A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
the visitor is a Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) Butterfly
Very true...unfortunate for us the bloom time here has not coincided with cloudy days or rain for that matter...it's looking to be a dry Spring
Have not heard a definitive explanation...just legendary stuff that suggest it might have originally been named "Dagwood"
It is ot native but has been used quite often in large forest plantings by landowners trying to re-forest former farm country
Looks like it might be Staghorn Sumac
Mountain Laurel with brown spot fungus disease...fairly normal for them
Lichen...harmless plant