  But we don't have to wait for fall to bring us gorgeous color.  Just take a walk this week on the Burl Trail along the Kayaderosseras Creek near Ballston Spa for some knock-your-eye-out splendor.  The New England Asters are all in bloom there, in the deepest purple, the rosiest rose, and the prettiest pink, all complimented by the spectacular yellow of big sunflowers and masses of goldenrod.  If you can't manage to get there, though, here are some photos to show you what you're missing.

This is the typical deep-purple shade we associate with New England Asters (complimented here by the brilliant yellow of a Goldenrod Crab Spider).

But this species of aster also blooms in a radiant rose.

Sometimes, too, in a paler shade of pink.

Nothing sets off the beauty of these asters better than the spectacular blooms of Maximilian Sunflowers.

This sunflower species is known for its generous number of blooms per stalk.

The Twelve-spotted Lady Beetle, one of our native American ladybugs, is a predator of many plant pests. But it also likes to dine on pollen, a food abundantly supplied by this sunflower.

What a treat, to see one of our ever-rarer Monarch Butterflies feeding on this pretty aster.

Goldenrod is also in its glory now along the Kayaderosseras, attracting many insects to its pollen by its brilliant color.  But sometimes the insects, like these tiger-striped Locust Borer Beetles, have other things beside eating on their mind.

As do these Goldenrod Soldier Beetles.  Looks like it's fall, rather than spring, when a young bug's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.