Eastern Bumblebee (Bombus impatiens), a common and vital native pollinator. The dense, pale yellow-to-whitish pile across the thorax paired with an entirely black lower abdomen and glossy compound eye are classic field marks.

Stonecrop / Autumn Joy Sedum (Hylotelephium spectabile, formerly Sedum spectabile), shown in its late-summer stage where the tightly clustered, broccoli-like green buds are just beginning to blush with pink tips before opening. (Narrative by Gemini AI)