Life goes on

 at the habitat, even at the end of November. Yesterday afternoon found a few insects making use of the late blooms despite our already having had one snow. A yellow butterfly (some kind of sulphur) refused to be photographed, but a very skittery skipper did finally settle down to feed on a Drummond's aster, though it still would not position itself to enable an ID.

The asters were still reasonably plentiful and in reasonable bloom.

Hoverflies were still hovering (though not cooperating with the photographer), and chipping sparrows and other small birds were making use of the site, no doubt because of the plethora of seeds.

Goldenrod

Sunflower

New England aster

The shrubs in the new shrub border seem to be loaded with buds, and while we will no doubt have to remove some in the spring, the spotted dead nettle has come back and will provide some of the earliest blooms for the earliest pollinators.

The end of the showy season does not mean that nothing is happening; we just need to pay a little closer attention to see what is there.