Observações de stellariagraminea

It flew around the yard a few times, landed in the pollinator garden and rested on the ground there for a while. Then it flew around again, landed on a Potentilla cinquefoil flower and appeared to nectar momentarily before flying off.

Resting on Salix discolor while I was clearing invasive plants from a garden bed. Once I finished, it began digging in the soil behind a Verbena hastata plant. Saw another one nearby resting on Hamamelis virginiana. Hoping I did not disturb their nesting site!

It kind of looks like some syrphids I've seen. It also kind of resembles the compost flies who live around our compost bin and pile. This one was on a grape leaf not far from the pile. The only thing I can say with certainty is that it is Diptera. 🤷‍♀️

Observed resting--perhaps displaying or basking?--in some undergrowth at a sunny edge of the yard near an elm tree in late afternoon. It kept landing on the undergrowth and then fluttering around and landing on the side of an apple tree and then going back to it's original perch in the undergrowth. Occasionally, it would fly in a large circuit in up in the treeline before landing again. It seemed really hyperactive, but I may have been making it nervous by photographing it. I'm not 100% sure, but I may have seen a second one in the area at the same time. Perhaps this was a male guarding his territory? I dont know anything about these butterflies, though, so I'd love to know more. 😊