tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38592916968975772172024-03-12T18:14:59.011-05:00 austin agrodolceTexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.comBlogger593125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-51891289998717347962016-05-05T18:18:00.002-05:002016-05-05T18:18:12.833-05:00Feliz Cinco de Mayo!May started out on a gentle note but this afternoon's rapid heating reminded me we won't be hanging around with windows open for long.<br />
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Meanwhile, this is a favorite photo of the most recent shots. A Fiery Skipper Butterfly, Hylephila phyleus, resting on a leaf of some common, dare I say, "<i>garden variety</i>" mint. <br />
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Feliz Cinco de Mayo, y'all.<br />
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<br />TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-35003498925739069772016-04-29T12:11:00.000-05:002016-04-29T12:18:26.199-05:00Giving April her dueTime for a slightly different approach.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4Qs243Ia53OacCS0N1IzLTfS0XHp7-TXeAYmg3BiDux5LbdND9ZWvRJ72GPAJlSY1xYOy6Thc8sc10xn2WzOmIDh5CzvHBGZrlsJ6d_y9ICIXuf67m0oPsrtOshJsui6-0D7PrAk3CHs/s1600/P1300655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4Qs243Ia53OacCS0N1IzLTfS0XHp7-TXeAYmg3BiDux5LbdND9ZWvRJ72GPAJlSY1xYOy6Thc8sc10xn2WzOmIDh5CzvHBGZrlsJ6d_y9ICIXuf67m0oPsrtOshJsui6-0D7PrAk3CHs/s640/P1300655.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I find this passalong Pavonia consistently charming.</td></tr>
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I don't have much to say today.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX0jM8C47Bvdx5E6_bl-AL7MfG6dtoU_4ZEu9j-cPr-UwE9QUyL4kirJU0tq6W_iD-k7PgnChHbvSKSvAr6ib8m7Xi8-4c8xop6bltuuuH2_xEcXUySNMSuYKXhDpLpFaIApr6xUBoERyh/s1600/P1300680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX0jM8C47Bvdx5E6_bl-AL7MfG6dtoU_4ZEu9j-cPr-UwE9QUyL4kirJU0tq6W_iD-k7PgnChHbvSKSvAr6ib8m7Xi8-4c8xop6bltuuuH2_xEcXUySNMSuYKXhDpLpFaIApr6xUBoERyh/s400/P1300680.jpg" width="390" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Didn't see the butterfly that laid the egg for this guy. Fortunately my observation was not key to the process.</td></tr>
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I did want to share a few recent images from the garden.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgET6eb_254pNkT8NsM_S91vie8-5d9gF_-O3HFsjB-luIdAxuVzO5F4k2jOnmS5PY4Ix7ji5rSNR0dnpTg5LK4vopCJGuMumZAjmytQFekuxkoHT1jw5kWvoW12Hhg44bDImI0ElpzEwMA/s1600/P1300669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgET6eb_254pNkT8NsM_S91vie8-5d9gF_-O3HFsjB-luIdAxuVzO5F4k2jOnmS5PY4Ix7ji5rSNR0dnpTg5LK4vopCJGuMumZAjmytQFekuxkoHT1jw5kWvoW12Hhg44bDImI0ElpzEwMA/s640/P1300669.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cedar waxwings stuck around to fill up on loquats before heading north.</td></tr>
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Intermittent rains both watered and kept the heat at bay through the end of April. <br />
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Plants and pollinators alike are happy about that.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYR6kMPrSJ-VaucngCatWZ_1FhxKoW6nkhlc0u3KzFIkF4tfd8efSHQc3-yrG8xUs_ZoZn1B2TWcgi2OEGfUtqCGJ8_c6Wt7ZRVEmo2q14j6GhRyYomg9O19bex4NDplqxsnMF0r-WOou/s1600/P1300665.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYR6kMPrSJ-VaucngCatWZ_1FhxKoW6nkhlc0u3KzFIkF4tfd8efSHQc3-yrG8xUs_ZoZn1B2TWcgi2OEGfUtqCGJ8_c6Wt7ZRVEmo2q14j6GhRyYomg9O19bex4NDplqxsnMF0r-WOou/s640/P1300665.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pollinators of every stripe have been happy to share the loquat bounty.</td></tr>
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So am I.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSR0WjSCFWjnXRV8jdcOZ6zSeebDg2laoV38bYl1dkalrIVffXucOUHYQBQmAM4GS96x_LwsE0HUihLuytAxMA_lc6biKCF1m4mv8F_OXqHEETIy50IrZ6QAo0xi1c3dlJFy8US2NrHba1/s1600/P1300696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSR0WjSCFWjnXRV8jdcOZ6zSeebDg2laoV38bYl1dkalrIVffXucOUHYQBQmAM4GS96x_LwsE0HUihLuytAxMA_lc6biKCF1m4mv8F_OXqHEETIy50IrZ6QAo0xi1c3dlJFy8US2NrHba1/s400/P1300696.jpg" width="341" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Question Mark Butterfly, (Polygonia interrogationis) is a fan of the fermenting loquat fruit. </td></tr>
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My oak pollen "problem" is over for another year, though other trees continue their courtship dances in and on the wind.<br />
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I am able to enjoy my gardens from the other side of the windows again.<br />
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Here's to time spent outside with no more than the usual set of possible consequences.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFMYoVl1uMyYmCwJ4-6bak-VQdc4ItXd8FQW1mEr4kLGcCPEk0GVj22C2hD4X-AIDcWfxsGyZuam70g5R5Fb8Kv0E37LzF8MiAFfcIeXWLKbyiKufu8GgkYuPy73PyzWP96TPYBGPVhMh/s1600/P1300760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFMYoVl1uMyYmCwJ4-6bak-VQdc4ItXd8FQW1mEr4kLGcCPEk0GVj22C2hD4X-AIDcWfxsGyZuam70g5R5Fb8Kv0E37LzF8MiAFfcIeXWLKbyiKufu8GgkYuPy73PyzWP96TPYBGPVhMh/s400/P1300760.jpg" width="376" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) visits Lantana.</td></tr>
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Fare thee well, April, here's looking forward to May!<br />
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<br />TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-69083540347967820052016-03-20T12:03:00.001-05:002016-03-22T07:27:14.130-05:00Happy Spring (or, the Swearin' O' the Green)It is officially Spring!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIbE7K-aw-IdoMXMxwxjwOtoh3wyityqjGjdKkuZo4Utod62RHbu8Uvf7FD88oAZnwOOBm0qm7a0Ma-d3FkdXUvI5qi6XCdFEDC9L9WaJFx9AYCTlq3xqBSkDZEBC9fdCfUuTyVuIf5HZ/s1600/Salvia+for+Paintbrush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIbE7K-aw-IdoMXMxwxjwOtoh3wyityqjGjdKkuZo4Utod62RHbu8Uvf7FD88oAZnwOOBm0qm7a0Ma-d3FkdXUvI5qi6XCdFEDC9L9WaJFx9AYCTlq3xqBSkDZEBC9fdCfUuTyVuIf5HZ/s640/Salvia+for+Paintbrush.jpg" width="368" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've had no luck with Indian Paintbrush but early appearing Tropical Salvia provide a substitute pop of true red.</td></tr>
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In this part of the country, it is also Sneeze Season for anybody with a nose that objects to inhaling air laden with tree pollen. It can be a true conflict. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmPZ26jhj1KkosoCTevc6uvslvfH8UoMZusIcPF-hQba8oPyrTHlGKyJC1CXXF6dUflAdhEuL5J3wC1cpAIfK0Pnj55yCsTudnbssT_os8vFRHOBl3oPgrWAiZAvpjo-gK-bjEBXNMveZC/s1600/Turks+cap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmPZ26jhj1KkosoCTevc6uvslvfH8UoMZusIcPF-hQba8oPyrTHlGKyJC1CXXF6dUflAdhEuL5J3wC1cpAIfK0Pnj55yCsTudnbssT_os8vFRHOBl3oPgrWAiZAvpjo-gK-bjEBXNMveZC/s400/Turks+cap.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With no real winter weather, these Turk's Caps are getting a head start on the season.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDNLswP9vAJLqVNt11gaU4MHwjM-fubyaJEcjgaMh1DCMtAb8bC-AHOYWKDNrfZY-4uxG-uyM7grG7dr9WibxtH8KGC0TccumuXNT60NY6AZb-PTB3ECgMC3ZiHBhg_B6EUvJTGzeni9T/s1600/Trop+Salvia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDNLswP9vAJLqVNt11gaU4MHwjM-fubyaJEcjgaMh1DCMtAb8bC-AHOYWKDNrfZY-4uxG-uyM7grG7dr9WibxtH8KGC0TccumuXNT60NY6AZb-PTB3ECgMC3ZiHBhg_B6EUvJTGzeni9T/s640/Trop+Salvia.jpg" width="498" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tropical Salvia are usually still establishing rosettes after dying down to the ground over winter. This year they are playing right along with the Springtime regulars, adding their subtle shades to the palette.</td></tr>
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The desire to breathe freely through my nose without sneezing mostly keeps me indoors, but the exuberant show of wildflowers inevitably draws me back out.<br />
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Temperatures are all over the place. 90 degree highs one afternoon are followed two days later by highs in the low 70s. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwug-5KqGeDLWoXvNGKYZkEb05ss5hFrEK0PEc5TzOD_lmjAQgYps_x-NM1pA9Eo7bsVbg_0UbSyuGAavVrtttdILpL0TgfBxDqSFZXXQ1-qH83G7J8azUp52uayOBoeR97dGPbfHGIpI-/s1600/H+Duelberg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwug-5KqGeDLWoXvNGKYZkEb05ss5hFrEK0PEc5TzOD_lmjAQgYps_x-NM1pA9Eo7bsVbg_0UbSyuGAavVrtttdILpL0TgfBxDqSFZXXQ1-qH83G7J8azUp52uayOBoeR97dGPbfHGIpI-/s640/H+Duelberg.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henry Duelberg salvia wilts in the heat.<br />
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From behind closed windows or out in person, it is a lovely time of year.</div>
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Our area ducked recent bouts of violent weather but lost out on chances for the rain that accompanied it. Native wildflowers are stepping up to the plate, doing their best to shine with what little rain they get, at times peeking out over fallen leaves.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgik4ls793u07Pl1vRtOskPUQ_2oN6z-fce2JNWdnM7eTYhGJ3JBtlYrKKlmSuUPZ-IFU10w9F8MejxDMmqyjLVcLI2xk9w8-Xs5Aljy9l45Q-qQcUgtHG5sdUut5F5a8COvIdKCl-iQtjk/s1600/Primrose%253Aoak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgik4ls793u07Pl1vRtOskPUQ_2oN6z-fce2JNWdnM7eTYhGJ3JBtlYrKKlmSuUPZ-IFU10w9F8MejxDMmqyjLVcLI2xk9w8-Xs5Aljy9l45Q-qQcUgtHG5sdUut5F5a8COvIdKCl-iQtjk/s640/Primrose%253Aoak.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evening Primrose nods over Live Oak leaves, soon to be followed by pollen catkins.</td></tr>
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It is dry for March but water wise native plants don't care. They see their opening, they take their shot. <br />
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In response, pollinators are everywhere. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCCcqFmfOq_tnUaB_RUAbzwqFQMImm2nOEWtMJzTvyjQsIZkNsxqzFmlR2NLtQSnAk12a58ddiwKfNAypXVzMqHCX0EnFzsDptn8ylz3-8YwErR-tr_xDH892kxvKvG0R2WOljxI5LEujO/s1600/Bee+on+bonnet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCCcqFmfOq_tnUaB_RUAbzwqFQMImm2nOEWtMJzTvyjQsIZkNsxqzFmlR2NLtQSnAk12a58ddiwKfNAypXVzMqHCX0EnFzsDptn8ylz3-8YwErR-tr_xDH892kxvKvG0R2WOljxI5LEujO/s640/Bee+on+bonnet.jpg" width="626" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In our area, having bees in your bonnet is a good thing.</td></tr>
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Some of them too tiny to see from afar and easy to miss even close up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkAC8UeglVpScP44elpPaxGc5-Uv_wX80UZ4ZUdYbjwshZ0iZdO_zzrs0oECJjUpSNmp4iHp-Sr52drSfWI1GlPoBNesvZkY6O2GxuKuBLz9R3D0Rb-fESZHiIRrzyrvjGqixSKWV-scUo/s1600/tiny+bee+weed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkAC8UeglVpScP44elpPaxGc5-Uv_wX80UZ4ZUdYbjwshZ0iZdO_zzrs0oECJjUpSNmp4iHp-Sr52drSfWI1GlPoBNesvZkY6O2GxuKuBLz9R3D0Rb-fESZHiIRrzyrvjGqixSKWV-scUo/s640/tiny+bee+weed.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strike>This is a no-ID twofer. Don't know the name of this little flowering plant, and can't positively ID the tiny bee visiting!</strike><br />
UPDATE: Thanks to Tina (and family!) over at My Gardener Says for an ID boost. The blooming plant is Golden Groundsel (Packera Obovata) and the tiny bee is likely a Ceratina or Perdita ignota.)</td></tr>
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Metallic green sweat bees hover and finally alight to sample aloe vera pollen.<br />
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Another tiny bee, a bit less flashy, this one visiting Common Yellow Woodsorrel.<br />
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Much larger solitary ground and structure dwelling bees are emerging as well. This one spent hours visiting a Mountain Laurel in full bloom.<br />
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Not only bees, but butterflies are appearing. Painted Lady butterflies, Vanessa cardui, are daily visitors.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8H-OEZvIy-WCqRW46-zlVbLi_IC3dD4tf4kiteSno38M_jqauabjmJrBwOrewEuD5KeulNPH7hMYAVt_RtYlqdjaPrRq0NwSdC_WOdPBt3tNmfiuRf2oaiUT6H0ONwnSk9_z-JA0bqfr8/s1600/Vanessa+cardui.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8H-OEZvIy-WCqRW46-zlVbLi_IC3dD4tf4kiteSno38M_jqauabjmJrBwOrewEuD5KeulNPH7hMYAVt_RtYlqdjaPrRq0NwSdC_WOdPBt3tNmfiuRf2oaiUT6H0ONwnSk9_z-JA0bqfr8/s640/Vanessa+cardui.jpg" width="507" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This Painted Lady butterfly has seen better days but is clearly a bit of an escape artist.</td></tr>
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Iconic Spring in Texas. Painted Lady Butterfly resting on a fallen Live Oak leaf near Bluebonnets.<br />
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Not to be outdone, flower spiders are moving in early, establishing their "gotcha!" launch pads, ready for any fly-bys or sap sippers exhibiting more enthusiasm than experience.<br />
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Until I was editing this on my computer, I'd missed the spider hiding just behind unopened milkweed buds. Probably exactly the plan, hiding in plain sight.<br />
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Area lizards stake out sunny spots. Posing for potential mates...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPa4uqfmHAs9BnM4Pcpq8XXRyatRhdei0SPGQO9lcYYcovbL0JuqYU2AH9cqfLBrdYv9uyzbmFAsRs3zIweWfGlr0l_ovkBsrxGmH69swpdtZI3G6tdz2keoT7BMW4NItOfHUjuXZdyYm/s1600/pole+dancer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPa4uqfmHAs9BnM4Pcpq8XXRyatRhdei0SPGQO9lcYYcovbL0JuqYU2AH9cqfLBrdYv9uyzbmFAsRs3zIweWfGlr0l_ovkBsrxGmH69swpdtZI3G6tdz2keoT7BMW4NItOfHUjuXZdyYm/s640/pole+dancer.jpg" width="422" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pole dance anyone?</td></tr>
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or stretched out impressively, warming bodies chilled by overnight lows.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMDtSDCiCh6D7G8-hiRgO_DPWLWgrNPYrJDlbu-7tjRH4VS8DzbGoU06AXMRbQugim2GRagizkaC3xHoPKNy_BY_FPtibgdfFVG9DEvzg-uJ6KYVj-9VzStqhmZzUIn3QEJX3oswwf7Lk/s1600/rocking+out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMDtSDCiCh6D7G8-hiRgO_DPWLWgrNPYrJDlbu-7tjRH4VS8DzbGoU06AXMRbQugim2GRagizkaC3xHoPKNy_BY_FPtibgdfFVG9DEvzg-uJ6KYVj-9VzStqhmZzUIn3QEJX3oswwf7Lk/s640/rocking+out.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Local rock star - a Texas spiny lizard</td></tr>
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Nests and nesters abound. It is a busy time and procreation is in the cards for the lucky.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglptEo4SET9WJ4DZfd9EMbuP-P37V9SI4RGvgwfT6MLO_Iob8rKa7bjzjE_zymzQLo00ad19QCmxSt9gtmHockKmk2vazoQSVSnBGj8YiR6bVFo5eU-Wdywj1tfSUUOy_4TbZC3tBxUYq3/s1600/Wren+nest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglptEo4SET9WJ4DZfd9EMbuP-P37V9SI4RGvgwfT6MLO_Iob8rKa7bjzjE_zymzQLo00ad19QCmxSt9gtmHockKmk2vazoQSVSnBGj8YiR6bVFo5eU-Wdywj1tfSUUOy_4TbZC3tBxUYq3/s640/Wren+nest.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two Carolina wrens spent days getting this nest tucked up right over our main egress to the back deck. We've switched to a different door for the duration, hoping to disturb as little as possible..</td></tr>
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Paper wasps are building everywhere, requiring constant trips to procure needed pulp. This bench must seem like a real jackpot resource wise.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAU7d9Ce_xSO2ZHYCzeoUJ5gWzbr17zcm64YTRqoEYyMw_emXJ7KOvQxzEurOSw47k01lDZ3ctqnSjP14nfHFWoMil0KrfnzTGSjoVVnLiM-UCh2Hqktd2ISBqUDoP-Ub1kzynlj63xFKx/s1600/Paper+wasp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAU7d9Ce_xSO2ZHYCzeoUJ5gWzbr17zcm64YTRqoEYyMw_emXJ7KOvQxzEurOSw47k01lDZ3ctqnSjP14nfHFWoMil0KrfnzTGSjoVVnLiM-UCh2Hqktd2ISBqUDoP-Ub1kzynlj63xFKx/s640/Paper+wasp.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaning in, wasp style.<br />
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Weather assisted or assaulted, the persistence of life is in beautiful evidence everywhere.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJf3TrMF855dI0HUh2vdpF1a3ugQIn1M_D2DLAce4S8GSQ5jX_flT-Z-wVrFEvyLxmVAsYl62plOhRXjSCE8s_KtJ-D9dcUuf9ZB3Svfb1-OU32QrxoBFEicyNVCGSmI_At7q4ejZajssI/s1600/Bristly+mallow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJf3TrMF855dI0HUh2vdpF1a3ugQIn1M_D2DLAce4S8GSQ5jX_flT-Z-wVrFEvyLxmVAsYl62plOhRXjSCE8s_KtJ-D9dcUuf9ZB3Svfb1-OU32QrxoBFEicyNVCGSmI_At7q4ejZajssI/s640/Bristly+mallow.jpg" width="558" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I thought I'd gotten all this Bristly Mallow out. Clearly that was an optimistic assessment, but I'll enjoy the flowers for a few more days before going after this aggressive ground cover.</td></tr>
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Happy Spring to you! May all the blooming, nesting, buzzing, chirping days yet to come be filled with joy and beauty, wherever you are. </div>
TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-48443005113794362412016-02-28T10:50:00.000-06:002016-02-28T10:50:47.773-06:00I finally heard it - maybe you have too?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-reWKCFzNceVLeAP7ftgija9luwwlunMQk0t67wtyZ2ZJNz7GELwDb_SQ1Knk28T58XeMTJNPYcNULHQts12-T7qhDZeUi7zGgN-F8GD54nRnPyXjXx0NgZDEXysYDLP4fpyIMCuRNOWZ/s1600/P1290921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-reWKCFzNceVLeAP7ftgija9luwwlunMQk0t67wtyZ2ZJNz7GELwDb_SQ1Knk28T58XeMTJNPYcNULHQts12-T7qhDZeUi7zGgN-F8GD54nRnPyXjXx0NgZDEXysYDLP4fpyIMCuRNOWZ/s640/P1290921.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
I thought I'd become immune.<br />
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I thought I'd gotten<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1bRDBvnbdHckI0ML1QjLP_XZGtWkQMZjgEuCzBu0p994nCtVHFF1XfA-OyivFp7rTSDl9JT_wMa5wALR2mvinlLmEeNOEPF2pgwizS1ZueBwSYbHg1NKN8u0EZeFIeEjvIL6l589nybp/s1600/P1290942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1bRDBvnbdHckI0ML1QjLP_XZGtWkQMZjgEuCzBu0p994nCtVHFF1XfA-OyivFp7rTSDl9JT_wMa5wALR2mvinlLmEeNOEPF2pgwizS1ZueBwSYbHg1NKN8u0EZeFIeEjvIL6l589nybp/s640/P1290942.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
too hardened,<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNOCR-dGxSF9PeSYLXtJK3xFh1ZFp0H3idb39wuSppsE1T9V3u2AtKDDXHtkZh5YAB178xa0JkY_nX8mfQnnCPJRqAkYUCdEkXaDFJjmxifSYeKMwAdd6wiF7WexXtvJmy10GZvFVVvEgh/s1600/P1290963.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="616" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNOCR-dGxSF9PeSYLXtJK3xFh1ZFp0H3idb39wuSppsE1T9V3u2AtKDDXHtkZh5YAB178xa0JkY_nX8mfQnnCPJRqAkYUCdEkXaDFJjmxifSYeKMwAdd6wiF7WexXtvJmy10GZvFVVvEgh/s640/P1290963.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
frustrated to the point of no return.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wrK79PSi0YPfUnIGn15vbfJnoWks8Pqr0XJTdIjWGLhdKIo2TJyc1QkZsDDlhYfrKVDHsX8K96IwfpxHi-sLdygPw3R0n8StIv0AYlQzxOuB-01XdV3lqQX1akBV1ZPNB7wTa3D4M3QD/s1600/P1290926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wrK79PSi0YPfUnIGn15vbfJnoWks8Pqr0XJTdIjWGLhdKIo2TJyc1QkZsDDlhYfrKVDHsX8K96IwfpxHi-sLdygPw3R0n8StIv0AYlQzxOuB-01XdV3lqQX1akBV1ZPNB7wTa3D4M3QD/s400/P1290926.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
But I kept being called out, drawn into the garden spaces.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidjpAwOUkl_yahO1VI9h54SnkaLKBh6roQGInIuHLYTk56ZcGEMGV9SW-tcXUnnNTlMS4wtuHL4_AGLULfM73RDeR-auiqaiCl5k6JYmmuc4QM3e6B-MeCFwnSJ9QMBwqnhXlvh2xQIKWq/s1600/P1290935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidjpAwOUkl_yahO1VI9h54SnkaLKBh6roQGInIuHLYTk56ZcGEMGV9SW-tcXUnnNTlMS4wtuHL4_AGLULfM73RDeR-auiqaiCl5k6JYmmuc4QM3e6B-MeCFwnSJ9QMBwqnhXlvh2xQIKWq/s640/P1290935.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
I pretended to see if I needed to trim something a bit...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3shrG8jDJEeKl3w-2Uezc2kkvFhXrJY_M9ReCHGvgQkpyEnaY9NqJMuIh3P5BYQggPLhBcHEX_Ar2wcr7Ehuw2gHKS3bQBkEr1tXJ8VrkZ-GNuDN8xVEpNMHtUH3gW-P838SCWXBS9lLq/s1600/P1290954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3shrG8jDJEeKl3w-2Uezc2kkvFhXrJY_M9ReCHGvgQkpyEnaY9NqJMuIh3P5BYQggPLhBcHEX_Ar2wcr7Ehuw2gHKS3bQBkEr1tXJ8VrkZ-GNuDN8xVEpNMHtUH3gW-P838SCWXBS9lLq/s640/P1290954.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
but then I'd stop to admire while acknowledging nothing needed trimming.<br />
<br />
As I ventured out in my garden beds, I began hearing something. At first it was barely audible.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vupw8WKSORVLk6Vr2XuGoP_-c2oRqIZlWaY9-_xmpNuzTu4oCxciygncP065mWi0n-cRC6gNXlnK51lKwb7XVX7e6jvymM13h6d9pYdj-wSr1lkNqCsXNjfv9nFdBEbDxeVo8WM7WnWX/s1600/P1290961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="636" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vupw8WKSORVLk6Vr2XuGoP_-c2oRqIZlWaY9-_xmpNuzTu4oCxciygncP065mWi0n-cRC6gNXlnK51lKwb7XVX7e6jvymM13h6d9pYdj-wSr1lkNqCsXNjfv9nFdBEbDxeVo8WM7WnWX/s640/P1290961.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
But it happened again...and again.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJ3ZgboGNwVQY82cbJmdD6FWatzff9CzqLZfVbQgGMtc0VmPuFdzR3vxZpMBaeOiLdgNLirNBaZlBHasWFa0TASqaRn8PNIjY1qc8pqc64yDwLjD36XKgYL0vIsUcYh_v1kqEG0RX24Sv/s1600/P1290965.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJ3ZgboGNwVQY82cbJmdD6FWatzff9CzqLZfVbQgGMtc0VmPuFdzR3vxZpMBaeOiLdgNLirNBaZlBHasWFa0TASqaRn8PNIjY1qc8pqc64yDwLjD36XKgYL0vIsUcYh_v1kqEG0RX24Sv/s640/P1290965.jpg" width="538" /></a></div>
A little snatch of tune...a snippet of melody...just the notes at first. Until finally...the words became<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC35lSGKJ5PZPeqPYCI5-BCkzt6DYBKD1IP8TvMfLkvbsaY7lLSlroaY5nb3uMN34TQVfGS3E39xlXZHKUDj3bLWswcG88YtDTzJZcaH4-MoMchXYVLd0x5eYYHx4I_mjZk7XSW66bHR7X/s1600/P1290968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC35lSGKJ5PZPeqPYCI5-BCkzt6DYBKD1IP8TvMfLkvbsaY7lLSlroaY5nb3uMN34TQVfGS3E39xlXZHKUDj3bLWswcG88YtDTzJZcaH4-MoMchXYVLd0x5eYYHx4I_mjZk7XSW66bHR7X/s640/P1290968.jpg" width="624" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
just </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7t2CByRliU9gCVQSYOsOspZoYfFS1TMFv8dJY_WZ3qduOkNumiThOqABAQ0mn10Wx3h_UzTi90T9zKQN8_YrOQl2DWjCP3H5h_1tdhfWDUlIYRaReLdTBUYRNjVrKf95exxVTqp00Adb/s1600/P1290970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7t2CByRliU9gCVQSYOsOspZoYfFS1TMFv8dJY_WZ3qduOkNumiThOqABAQ0mn10Wx3h_UzTi90T9zKQN8_YrOQl2DWjCP3H5h_1tdhfWDUlIYRaReLdTBUYRNjVrKf95exxVTqp00Adb/s640/P1290970.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
clear </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkV8PMLsGqTIrSRqcR9V_426V7CyeU0XlDwdQDfYK1tXYRjxpvONp0aNZKhlMcRo41ZPg_jMf3l_dgvsb5-WZQB831riAxQr5Wtis-hNX3QhCk3mQK7aHjrkw24FkIx5f_4B1wSp_63-K/s1600/P1290975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkV8PMLsGqTIrSRqcR9V_426V7CyeU0XlDwdQDfYK1tXYRjxpvONp0aNZKhlMcRo41ZPg_jMf3l_dgvsb5-WZQB831riAxQr5Wtis-hNX3QhCk3mQK7aHjrkw24FkIx5f_4B1wSp_63-K/s640/P1290975.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
enough...to catch. I had to actively listen, to hear.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySinLizz0JrmpZnztnY6tNE8ZFZVTfhBRsbR3rkFU8R7U-cZFRlO-3toLUyzYYBCZTZAeQsG24kQLMIZiyLcjrEwb3xEy0y_zTope1QWC-ebzlSGR2AGgOuN6UDcbKcs8wHyaY6Rzg7h2/s1600/P1290977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySinLizz0JrmpZnztnY6tNE8ZFZVTfhBRsbR3rkFU8R7U-cZFRlO-3toLUyzYYBCZTZAeQsG24kQLMIZiyLcjrEwb3xEy0y_zTope1QWC-ebzlSGR2AGgOuN6UDcbKcs8wHyaY6Rzg7h2/s640/P1290977.jpg" width="454" /></a></div>
To finally admit and understand.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnpFu6tO8mCpk-xjCAqYzPhSqVYQV7qcxCEarhmxlKf4TnQlImOQD3z5WIzkvCNyAHOlcEdKGPAalgGwsPsgwaw0QZYNg5fRY1utaWTnEvqAyvSa1MX856UH8jLtE7U4jmkcqmHk5W3Dz/s1600/P1290983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnpFu6tO8mCpk-xjCAqYzPhSqVYQV7qcxCEarhmxlKf4TnQlImOQD3z5WIzkvCNyAHOlcEdKGPAalgGwsPsgwaw0QZYNg5fRY1utaWTnEvqAyvSa1MX856UH8jLtE7U4jmkcqmHk5W3Dz/s640/P1290983.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
It was only, ever, going to be a matter of time. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9aN5q27Am2iKjQVl7uWsqx5DQGH4-xLTXknuIybvGj-j7pGUMfxQFi_9gbIsb_IuoqW9OMpgEDoZm4GO_iY8bAOvryEqKreCl-CcPePfN2n0NxnEML95dnxUqjssaJY4uPJd9bhnKW4O/s1600/P1290904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9aN5q27Am2iKjQVl7uWsqx5DQGH4-xLTXknuIybvGj-j7pGUMfxQFi_9gbIsb_IuoqW9OMpgEDoZm4GO_iY8bAOvryEqKreCl-CcPePfN2n0NxnEML95dnxUqjssaJY4uPJd9bhnKW4O/s400/P1290904.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
Because when it comes to the great awakening of garden and gardener alike? We silly humans may swear we are done, that this gardening thing, it is all over. We can say we have washed our hands and walked away forever.<br />
<br />
But the garden, deep in her heart, she simply knows better. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3SCPhLUOja3LyomOWUCRYV7e3jS5WAMTXLICEns3a-0zI4QzSvHRsDOt9CNKoJerqNwIFU52O3IDcra5g2YJriWl9Kcfp18llGf28zuKFcrqevSiJXhvOmWkHpIm4lppPoOIdkF9L-fm/s1600/P1290943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3SCPhLUOja3LyomOWUCRYV7e3jS5WAMTXLICEns3a-0zI4QzSvHRsDOt9CNKoJerqNwIFU52O3IDcra5g2YJriWl9Kcfp18llGf28zuKFcrqevSiJXhvOmWkHpIm4lppPoOIdkF9L-fm/s400/P1290943.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Time, as always, is on her side.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYxSe59j6fo1c5uFkbGvy5RxuNY2JHFAPqidDfTpvy5b7unBzMPTdicGj0be9ocmLMARCxg6hY35ealsZA4opekIByUtRbo_Ok_t2GVDm6afSnqhGv0Qbz6IiN6E-Y_2KzgbWqdfmPHKK/s1600/P1290959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="577" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYxSe59j6fo1c5uFkbGvy5RxuNY2JHFAPqidDfTpvy5b7unBzMPTdicGj0be9ocmLMARCxg6hY35ealsZA4opekIByUtRbo_Ok_t2GVDm6afSnqhGv0Qbz6IiN6E-Y_2KzgbWqdfmPHKK/s640/P1290959.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Sings my garden:<br />
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Time is on my side, yes it is</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Time is on my side, yes it is</div>
<br />
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Now you all would say, that you wanna be free</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
But you'll come running back (Like I said you would, baby)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You'll come running back (Like I told ya so many times before)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You'll come running back to me, yeah</div>
<br />
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You're searchin' for good times, but just wait and see.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You'll come running back (I said you would, darlin')</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You'll come running back </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You'll come running back to me</div>
<br />
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Go ahead, baby, go ahead. Go ahead and light up the town.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Baby, do anything your heart desires remember, I'll always be around</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I know, I know like I told ya so many times before</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You're gonna come back, yeah you're gonna come back, baby </div>
<br />
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="verse" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
'Cause I got the real love the kind that you need</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You'll come running back (I knew you would one day)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You'll come running back (Like I told you before)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You'll come running back to me, yeah</div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;">Via Wikipedia: "</span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Is_on_My_Side" target="_blank">Time Is on My Side</a></b><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;">" is a song written by </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Ragovoy" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" title="Jerry Ragovoy">Jerry Ragovoy</a><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"> (under the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudonym" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" title="Pseudonym">pseudonym</a><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"> of Norman Meade). First recorded by </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" title="Jazz">jazz</a><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"> trombonist </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kai_Winding" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" title="Kai Winding">Kai Winding</a><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"> and his Orchestra in 1963, it was covered (with additional lyrics by </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Norman" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" title="Jimmy Norman">Jimmy Norman</a><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;">) by both </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_music" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" title="Soul music">soul</a><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"> singer </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irma_Thomas" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" title="Irma Thomas">Irma Thomas</a><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"> and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rolling_Stones" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" title="The Rolling Stones">the Rolling Stones</a><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"> in 1964.</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> </span>TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-70669818997465590752015-12-12T12:20:00.000-06:002015-12-12T12:20:49.036-06:00December Wrap UpI've been neglectful of this space. Who cares why, and I'm certainly not here to promise it will never happen again. (I'm pretty sure this post will be standing here, lonely, for weeks yet to come.)<br />
<br />
That said, I did want to share a bit of admittedly belated wildlife love for the month, as well as pointing out an unexpected but welcome pop of seasonal native color.<br />
<br />
My wildlife appreciation this month does not consist of photographs of creatures, but rather I'm featuring two trees that draw those creatures in, month in and month out. The first is not a native, but it is most certainly a boon to natives. <br />
<br />
The Loquat, or Eriobotrya japonica, is originally native to China where cultivars have been developed for over a thousand years. Varieties were developed for home cultivation featuring flowers that open a few at a time, resulting in prolonged blooming with more gradual fruit development. I don't know what cultivar we have, but it is certainly not that.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJA2fJpY82IoMpCrwekQyvVOXBr0GJWHrlX_XM8HCPhwxWt5UItcZAnDQo5V3kh2IzQegVY4tSjbELiW3qoJLDRVM_TrZvfX9__h5hhSbF4_vLMzaO7_KjKvsr3oy4k1Kb-NPHGAiX6KDX/s1600/Eriobotrya+japonica%253ALoquat.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJA2fJpY82IoMpCrwekQyvVOXBr0GJWHrlX_XM8HCPhwxWt5UItcZAnDQo5V3kh2IzQegVY4tSjbELiW3qoJLDRVM_TrZvfX9__h5hhSbF4_vLMzaO7_KjKvsr3oy4k1Kb-NPHGAiX6KDX/s640/Eriobotrya+japonica%253ALoquat.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Ours goes all out, with no holds barred. Bees visit in numbers great enough that on a quiet day you can hear them buzzing two stories up, in the tree's floriferous canopy. Red Admiral and Question Mark butterflies love these trees. They visit the flowers now and especially enjoy nectaring off the bounty of fallen fruit to come later. Actually, the fruit seems to delight every critter around, feathered, furred or winged. The flowers, though small, give off a lovely scent that reminds me of almonds. <br />
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Loquat trees have broad evergreen leaves that provide wonderful shade and protection all year. The various spiders living in the ground covers below these trees must number in the hundreds. There's a little something for everybody, in Loquat Land.<br />
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Another tree, a native this time, one that gives as good as it gets? The Cherry Laurel, or Prunus caroliniana. This tree is also evergreen, providing a year round canopy that sports tiny white flowers and then shiny dark fruit that many birds enjoy once dried. <br />
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Cherry Laurels are mentioned as being especially beneficial to native bees, and that always makes me happy, too. <br />
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Last up? I wanted to point out a bit of native seasonal color that often escapes notice. Oenothera speciosa, or Pink Evening Primrose is a lovely native wildflower that tends to disappear from view with summertime heat. <br />
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Given a little encouragement, the primrose stems pop back up after autumn rains and the resulting foliage responds beautifully to chilly nights. Shown above in a planter in mid November, you can see the tips of the Primrose's elongated leaves turning deep red as they get started on this year's comeback trail. <br />
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I've rarely seen it used as a container plant, but I find the color it provides definitely warrants its inclusion. I find it especially lovely used in combination with succulents. <br />
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I'll admit this photo could be confusing - the flower shown is not the primrose itself in bloom but is rather a dianthus in the same planter responding similarly to the more favorable conditions of December. Evening Primrose won't be flowering until Spring, but those rosy leaves seen behind the Dianthus flower are just as lovely to my eye. <br />
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Pink primroses are another native specified as beneficial to native bees, and I'm always relieved and happy to see them coming back into their own once summer's worst is behind us. Red leaves now, pink blossoms later. Win/win.<br />
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For other wonderful glimpses into the joys and benefits of wildlife gardening, please visit Tina of My Gardener Says for her <a href="http://mygardenersays.com/2015/12/02/wildlife-wednesday-december-2015/" target="_blank">monthly Wildlife Wednesday</a> roundups. In the comments section of each post you'll find links to thoughtful and accomplished wildlife gardeners from all around the globe. There's simply no better way to spend time indoors. <br />
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Thank you all for visiting and reading. I'd like to extend my heartfelt wishes for a meaningful holiday season, warmly shared with family and friends. Happy December - may your days be merry and bright!TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-8465643160021544852015-11-04T10:15:00.000-06:002015-11-04T10:15:07.233-06:00November Wildlife Wednesday - October's Bag of TreatsWe talk a lot about the weather here in Texas. A <b><i><u>LOT.</u></i></b> On the face of it, the weather is at least a topic less contentious or divisive than politics or religion. Additionally, as subject matter it is a bottomless well of content, for as the old saying goes "If you don't like the weather in Texas, wait five minutes and it will change.". <br />
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And at no time is that more apparent in Texas than in October. One day will be hot and dry, the next day cool and cloudy, periods of drought are often followed by torrential rains and all within the span of one brief month. <br />
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Thought of as the beginning of a "second Spring" in gardening circles, October is a turning point, a pivot between endless heat and the cooling to come. October provides easier growing conditions and last minute growth spurts along with pleasant working conditions for gardening chores. For wildlife, October is a time to eat, to reproduce, a time to migrate, or just to hunker down. <br />
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The visitors here in the hills just west and south of Austin last month were mostly of the winged variety, though a few walked in. Daily in October, unless it is pouring rain, wrens fuss-fuss-fuss, cardinals tick, jays shriek, and mockingbirds guard "their" berry sources. Everything seems to enjoy the final loosing of Summertime's hot dry grasp.<br />
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Berry eating locals were well represented by Northern Mockingbirds. Here one is shown making an afternoon feast off of Rivina humilis, or Pidgeonberry plant.<br />
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This bird was hopping up off the ground repeatedly in a neat maneuver designed to snatch a single berry at a time off the top branches of this low growing plant. Try as I might I was not able to catch the bird in mid-hop. (I may or may not have taken and discarded upwards of 40 shots, ahem!).<br />
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Other winged creatures were appreciated as they flittered, fluttered and fed. A rare sight here, this black and yellow lichen moth (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycomorpha_pholus" target="_blank">Lycomorpha pholus</a>), was nectaring on mint. And yes, black and yellow does seem to be a misnomer, but in the face of such an attractive creature, why waste time quibbling?<br />
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That protective coloration had me thinking this was some other more pestilent variety of visitor at the start. After a careful capture and subsequent identification effort, I was relieved I didn't try to eliminate this slow growing and thematically appropriate October drop in.<br />
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More common visitors appeared to keep us company while outdoor October chores were tackled. Skipper butterflies were most numerous, as has become usual for our spaces. In October we saw (and as with all Skipper identifications - these are only best guesses!) various Duskywing Skippers...<br />
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and a host of Fiery Skippers as well.<br />
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We were at long last graced by royalty, with one documented visit by a Queen Butterfly, (Danaus gilippus) and even one single Monarch, though I was not able to get a reasonable photo of that migratory wonder.<br />
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No less lovely for their small size or protective coloration, the presence of many adult lacewings is the logical result of various aphid infestations. Aphids having provided a steady food source for their larvae earlier this year, it was rare to prune or move aside a branch in October without dislodging one or more of these lacey beauties.<br />
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Not quite so tiny but just as beneficial, paper wasps, Polistes exclamans, continued their ongoing hunt for caterpillars of all sorts to feed their young at the nest.<br />
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Shhhh - naptime in the nursery....<br />
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Gangly and apparently caught between coloration decisions, this Walking Stick (Phasmatodea) displayed the typical head bobbing designed to help it visually scan its surroundings for threats or snacks. <br />
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Finding neither on our deck door screen, this insect entertained our two indoor cats for the span of a half hour or so then abruptly disappeared.<br />
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The most fascinating saga for October had to be the appearance of two Manduca Sexta or tobacco hornworm caterpillars, feeding on a large Datura plant right off the front porch.<br />
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Tobacco hornworms are differentiated from the visually similar tomato hornworm by their seven white stripes, linear (like cigarettes). The tomato hornworms have eight V shaped markings (think "V" for vine-ripened). These caterpillars are able to successfully consume various toxins that they mostly excrete in droppings.<br />
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That said, it was hard to imagine they could consume such a toxic plant without experiencing any of the hallucinogenic effects. Especially this one that took on the task of chowing down on a seed pod.<br />
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These caterpillars are able to sequester and release certain amounts of the toxins they consume via respiration, a form of "toxic halitosis" that is thought to deter spider attack. They reportedly also click their mouthparts when attacked. <br />
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I'll take those reports on good faith. Any caterpillar able to consume two long branches' worth of Datura leaves and the occasional seedpod is best left to conduct its own business undisturbed.<br />
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And that about wraps up this month's catalogue of visitors here at <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;">austinagrodolce</span>.</span> Perhaps not an exhaustive list, but certainly representative of the majority of the usual suspects. <br />
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Our use of native plants in combination with attempts to avoid chemicals and allow a natural balance between predators and prey to evolve here have rewarded us with both an ever increasing variety and number of wild visitors to enjoy. They are all quite pleasant company to keep as we work to ready the garden for whatever-comes-next. We garden for them, they work in the garden with us, it is all pretty much sweetness and light in this most pleasant of times.<br />
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Thanks as always to <a href="http://mygardenersays.com/" target="_blank">Tina of My Gardener Says</a> for hosting the <a href="http://mygardenersays.com/2015/11/04/wildlife-wednesday-november-2015-2/" target="_blank">Wildlife Wednesday</a> meme each month. Do take time to check out her always informative and entertaining chronicle of gardening with natives. While there, be sure to link to your own Wildlife Wednesday post in the comments section of her November Wildlife Wednesday offering to share with wildlife lovers world wide. We'll all be glad you did!<br />
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TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-87832903021732841442015-10-15T11:10:00.000-05:002015-10-16T09:30:26.721-05:00Second Spring has SprungTexas gardeners especially appreciate October's tradition for easing the remnants of summer's heat. Afternoon highs may resist, but the temperatures at night will steadily move down, shifting the average temperature for each day towards a cooler set point. Rain may be part of the transition, but more reliably it is moderated temperatures bringing relief. Referred to as a Second Spring, markers for the seasonal change abound, natural and not-so.<br />
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Central Texas lacks autumn's semaphore of tree leaves turning, but the hazy smoke from seasonal slash and burn agricultural fires set far to our south regularly drifts our way in October, setting morning clouds ablaze.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJubiqaMbc803u6k05Bij94JFwX-VFciAKfTxopV9CZ4cUV28e6RXhXEdHoRgKbDVt9zXJ7OwLUhEiKCjrqmDaxD-WbOr_gI2y1QoaMYRqejmQZBCCFMk-qgsCPT7i4Rc-MlwkiIxyZU4/s1600/P1290020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJubiqaMbc803u6k05Bij94JFwX-VFciAKfTxopV9CZ4cUV28e6RXhXEdHoRgKbDVt9zXJ7OwLUhEiKCjrqmDaxD-WbOr_gI2y1QoaMYRqejmQZBCCFMk-qgsCPT7i4Rc-MlwkiIxyZU4/s400/P1290020.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Dramatic color is also on offer from other more natural sources. </div>
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Argentinian native Oxblood lilies (Rhodophiala bifida) popped out flower stalks several times in succession this year, extending the pleasure of their deepest reds to span several weeks. </div>
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Native plant Goldeneye (Viguiera dentata - a member of the Aster family) demonstrates mastery of this season, attracting pollinators of every sort to banks of blossoms with petals that face the sun's light. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQmpVFQy50cxyt4oBBIjD6M4SAhLSIiaFBOH5fOPVexsGMMI69Eb_qKrq_3InEQOO5DJ6gN_xwSU_4XurZPATfkOeJ3FCVSAn9wKKgdYcGyc6XSedBK6AzUcCH34xpggEgRqHHuU8uiMW/s1600/P1290108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="499" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQmpVFQy50cxyt4oBBIjD6M4SAhLSIiaFBOH5fOPVexsGMMI69Eb_qKrq_3InEQOO5DJ6gN_xwSU_4XurZPATfkOeJ3FCVSAn9wKKgdYcGyc6XSedBK6AzUcCH34xpggEgRqHHuU8uiMW/s400/P1290108.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Warm color is transformed into sustaining matter.</div>
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Such exuberance is hard to resist.</div>
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Few try. Days are shortening and whatever comes next, this is the season to forage and store. This Funereal Duskywing butterfly (Erynnis funeralis) shared the wealth with several types of bees. <br />
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Old favorites mix with new. Native Chile Pequin aka Bird pepper plants (Capsicum annuum) develop tiny white flowers that faintly echo fellow native A. Duelberg salvia (Salvia farinacea) flowers growing behind. The pepper plants offer a banquet for every visitor with blooms and berries appearing all at once. </div>
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The addition of Crag Lilies (Echeandia flavescens) reinforces the wisdom of planting native perennials. Their combination of strength and delicacy is exquisite.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1PsEGD0OOC-LDUFBDtnNRU_GzmXsv1knUOIV6TdG19H5Xk_F4nCzno_FwByvzvDc7I651D7YFq6WCMFsiyHD9SthqF27hVIBtKwo9uriVsWcegaKjzOgIbYxz40h12CEQZJk7qW62e4rX/s1600/P1290067.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1PsEGD0OOC-LDUFBDtnNRU_GzmXsv1knUOIV6TdG19H5Xk_F4nCzno_FwByvzvDc7I651D7YFq6WCMFsiyHD9SthqF27hVIBtKwo9uriVsWcegaKjzOgIbYxz40h12CEQZJk7qW62e4rX/s400/P1290067.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The form of the flowers reminds me a bit of Columbine offering a similar swept-back display evoking fireworks. I'm quite smitten!</div>
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Also new here this season are Gregg's mist flower (Conoclinium greggii, another Aster family member), bringing a poignant shade of light purply blue to Fall's otherwise mostly golden palette.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcq1yo_HfLvrPxb-8-nJS3Zu9ZqY6gTktmQktWtHzQVXCCS4R0dxmtkcCllfo8Kk6sp2ysn-7fe-3RiOsqjR1Rx-XXwhjdEm2XTH5aKYk0qQxSyIf1l1zXAjwKlrP8NBms2MLdOXHGVBWS/s1600/P1290058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcq1yo_HfLvrPxb-8-nJS3Zu9ZqY6gTktmQktWtHzQVXCCS4R0dxmtkcCllfo8Kk6sp2ysn-7fe-3RiOsqjR1Rx-XXwhjdEm2XTH5aKYk0qQxSyIf1l1zXAjwKlrP8NBms2MLdOXHGVBWS/s640/P1290058.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Not to be outdone, Prairie verbena (Glandularia bipinnatifida var. bipinnatifida) are cautiously re-emerging now summer's worst is behind us, adding more complementary purple to play against the yellows and oranges. Appreciation is widespread. This skipper, I believe another Duskywing, was thoroughly working what few blooms were around.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc21GlLBdsP-tKTQEBjF4v73ttHZWN_ntaFa5iNnA7WbiuXJCAkKAalmBRKxylhZJD0-ibv131sbtXcCKDfVDl6EnU63tlps3-D8eegxHHaQm7j5MSNkUef2uAaw8Zi8Nf2PRDRQ88hD4b/s1600/P1280871.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc21GlLBdsP-tKTQEBjF4v73ttHZWN_ntaFa5iNnA7WbiuXJCAkKAalmBRKxylhZJD0-ibv131sbtXcCKDfVDl6EnU63tlps3-D8eegxHHaQm7j5MSNkUef2uAaw8Zi8Nf2PRDRQ88hD4b/s640/P1280871.jpg" width="610" /></a></div>
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Having survived aphids, tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) rises above a background of truer blue H. Duelberg salvia (Salvia farinacea). The milkweed are blissfully unaware of the roiling controversy as to whether or not their presence when planted out of their native region, offers any true lifeline to migrating butterflies.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wMFH0sLENNhCiRUawb1JNenHnpkU2lxf9Oc6Ar5ZJ9qQX_Umb2Y4nxAtXvVuYSZ2dHpxTamWO7mPfr5XFq9ycWDUwJAmBbHKGHe-oe1HU0AgDpRN688qc9KzWcIDZSb5O82zGAFP8yik/s1600/P1290106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wMFH0sLENNhCiRUawb1JNenHnpkU2lxf9Oc6Ar5ZJ9qQX_Umb2Y4nxAtXvVuYSZ2dHpxTamWO7mPfr5XFq9ycWDUwJAmBbHKGHe-oe1HU0AgDpRN688qc9KzWcIDZSb5O82zGAFP8yik/s400/P1290106.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It is difficult for me to appreciate the beauty of milkweed and simultaneously view them as a disease vector. As I get very few (Zero so far and counting) migrating monarchs, I've left mine standing for now. Anoles (Anolis carolinensis) seem unimpressed by the controversy or my dithering.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFLQcImPHfEFyABACLzdEysSLA4iS0J7d6Vg-_QZJF0SNg4ULjwola6KVE3Zt0u3tCdPipTZfbYcCA-PmfAuvmdRLplfOuJxiM0Iabve5a7b59TKVKj60a5q2O9V1tTEkKBeKZtKH39b98/s1600/P1280880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFLQcImPHfEFyABACLzdEysSLA4iS0J7d6Vg-_QZJF0SNg4ULjwola6KVE3Zt0u3tCdPipTZfbYcCA-PmfAuvmdRLplfOuJxiM0Iabve5a7b59TKVKj60a5q2O9V1tTEkKBeKZtKH39b98/s640/P1280880.jpg" width="512" /></a></div>
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Garden center pepper plants begin renewed production efforts in recognition of and appreciation for our cooler nights. The anoles and I keep a close eye. I watch for peppers to pickle while they are on the lookout for visitors who might provide more immediately pleasurable mouthfuls. </div>
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Thai basil (Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflora) bloom spikes appear, bearing purple pagodas. Earlier in the season I routinely pinch off blooms but these October spires will remain, filled as they are with the makings for seeds to yield future plants. Once developed, the seeds are also a favorite snack for finches.</div>
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No use of the term "favorite" could be reasonably made without the inclusion of this October stalwart, the bright pink flowers of Coral Vine (Antigonon leptopus). Though designated "invasive" in Texas, this fall blooming vine has remained growing in restraint against a trellis here for over a decade with no sign of spread or reseeding. </div>
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An equal draw for bees to any plant currently blooming, I decided to let this iteration of the vine stay in place. My ongoing removal efforts will continue to focus on other problematic plants displaying more reproductive oooomph. </div>
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October in Texas. Filled with fests and fêtes, it is a favorite time of year for locals and visitors alike. We are not known for arboreal color this season, but there is certainly no lack of beauty on display for the discerning eye. TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-67331970975790948652015-10-07T15:26:00.000-05:002015-10-07T15:26:31.495-05:00October Wildlife Wednesday - Autumn's abundanceIn Texas it is commonly held wisdom September is the survival point signifying the turning of the seasons, the pivot between the last heat of summertime and the first cool mornings of autumn. While the arrival of our transition to "cooler" felt delayed this year, September yet offered a sure progression towards that goal.<br />
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Maybe I only imagine the wild populations or numbers of visitors increase in response, but definitely we are outdoors more, enjoying what is often the nicest weather of the year. Perhaps all the wild visitors for this ninth month on our calendar are reporting back in to their own, "the people are often spotted exiting their hive". While advising each other to watch for "clear signs of agitation", "these people are harmless if not threatened".<br />
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Our cats are certainly paying attention. They enjoy observing their favorite and near constant companions from behind closed or screened windows and doors. Carolina wrens begin these shared sessions by fuss-fuss-fussing at the cats, breaking off eventually to hunt. They spend several minutes searching for bugs, spiders, and bits of web, looking intently into every nook and cranny all around our back deck.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHkVZr5Fp_3L3MyvvLzPsDGqNbX0kOBa-slfvtHdUkgykiqrGGPynCSJO_dCc2Ycd_0dz81fkuYSBCN4TYYIxzBQE_Nc-vPRmNDdkop4ouV9SJQEZSIddpXY7XJWYVbghR71361mceipv/s1600/Carolina+wren%253AThryothorus+ludovicianus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHkVZr5Fp_3L3MyvvLzPsDGqNbX0kOBa-slfvtHdUkgykiqrGGPynCSJO_dCc2Ycd_0dz81fkuYSBCN4TYYIxzBQE_Nc-vPRmNDdkop4ouV9SJQEZSIddpXY7XJWYVbghR71361mceipv/s640/Carolina+wren%253AThryothorus+ludovicianus.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Carolina chickadees are often seen at the feeder. Both bird sightings trigger much cat crouching, skulking from window to window, and excited vocalizations. Occasionally the tension builds to some agreed upon level at which point the cats unceremoniously smack each other in the face a couple of times and then call it quits, moving off for a nap. The birds remain unimpressed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2KN3ccaUHv6RhVCRc-BRopOWa8pEvrvUuQ6pMzIQJyRnLgD3gmv80vwzetOEfyDjZg3eRCuTgXsRon5dffefpp8z5pEqJw7tWGKWGlRAFKY3XF7zTAJiBiCmW-wKimJTNLfSy3WfHVuc1/s1600/Carolina+chickadee+%253APoecile+carolinensis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2KN3ccaUHv6RhVCRc-BRopOWa8pEvrvUuQ6pMzIQJyRnLgD3gmv80vwzetOEfyDjZg3eRCuTgXsRon5dffefpp8z5pEqJw7tWGKWGlRAFKY3XF7zTAJiBiCmW-wKimJTNLfSy3WfHVuc1/s400/Carolina+chickadee+%253APoecile+carolinensis.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Moving from feather to fin, this fine specimen of a Texas spiny lizard seemed to be posing, assuring I could capture his best angle and absorb the full impact of his blue patched glory.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUUFeJx-JIz35MpctoZntJIsXidnQReo5TZacrNLTS17OYkTXEkSY9A84sgwX8pmVAc1dKziTYIp75tjZytvHOkBa4gGihzqaXyRVfu6KIsAn2iHSARBb_QoledjiA7AZMK7NM351BSPb/s1600/Texas+spiny+lizard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUUFeJx-JIz35MpctoZntJIsXidnQReo5TZacrNLTS17OYkTXEkSY9A84sgwX8pmVAc1dKziTYIp75tjZytvHOkBa4gGihzqaXyRVfu6KIsAn2iHSARBb_QoledjiA7AZMK7NM351BSPb/s640/Texas+spiny+lizard.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I involuntarily spoke aloud when I first noticed this guy. (I'm assuming maleness based upon his blue patches.) I could not contain my pleasure at seeing him here, which was only surpassed by my appreciation for his staying still while I quietly approached. Now I'm the number one member of his fan club. I think he is magnificent.</div>
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We've got aphids aplenty this September, which eventually draws in ladybugs. The one in my photo is an import, Harmonia axyridis, and as such is no longer heralded. I struggle with that. I appreciate any help in keeping aphid numbers in check without my having to look very closely at or touch them personally. </div>
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I understand these are imported lady beetles and they are taking habitat away from native lady beetles. I know this on an intellectual level, yet whenever I see a ladybug (as I grew up calling them) they uniformly trigger a response of affectionate regard. Stopping to count the spots and realizing any particular bug in question is imported, does not serve to interrupt the emotional connection I immediately establish with the very "idea" of ladybug.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOrVrP2vZj6oR_ZrIvYTEbYk-K0cItKsp5wm9mRB2VCKBexQLCZgYO0diojtORcQ92Qs1WoiO728q18p8WcL7VXYnYSD0-Zoaq8AG1At5inmwIWXyPmpIoedbJrpuyHHPoa2eKHBO_zE6/s1600/Harmonia+axyridis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOrVrP2vZj6oR_ZrIvYTEbYk-K0cItKsp5wm9mRB2VCKBexQLCZgYO0diojtORcQ92Qs1WoiO728q18p8WcL7VXYnYSD0-Zoaq8AG1At5inmwIWXyPmpIoedbJrpuyHHPoa2eKHBO_zE6/s320/Harmonia+axyridis.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I'm always shaking my head that I don't get "many" butterflies, but when I take stock of September I see that isn't precisely true. While I don't get masses visiting, and I don't see many migratory butterflies, I do have a steady handful of locals showing up to visit whatever is in bloom. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzBDRAPsVwQYn4U2r2b0LJ0NJjJ4IGO3uDW38QuEnvGdADmtzwUudSAjfaETjD5ta3YLC6764AIqpYM8kDqrFdZSOBH9hqtmNNHXdKorxNz0RU09umOgKd1MS44v967aDIjmySgaQBomV/s1600/Fiery+Skip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzBDRAPsVwQYn4U2r2b0LJ0NJjJ4IGO3uDW38QuEnvGdADmtzwUudSAjfaETjD5ta3YLC6764AIqpYM8kDqrFdZSOBH9hqtmNNHXdKorxNz0RU09umOgKd1MS44v967aDIjmySgaQBomV/s400/Fiery+Skip.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fiery Skipper on H. Duelberg salvia</td></tr>
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In September that is mostly the salvias, though mint I keep on hand serves as a reliable draw each year. I pull most of the mint out annually but there are always sprigs that survive and I hand water them in August to encourage these popular flowers. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPL6GYXykPn0Rl0zThtplv50zD3MTptkrxtW8V4NoAuaqe3PpQcXY7XrIH1kPnPIta6ypZ96hKjTfsPOUZ4uvnRcrtxHv1fhniu5rkhAJz43Vp0IWljFEQmoyco4hlOR8HBNbNnTQ5HQS/s1600/Fiery+Skipper+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="614" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPL6GYXykPn0Rl0zThtplv50zD3MTptkrxtW8V4NoAuaqe3PpQcXY7XrIH1kPnPIta6ypZ96hKjTfsPOUZ4uvnRcrtxHv1fhniu5rkhAJz43Vp0IWljFEQmoyco4hlOR8HBNbNnTQ5HQS/s640/Fiery+Skipper+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fiery Skipper on mint</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLwSPqgX2EBU-Q63ydpXcgIjcuvEAP2hm1RYYQkQJXu-fSOO54gElKzcBmBtFP98kLzHmOOff-EOhSbYFLnd9Jad47n2EbCT_8UKjkwZgpRDGHekOY5HRoJvqPj9Y6rf-YBsuBtaB5to8L/s1600/Gray+Hairstreak+Butterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLwSPqgX2EBU-Q63ydpXcgIjcuvEAP2hm1RYYQkQJXu-fSOO54gElKzcBmBtFP98kLzHmOOff-EOhSbYFLnd9Jad47n2EbCT_8UKjkwZgpRDGHekOY5HRoJvqPj9Y6rf-YBsuBtaB5to8L/s400/Gray+Hairstreak+Butterfly.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gray Hairstreak on mint</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijp8r_x9T9Vu1VV_5GMK9IOYrpIK81TBBBCjn5y4iXiq6X0f9asgRJVUKG8idefqP4jFYdpwBHaBJHiNYhLCmIrdR2riD1yzBW7SEtMqlR68DFP35ihVy2OyzrobhmQN-yMuSgZ4CgeUC6/s1600/Southern+Skipperling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijp8r_x9T9Vu1VV_5GMK9IOYrpIK81TBBBCjn5y4iXiq6X0f9asgRJVUKG8idefqP4jFYdpwBHaBJHiNYhLCmIrdR2riD1yzBW7SEtMqlR68DFP35ihVy2OyzrobhmQN-yMuSgZ4CgeUC6/s640/Southern+Skipperling.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern Skipperling on mint</td></tr>
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I planted blue mistflower to pull in queen and monarch butterflies, but it is attractive to smaller native orange specimens as well. Skippers and skipperlings exhibit a preference for my blue flowers, allowing me to enjoy their company and not fret that my floral efforts are being overlooked.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxjQiNjACnFb-M7ObS0NhSgHQBOm9zdE3FqVHZcCBpHjwLQ8hZYRUt0rtsvdcBdaHZ1X9u5AVNM39p3XOPoqTkKs_xITsP4du2Q0Bm9aAnGkAQS1HdQ8QotfhGKbu5UlBt8TAfJhpCefq/s1600/Southern+Skip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxjQiNjACnFb-M7ObS0NhSgHQBOm9zdE3FqVHZcCBpHjwLQ8hZYRUt0rtsvdcBdaHZ1X9u5AVNM39p3XOPoqTkKs_xITsP4du2Q0Bm9aAnGkAQS1HdQ8QotfhGKbu5UlBt8TAfJhpCefq/s640/Southern+Skip.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern Skipperling on Mistflower</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0U7BaHkm26WpM10pCu_r3kMPvsWcgfiD_TgqRko4bnRK2R5hTB7S0bebICR4NLVWiV61heQup7ZIG9XX7eohg57KB_rzg8sBdUluT8hPhlgkQMTnbYHUvslsEpWCV0N7cbZC4RR1y1YDk/s1600/S+Skipperling+mistflower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0U7BaHkm26WpM10pCu_r3kMPvsWcgfiD_TgqRko4bnRK2R5hTB7S0bebICR4NLVWiV61heQup7ZIG9XX7eohg57KB_rzg8sBdUluT8hPhlgkQMTnbYHUvslsEpWCV0N7cbZC4RR1y1YDk/s400/S+Skipperling+mistflower.jpg" width="395" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern Skipperling on Mistflower</td></tr>
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This past month I spotted several bees, some of them up to what might be considered impolite behavior in human circles. But they are bees after all, and as noted in the song, "birds do it, bees do it..". <br />
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You've been warned.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvvL14352vr8_qooTadP-5MqDclhSSwJK_QNTYCi4lfFJFUd5xLMoSbCnEf1HWVrgrZZfTZBPHJESFDlKIaYCLPYDixDjEE2ammWj-lsZkOZiaq1Ky909tZ1VhegX6-XBaMzQQXVglKCt/s1600/Xylocopa+tabaniformis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvvL14352vr8_qooTadP-5MqDclhSSwJK_QNTYCi4lfFJFUd5xLMoSbCnEf1HWVrgrZZfTZBPHJESFDlKIaYCLPYDixDjEE2ammWj-lsZkOZiaq1Ky909tZ1VhegX6-XBaMzQQXVglKCt/s640/Xylocopa+tabaniformis.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Xylocopa tabaniformis, tabaniformis-ing.</td></tr>
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Ahem! Moving along, a common (and by comparison so petite and so polite) visitor, the European honeybee, visiting mint...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMPhaBW0-OzHIfyA7wcLQXeNPSoIJVPLefl_8KuwLSe2FbcAFuOYUmlU9LttTBB8fAXHe4d9kDgzo7SYfsxaJYaoNGPCluPK7FYZi6h5blsEhaCcBcYagksT29IlXS8sT7TH6BNwyPGGO/s1600/Bee+on+mint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMPhaBW0-OzHIfyA7wcLQXeNPSoIJVPLefl_8KuwLSe2FbcAFuOYUmlU9LttTBB8fAXHe4d9kDgzo7SYfsxaJYaoNGPCluPK7FYZi6h5blsEhaCcBcYagksT29IlXS8sT7TH6BNwyPGGO/s320/Bee+on+mint.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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and a not so common sight in my gardens previously, the Xylocopa micans carpenter bee. These guys are so heavy they usually bend whatever flower spike they are visiting waaaaay over. I was able to get this photo because I have this H. Duelberg salvia growing up through a tomato cage. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdU9eBb_Je54RZ3erRf4z6lvI5V9MTH-IBNM93eDEDnO1LUj_m8isWLuPm05s1dCbOzp-QKMLVysTwczDTFjppu5mT1odUP7JDc_8ltLjd8sVgOVS8adRV3Jl81KwRyq4BOJSolPxoS9k/s1600/Xylocopa+micans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdU9eBb_Je54RZ3erRf4z6lvI5V9MTH-IBNM93eDEDnO1LUj_m8isWLuPm05s1dCbOzp-QKMLVysTwczDTFjppu5mT1odUP7JDc_8ltLjd8sVgOVS8adRV3Jl81KwRyq4BOJSolPxoS9k/s640/Xylocopa+micans.jpg" width="610" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carpenter bee, specifically Xylocopa micans. </td></tr>
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The cage was originally placed to support blanketflower seed stalks for finches. Left in place out of laziness, it is now making it easier to observe heavy pollinators all the time and all the pollinators on breezy days. Lesson learned. I'll put the cages out and leave them there on purpose, from now on. <br />
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Syrphid flies look like bees and serve much the same purpose as bees, so I wonder why it is we don't know more about them or admire them more widely? They need a better publicist.<br />
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Most of the darners and dragonflies I saw in September were on the wing but this one Blue-ringed Dancer damselfly cooperated and posed nicely.<br />
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There were a few other new (to us) visitors. These Large Milkweed Bugs...<a href="http://bugguide.net/node/view/504" target="_blank">Oncopeltus fasciatus</a>...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOiSbaUc5Dcl6nRlbjWphNzzMf7w9YJGsqRGoskyeAVD6-GbJiSL1MkZmMY3n74TGCw-Sl4dCuG4cqK09ElvANYqi9w7DS5_Ilz2wWQ5MCu2h0PSeS8hbBCwEBNd5gHMKO44AvJcBFMB6-/s1600/lg+milkweed+bug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOiSbaUc5Dcl6nRlbjWphNzzMf7w9YJGsqRGoskyeAVD6-GbJiSL1MkZmMY3n74TGCw-Sl4dCuG4cqK09ElvANYqi9w7DS5_Ilz2wWQ5MCu2h0PSeS8hbBCwEBNd5gHMKO44AvJcBFMB6-/s640/lg+milkweed+bug.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
attractively color coordinated with their Tropical Milkweed host, were busily shopping for mates. Heeding the debate, I'm wondering about the need for cutting my milkweed back the moment I hear of monarch migrators in our area. Either way it is reportedly not desirable for these milkweed bugs to successfully establish a nursery as their presence in numbers may deter butterflies. Even if I leave the tropical milkweed growing at all, I'm still hoping to get native milkweed plants established, which the milkweed bugs would also readily colonize. Rather than let them distribute eggs, I dispatched them.<br />
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This similarly fashionably coordinated fellow has two names, both of them longer than he is. This is a yellow margined flower bup, or <a href="http://bugguide.net/node/view/37538" target="_blank">Acmaeodera flavomarginata</a> (part of a family of wood boring beetles). <br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">This </span><a href="http://bugguide.net/node/view/431/bgimage" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Scolia dubia</a><span style="text-align: center;">, also called a blue-winged wasp, dropped in on the Kidneywood tree while it was in full bloom. I was delighted to read they predate June Bug and Japanese beetle grubs.</span><br />
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I've had some rough history with wasps recently. Impressive in size, I kept a respectful distance from this one until I determined it was not only unthreatened, but past that resolutely uninterested in my presence. <br />
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One of the weirdest visitors to our spaces in September was this Walking Stick, type unknown.<br />
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While it impressed me as being six to seven inches long, when I investigated information readily available on giant walking sticks, I came up with nothing and nobody who even vaguely resembled this guy. I found multiple photos and reports of these insects being tame and easily handled, but when I went back out to get more photos and perhaps a measurement or two, my specimen-to-be had (wisely) vanished. Identity crisis obligation for the month... met!<br />
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And of course there is always drama lurking in the wings. I was snapping shots of a hoverfly demonstrating why it deserves the name, wondering if it was eying the aphids as deterrent, potential competition or perhaps even as a potential meal.<br />
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Maybe the aphids and the hoverfly were deep in conversation? The hoverfly circled and stopped, circled and stopped. When I happened to glance further down the stem I noticed another set of what seemed to be hungry eyes.<br />
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An anole! Who was after whom? The fly moved on, the aphids stayed put, the anole ate...something...or to the rest of its kind, somebody. It all happened too quickly for me to see. I'm guessing some aphid-tending ant met its end as the rest of the world kept wheeling relentlessly by.<br />
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Happy Fall to those of us who are currently enjoying a return to cooler times, and Happy Wildlife to all, no matter your weather or season. <br />
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Thanks as always to the inspirational <a href="http://mygardenersays.com/" target="_blank">Tina of My Gardener Says</a>, creator of the Wildlife Wednesday meme and native plant/wildlife guru to us all. Be sure to visit <a href="http://mygardenersays.com/2015/10/06/wildlife-wednesday-october-2015/" target="_blank">her post for this month</a> and visit the comments section to find links to wildlife reports from around the globe. <br />
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<br />TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-75600464622958043612015-09-28T09:05:00.000-05:002015-09-28T09:05:56.569-05:00September 2015 Butterfly Bucket List - Fiery SkipperI'm joining up today with Anna of The Transmutational Garden for her monthly <a href="https://transmutationalgarden.wordpress.com/butterfly-bucket-list-meme/" target="_blank">Butterfly Bucket List</a> meme. <br />
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This month I can present with confidence, courtesy of identification provided by the friendly folks at <a href="http://bugguide.net/node/view/406" target="_blank">Bug Guide.</a> Ladies and gents, I'm pleased to introduce Mr. Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus).<br />
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A form of <a href="http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Hylephila-phyleus" target="_blank">Grass Skipper </a>(Hesperiinae), this little guy may have been a caterpillar in our own small patch of residual St. Augustine, however it is just as likely he was laid as an egg and then fed on as a caterpillar any of a number of Bermuda clumps I'm constantly finding. Or crab grass.<br />
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While The Hub takes it personally when critters chew on his small patch of lawn, I'm more than happy to share ALL our Bermuda and Crab grass clumps with these tiny charmers! <br />
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Less than an inch long, these little guys are in near constant motion, so I was happy to get a few shots while this male was distracted by delicious nectar on Duelberg salvia and mint alike. Men! Give them their favorite beverage...<br />
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This is one of three different tiny yellow-orange skipper butterflies I saw for several days running, each of which was readily confused for the others to my amateur eyes. I won't presume to point out identifying characteristics, but will encourage you to visit the links provided for further photos and information. <br />
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Common here due to mild winters and lots (and LOTS!) of grassy areas, the eggs are laid individually on grass stems, which the caterpillar rolls and lays out horizontally for protection. After pupating, males tend to stake out likely areas to attract females, while the ladies take off in search of Mr. Right. <br />
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The Fiery Skipper! Tiny perhaps, but with a presence powerful enough to put this garden blogger on her knees in the grass, crawling to get a shot. Thanks to Anna for encouraging all of us to go beyond admiration. It is always an adventure finding out who these amazing creatures are that grace our gardens. TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-32763028731107412122015-09-16T09:09:00.003-05:002015-09-16T09:09:50.962-05:00Anticipating AutumnThough the calendar reads "September" and we've enjoyed a welcome sampler of rainy spells interspersed with some cooler mornings, it is not yet reliably Autumn per se in the Austin area. We are stuck for a few more weeks in what is more accurately described as protracted Summer. <br />
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Early signs of Autumn abound, but those have been well described and beautifully displayed in posts on multiple other (excellent) local garden blogs.<br />
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Schoolhouse and pink rain lilies popping up cheerfully in response to long awaited September rains? Yup. Those have already been blogged about. Several times. <br />
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Turk's cap in bloom? Posted elsewhere. Beautyberry bushes and Pidgeonberry eponymously decked out? Duly noted and reported on other sites.<br />
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Inland Sea Oat seed heads shown to their best backlit advantage? Uh huh, saw that already. Datura blooms? Photographed in daylight as well as in the moon's golden glow. Garlic chives? With and without bees. Lindheimer's senna? Various salvias and Leadwort plumbago? All shown in flower and exquisitely documented elsewhere.<br />
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The usual suspects have definitely already gotten their fair share of the attention.<br />
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I wanted to post, but didn't see where I'd gain traction posting more (and not necessarily better) photographs of the plants already listed alongside various lame versions of "what <i>she</i> said". My frustration mounted. Had I missed Autumn's boat? Was this territory too familiar, too well trod? Had those other (better organized) bloggers covered alpha all the way to omega? Couldn't I find one single as-yet unsung wonder left out there waiting its turn in the spotlight?<br />
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I groused, I deleted, I muttered. I was about to give up when, scrolling through my most recent photos, I saw both the plants and the light. There <i><u>were</u></i> a few also-rans out there not yet covered. Team captains had chosen their favorites first, but there were definitely other players remaining. So here they are, in no particular order, "latter but not least" additions, my own nominees to the lineup of late summer/early autumn stars designate for Central Texas in September. <br />
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To kick things off, a native, Texas Kidneywood (Eysenhardtia texana), which is currently flaunting a scent so pronounced it demands attention.<br />
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And attention it gets. The flower spikes open a few at a time, advancing in numbers day by day until the entire tree becomes a fully loaded, heavily scented pollinator magnet. Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus) butterflies favor it, nectaring alongside honeybees,<br />
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all sorts of native bees, bee mimics,<br />
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and even wasps. Like this blue-winged Scolia dubia. They all spend hours darting in and out amongst the flowers, drinking their fill.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhXPV4-65KWzyJsg2U4tcBaK8tXQIY8d3hPZSsAiejq0Xt46FiwwZT1dLJPLkrbehyphenhyphenDpSVQKtAQEK8HQCJxobp8dagkpaXb7s-QaUYfnKGzDy9NxvMdYWOjTHsjDbKJ_xj5aZAyqhLAxx/s1600/P1280588.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhXPV4-65KWzyJsg2U4tcBaK8tXQIY8d3hPZSsAiejq0Xt46FiwwZT1dLJPLkrbehyphenhyphenDpSVQKtAQEK8HQCJxobp8dagkpaXb7s-QaUYfnKGzDy9NxvMdYWOjTHsjDbKJ_xj5aZAyqhLAxx/s640/P1280588.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scolia dubia- female blue winged digger wasp.</td></tr>
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All that traffic drew even more attention, including that of the local anole population (Anolis carolinensis).<br />
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Using their coloration disguise to full advantage, they are lurking in proximity to branch ends in numbers, hoping to snap up a delicious meal all their own from amongst the winged visitors.<br />
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In fact, anoles can be seen everywhere these days including this little lip smacker perched on a flower spike of H. Duelberg salvia.<br />
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The delicate pink blossoms of Coral Vine, (Antigonon leptopus) are visited all day by pollinators of every stripe.... <br />
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followed by even more anoles. Dinner's on!<br />
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Non-native but well adapted and widely appreciated south of I-10, Firebush (Hamelia patens) comes back from the roots and kicks into high gear during our very hottest weather. As the arrival of summer's heat was delayed, it got off to a slow start this year. Unlike many other plants that went leggy with a vengeance, this seasonal beauty has only grown to half its usual spread and height. <br />
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I don't mind a bit. I like it small or tall, and look forward to when glowing embers at branch ends are lighting up the bed it graces. Hummingbirds love this plant though you'll have to take my word for that. The delayed timing this year must be wreaking havoc with their usual feeding habits.<br />
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Beleaguered but persistent Fall Obedient plant is finally attempting blooms. Physotegia virginiana likes things wet, but the weeks of heat with no rain that followed spring's bounty took their toll. This is a tough native however, and good year or bad, I know these will always come back for more.<br />
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This little patch of Virginia dayflower, (Commelina virginica) is blooming for a few hours daily, but it is new for me in this spot and I haven't watched it long enough to know if the current show will be reliable year to year. <br />
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Like the Firebush, October showstopper Giant Cosmos (Cosmos sulphureous), while only half its usual six foot size this year, is budding out.<br />
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Just beginning to appear, Goldeneye (Viguiera dentata) flower heads are small but expanding daily. <br />
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There you have it - my add-ons to the pantheon of reliable late summer to early autumn bloomers in the central Texas area. Taken in total they provide heat weary Texans with assurance weather is on the way better aligned with the calendar's insistence.<br />
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This year has certainly been one for the record books. What about your garden spaces? Seeing any surprises in your late summer garden after all our weird weather this year? I'm sure there are wonderful plants I've overlooked or simply don't enjoy success with here. Lycoris radiata have been reported in bloom a few miles from me, but mine have yet to show. Are you noticing other emerging changes? Feel free to list them in the comments section.<br />
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Let's keep building the list!<br />
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<br />TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-90637789460335782822015-09-07T06:00:00.000-05:002015-09-07T09:52:52.209-05:00Killing Things - Difficult Choices in the Garden<span style="font-size: x-small;">Warning: If you are at all queasy reading about or looking at wasps, go no further. If you are sensitive to the sight of a wasp nest that has been sprayed with poison, move along. I'm writing about a difficult choice I made here, and I'm using my somewhat graphic photos because it felt dishonest not to.</span><br />
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The agaves... Oh, the agaves. They got larger than I thought they would faster than I thought they should. The ones I tested by growing in deep shade gained size more slowly but they all pupped prolifically. <br />
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Curbside, in full sun, the agaves are now presenting a physical hazard to pedestrians on our side of the street. Of particular concern, their potential to snag unwary elementary school children, trudging wearily up the steep hill in front of our house weekday afternoons after their bus stops at our corner. Agaves are hogging all the sunny spots, blocking the sprinkler system, extending their heavy and dangerously serrated leaves in every direction. They've simply got to go.<br />
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I was barely fifteen minutes into the removal process, sawing off agave leaves with enthusiasm and relief to finally be getting started. Just as I began to attack the right hand side of my inaugural clump, the jiggling motion unleashed a large swarm of <a href="http://bugguide.net/node/view/78352" target="_blank">Polistes bellicosus</a>, yellow and brown paper wasps. <br />
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They came speeding out, flying directly at me. I backed away equally speedily (adrenaline apparently a great lubricant for a "mature" lady's joints) and with a bit of flapping and squawking, managed to not get stung. As I retreated ever further away, the wasps kept coming out, circling in agitated fashion. The "Bellicosus" in their name turns out to be predictively descriptive.<br />
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<a href="http://austinagrodolce.blogspot.com/2015/08/a-not-so-magnificent-obsession.html" target="_blank">Regular readers may recall</a> I was doing pruning recently on the downhill side of the driveway when I was stopped in my tracks by the presence (and agitated behaviors) of wasps of two different types in other nests. <br />
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The first was a Polistes bellicosus nest and the other belonged to red wasps, <a href="http://bugguide.net/node/view/581/bgpage" target="_blank">Polistes carolinas</a>. I managed to get the bare minimum of work done that day, approaching plants to prune from a different vantage point, and the rest of that job I relegated to an "after it freezes" timeline to avoid further disturbance or the need for eradication.<br />
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Unfortunately this job, removing the agave clumps, just won't wait that long. Unlike with bees, there are no wasp keepers to call to relocate a colony. My hand was forced. Sadly, I realized this nest and the wasps defending it had to go. I reluctantly got the appropriate spray, and went back out to drench the nest, doing my best to assure the wasps were at least killed quickly.<br />
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As it was now late in the morning there were other wasps returning at intervals from foraging to their now dripping nest. They circled but seemed to understand not to land. Polistes wasps are social, and provide many benefits to the garden. Unless you are messing around close to their nest in some way they deem potentially threatening, they are not aggressive and co-exist peacefully with people and pets alike. <br />
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While I used to feel slightly nervous in their presence, now I welcome their ongoing patrols for pests to take back to the young in their nests. From what I've read, the spared foragers from the nest I destroyed will either go out to start their own nest or join a sister's nest as subordinates. As I stood watch from a safe distance, I felt both defeated and sorrowful. I say I garden for wildlife, and here I was, taking life. It was and still is unsettling and unpleasant.<br />
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There are those of you out there who will strongly feel I was wrong to poison the nest. (I first wrote that sentence using several different euphemisms but poison is what I used and poison is what I did.) Life is life. An argument can be made that I have no right to kill insects when they were only defending their nest and young. As a mother, I hope I would do no less. <br />
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There are also those of you out there who will think me silly to be bothered by killing a nest of wasps. These are not human beings after all, they are insects. There are plenty more wasps where these came from. I know of at least a dozen other nests and have no doubt there are others I have yet to encounter, all within the bounds of our small suburban lot. The two nests I discovered further down the hill were both spared after all, and some might find that a more than reasonable compromise.<br />
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I'm fairly certain once I'm able to replant the soon-to-be cleared areas I'll rediscover the joy gardening more often brings, with its focus on growth and life. I understand wild creatures live and die all around us every day. <br />
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I just don't like being the direct cause of their dying. <br />
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<br />TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-53075605392912817902015-09-04T10:52:00.001-05:002015-09-04T10:52:20.056-05:00Too hot to garden?September may have arrived with the promise of cooler temperatures, but you'd be forgiven if you didn't believe in that promise. So far this "end of summer" month has delivered mostly more of the same. <br />
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That won't keep intrepid gardeners from getting out and getting busy in preparation for the post-heat pre-freeze growing season, but it does mean we'll all need to take a few more breaks to cool off and rehydrate.<br />
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During any breaks in the action, I have just the thing for you to watch for inspiration! Earlier this year I was thrilled to spot the KLRU Central Texas Gardener's crew filming in the nearby Rollingwood Municipal Waterwise Gardens. That tour segment is now online, part of the <a href="http://www.klru.org/ctg/episode/butterfly-gardening-by-color/" target="_blank">Butterfly Gardening by Color</a> episode. <br />
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Woot! Be sure to take a look. Viewing online gives you the comfiest possible ringside seat as one of the garden's designers involved (and currently the Chief Maintenance Officer!) Scott Ogden, gives Linda Lehmusvirta the skinny on our local showplace. <br />
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If you'd prefer to watch on YouTube, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzZq6PfhaX739ru7GY1BHIgaGdadbSM1k" target="_blank">here</a> is that link. Scroll right down to the "Rollingwood Lawn to Garden" segment. <br />
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And if video doesn't appeal, <a href="http://www.klru.org/ctg/2015/09/butterfly-color-wheel-city-hall-lawn-to-garden/" target="_blank">here</a> is the link to the Central Texas Gardener blog. As you enjoy the post, going down the page you'll be able to take a more leisurely look at photographs demonstrating some of the larger gestures made in this City Hall's movement from lawn, to lovely.<br />
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Video or photographs, the images are sure to inspire. Thanks, <a href="http://www.klru.org/ctg/" target="_blank">CTG</a>! <br />
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<br />TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-86329271383737381082015-09-02T13:02:00.002-05:002015-09-02T13:02:58.494-05:00August in Austin - September's Wildlife Wednesday I was under the distinctly mistaken impression that the heat of August meant the numbers and types of wildlife visiting our outdoor spaces last month would be sparse. When I went back to gather up images however, I realized I had vastly underestimated on all counts. <br />
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Despite the heat, lack of rain, and relatively wilted plants on offer, the activity here in August went on unchecked, no matter if humans felt comfortable outside or not. Common things being common, many of our visitors last month are part of a core group, what we think of as our "usual suspects". So to keep the number of images manageable this month, I decided to skip over photos of Cardinals, Mockingbirds, Blue Jays, Titmice and Squirrels. Similarly shots of anoles, honeybees, carpenter bees, Gulf Fritillary and Question Mark butterflies have all been set aside, they will all wait for another post.<br />
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In their stead I'd like to offer up a few of our less frequently observed visitors, which as you may suspect, means there are a few identification questions left open. Wide open. Gaping, even.<br />
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I've done my best to at least narrow the possibilities, and will ask not only your indulgence, but your participation. If you spot anything I've either mislabeled or that you can identify with certainty, I hope you'll speak right up in the comments section. With that invitation on the table, let's begin, shall we?<br />
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Boy howdy, do we ever have ants in our plants. Ants of every type and description, including these itty bitties that are marching up and down the tropical salvia plants all summer long. Why? Have you never heard the song? They all go marching...down...to the ground...to get out...of the rain. We haven't had a drop of rain for weeks and yet the marching, it never ceases.<br />
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Because. They are ants and that is what ants do! (Sidebar: If you are new here and it is strictly scientific information you are seeking, this is not your post or post-<span id="goog_626191571"></span><span id="goog_626191572"></span>er. I love science as much as the next gal, but there's more to wildlife than the science alone. There will be sciencey stuff later, I promise. Sit tight.).<br />
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Though we host honeybees and carpenter bees aplenty all summer long, these metallic green sweat bees are a rarity. Which is a shame, because they are some of our most striking visitors.<br />
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Red Paper Wasps, (Polistes carolina) are common visitors but not ones I commonly photograph. More aggressive than other paper wasps, they feed on caterpillar "meat" (that is the term <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polistes_carolina" target="_blank">the site</a> used...creepy, yes?) and nectar. <br />
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While initially tempted to label this as a tiny bee, a closer look reveals it to be a tiny wasp or fly, not a bee. How do I know? There are three giveaways. One is the single set of wings, bees have two. Also, the antennae do not seem to be jointed and bee's always are. To make it a hat trick the absence of pollen carriers on the hind legs says this is something else <i><u>passing</u></i> as a bee. Such mimicry is called <a href="http://www.britannica.com/science/Batesian-mimicry" target="_blank">Batesian</a>, when something harmless benefits from presenting a similar appearance to something packing more offensive capability. (See? The science was coming, I just had to get warmed up.)<br />
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Do I know what this is posing on the mint? No I do not. But I know what it isn't. It isn't a bee.<br />
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Small as the mimic above may be, the visitor to follow is even smaller. So small I can't get any sort of handle on identifying marks or characteristics. <br />
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In fact, in case you don't spot it immediately, I'll direct your attention to the upper middle outside edge of the flower cluster, just to the right of center. There, do you see? A teensy tiny something, and welcome whether or not I have any idea how to politely introduce him/her. <br />
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We don't have a pond or water feature per se, but we do have a swimming pool. Whether or not it is responsible for drawing in a variety of dragonflies I cannot say. I see as many of these deft aerialists out front in the high and dry as I do anywhere near the water. A few of them I recognize (or at least think I do).<br />
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I believe both of these green bodied beauties to be <a href="http://bugguide.net/node/view/577" target="_blank">Eastern Pondhawk</a>s. They both have what appear to be (ahem!) "claspers" at the tips of their tales, which leads me to think they are both males.<br />
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The images that follow are two examples of a not-so-flashy dragonfly, what I believe to be <a href="http://bugguide.net/node/view/8933" target="_blank">Wandering Gliders</a>, so named because they are found all around the globe.<br />
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Brown all around, these dragonflies are dressed for Fall.<br />
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To wrap up the dragonfly parade, here is a set of photos of a dragonfly I can identify with certainty, thanks to corroboration from the great folks at <a href="http://bugguide.net/node/view/27328" target="_blank">BugGuide</a>. The following are all images captured of a female Checkered Setwing (Dythemis fugax).<br />
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Typically when I'm attempting to photograph a dragonfly I get too close. The dragonfly will take wing, fly around a bit, and then resettle either exactly where it had previously been, or very close by. I've learned if I can move in and then remain still, I will often get a decent close shot.<br />
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On this particular afternoon, the breeze was gusting quite a bit. This dragonfly apparently decided it liked that agave spike enough that with the wind it was just too much trouble to attempt multiple landings. So it gambled I was low risk, and stuck tight as I circled, while the wind continually rearranged its wings.<br />
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So much for certainty. To follow is yet another mystery visitor, a larger one I felt fortunate to observe, much less photograph. When I first saw this beautiful bird, I thought, "A Ladderback Woodpecker!" and was filled with joy.<br />
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When I started looking closely at photographs and detailed information on birding websites, my joy remained unabated but my certainty over the proper identity of this bird waned. Maybe not a <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ladder-backed_Woodpecker/id" target="_blank">Ladderback</a>. Ladderbacks look similar, and are found in Texas, but they nest and forage in cactus. <br />
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Perhaps this is an adolescent <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Golden-fronted_Woodpecker/id" target="_blank">Golden Fronted Woodpecker</a>? We are solidly within their year round range, and the call is one I've heard many times when working out in the garden. But did I hear that call that afternoon? I couldn't be sure.<br />
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I've tried photographing Golden Fronted woodpeckers before when they visited (and, joke's on me, think I probably mis-identified them as Ladderbacks). They were hard to photograph, working high up in the tree canopy and constantly on the move. <br />
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I spotted this bird perhaps fifteen feet up. It remained stationary for long periods, intently watching the ashe juniper trunk just above. Had the heat gotten to this bird, or had I gotten the identification wrong a second time? At one point I made too much noise and the bird looked right at me. Thinking it would immediately fly off I put down my camera. Nope. It moved up the trunk a bit but didn't go far. So probably not the shy Golden Front after all.<br />
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Back to the web sites. Could it be a <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-bellied_Woodpecker/id" target="_blank">Red-Bellied Woodpecker</a>? Though often described as a bird of the "East" United States, we are at the far south and west edge of their year 'round range, and listening to the call I am certain I've heard it many times over the past few years. Also compelling was the description of their foraging habit. <br />
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Red-Bellied woodpeckers spend more time searching and pecking at bark rather than drilling into it. While I've heard woodpeckers drilling into trees all summer long, I didn't see or hear any such behavior that afternoon. This case of identity remains unsolved.<br />
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As for me? It is time for me to emulate this sturdy fellow and exit, Stage Right.<br />
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That is it, the full roundup of not-so-commonly seen wild visitors to our spaces, here just west of Austin, Texas, looking back at August of 2015. My deepest gratitude as always to our hostess <a href="http://mygardenersays.com/2015/09/02/wildlife-wednesday-september-2015/" target="_blank">Tina, of My Gardener Says.</a> <br />
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I deeply admire her unflagging support of and advocacy for wildlife gardening. You should run not walk, to visit her website and read her own Wildlife Wednesday post recapping August, without fear of one iota of stridency or scold. Her post this month is especially whimsical, and expresses contagious delight for a garden well populated with wondrous creatures.<br />
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While you are visiting My Gardener Says, be certain to check the comments section of today's post for links to any number of Wildlife Wednesday reports from all around. And who knows - maybe when I check there I will find a link to your post, too. That would be grand.<br />
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<br />TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-65087578922180114562015-08-29T17:58:00.001-05:002015-08-31T07:46:06.625-05:00August Butterfly Bucket List- Zebra LongwingI'd given up getting any sort of shot of a butterfly at all for the August Butterfly Bucket List hosted by Anna at The Transmutational Garden every 4th Sunday. I was actually out taking photos today of some clumps of century plants that I have big (BIG!) plans for. <br />
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I was trying to get some good wide shots of the beds the century plants currently dominate, when I spotted a dragonfly I didn't recognize. Off I went to get a photo (of course!) and while I was wheeling around it trying to get a good shot of any identifying marks, my attention was captured by a narrow winged strongly striped black and yellow blur in the background. <br />
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It was one of a handful of Texas butterflies I recognize on sight, a Zebra Longwing (<a href="http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Heliconius-charithonia" target="_blank">Heliconius-charithonia</a>). I was elated! A sighting for August in the nick of time! In the spirit of the Bucket List, I decided it was time to fill in some gaps in my information on this wonderfully striped visitor.<br />
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According to the information on the BOMA page linked above, Zebra Longwings grow to a length of between 2 3/4 and 4 inches, wing tip to wing tip. Their preferred host plant is any one of the several varieties of passion vines. I found it fascinating that such a strongly patterned winged creature flies around leaving eggs and setting their cats loose on vines bearing one of the most striking flowers around.<br />
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The adults feed on lantana and shepherd's needle preferentially. I'd never heard of shepherd's needle previously (a parsley relative - butterflies of all stripes do love the parsleys) but we have loads of lantana around as evidenced in the photos today. <br />
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Zebra Longwings are reported to have a set foraging route. They are considered "trap-line" feeders. That means since I saw one out on our lantana this afternoon, if I am observant I ought to be able to catch it visiting again tomorrow. And the next day. I like that idea - that the zebra and I have a standing appointment, if I wish to keep it.<br />
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What I found really intriguing, is that adults roost communally in groups of 25-30 individuals. I can barely imagine what that might look like, a cluster of 2-3 dozen of these beauties all in one place at one time. It would be like winning the butterfly lottery - a bonafide Zebra Longwing Jackpot!<br />
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So, take that, August. While I barely made the cut this month I am optimistic the return of slightly cooler temperatures and at least a chance for precipitation will see our winged visitors showing up in numbers again soon. <br />
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Thanks to Anna for hosting this wonderful incentive to get out and take a closer look at who is flying in and dropping by. Be sure to visit her own August post and pick up the links to a whole host of great bloggers posting about their own butterfly experiences this month.TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-41338819599459404852015-08-27T10:43:00.000-05:002015-08-29T18:05:38.146-05:00AnticipationThis mature Datura (<a href="http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=DAWR2" target="_blank">Datura wrightii/Sacred thorn-apple</a>) planted close to our front door has been showing off this summer, demonstrating why it is allowed to dominate the area where it grows.<br />
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For several weeks it had been developing a record number of buds, each one reminding me a bit of okra pods. We watched the pods get larger, and eventually a few began to unfurl each day. Then, record numbers of the pods matured at once, and for two evenings in a row this one plant has treated us to an even dozen blossoms, all opening at one time. <br />
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Previously I'd tried in vain to appreciate the widely reported fragrance of the blossoms. <i><b>Now </b></i>I can smell them!<br />
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The bees have been taking advantage of the fact these blooms, shaded by the house, aren't exposed to direct light until the sun is high in the sky.<br />
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The flowers stay open all morning and drew the bees in droves earlier today. <br />
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I spotted multiple types, European honeybees and native bees alike. <br />
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We were all happy-happy.<br />
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Datura is a native, and the speed with which the one-day-and-done flowers draw pollinators in is testimony to a long-standing and well evolved relationship. I've not had luck starting these plants from seed, but nursery stock is readily available year 'round, with spring planting recommended for more reliable success.<br />
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I have two smaller Datura plants out closer to the street, but they aren't the beneficiaries of extra hand watering and have only been in place for a season or two.<br />
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Exposed to harsh afternoon sun, my baby Datura haven't yet bloomed, but I'm confident if they make it through the winter yet to come, and become better established, they'll be sharing spectacularly sized white flowers all their own with passers by (and bees!) for years.<br />
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Datura wrightii. Well worth the wait.<br />
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<br />TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-80573463396137034752015-08-18T11:08:00.001-05:002015-08-18T11:08:18.238-05:00Wholly AnoleBecause it is past the halfway mark for August...<br />
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Because others have already blogged about the few things that are in bloom for us this time of year...<br />
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And because I didn't even have to go back for a few weeks to cull out the best shots...<br />
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I only had to go outside with my camera and pay attention this morning.<br />
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This guy was out sipping up what remains of water droplets from last night's watering.<br />
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Anoles are everywhere these days and nobody could ask for a more appealing companion in the garden. <br />
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This last anole almost completely escaped my attention. Well camouflaged and all snugged up tight against the pole to the left of the butterfly, he seems to be waiting for a little privacy to make his move.<br />
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Or maybe it is just too hot to do anything more than look. Here's to the winding down of August and to the easing off of Summer's worst heat. Home stretch, people!<br />
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<br />TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-49346003043568877172015-08-12T17:04:00.003-05:002015-09-07T09:49:20.286-05:00A (not so) Magnificent ObsessionI don't believe I have any need to go into the obvious human nature bits of this situation. I can simply tell you we've had multiple coral yucca plants (hesperaloe parviflora - not actually a yucca at all) growing here for over a decade. Local deer love to chew the bloom stalks down to stubs. A process they will repeat over and over again. We never had a bloom stalk that survived longer than a few days.<br />
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Events finally conspired however, and this year we have flowers, a series of pink and yellow long lasting blooms, for the first time ever. <br />
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I can't speak for the rest of my family, but I am completely obsessed with the flowers and developing seed pods both.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSLgd6J0AyMKfF3ubFAa_9YXLUKq6KWE5ug0DzEiy6LDq5QD-E3WjNrsdvycEaUrr9lAKw4n8ARLVB34__kF-2Ov5BzsbKZ2icDJxEknEnd67IXWlk06BLpUcLrss1w_h_3crEOBd7pM/s1600/P1270409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="616" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSLgd6J0AyMKfF3ubFAa_9YXLUKq6KWE5ug0DzEiy6LDq5QD-E3WjNrsdvycEaUrr9lAKw4n8ARLVB34__kF-2Ov5BzsbKZ2icDJxEknEnd67IXWlk06BLpUcLrss1w_h_3crEOBd7pM/s640/P1270409.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
They are visual sirens I cannot ignore.<br />
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August heat or not, there are jobs that desperately need to be done, centrally involving cutting back completely overgrown opuntia, agave and countless volunteer hackberry seedlings intermingled in a wild run of sprinkler blocking branches. Today I decided to get started on beds on the downhill side.<br />
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As I was working my way from drive to corner I discovered both types of paper wasps nesting in the overgrowth, polistes exclamans and polistes carolina. (These wasp photos are from earlier this year. Today's work was not a photo op.) 9/7/15 Update: While the wasp in this photo is P. exclamans, I now believe the wasps I ran across out front to be P. bellicosus. See <a href="http://austinagrodolce.blogspot.com/2015/09/killing-things-difficult-choices-in.html" target="_blank">this post</a> for more on the saga.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioegqZKAYCOHzzDydoZ5Cc0ev8gKG_tcBdjPJjBJOigYp6xq28eOFe3SstVJEayveeQbFF_iJhcomYSBsj4r3HTe27Yxv2yKj64AyE_F5RfsrgZws6dyeT0Kdu4Z3FD1Fzg3iY2hJxYTk/s1600/polistes+exclamans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioegqZKAYCOHzzDydoZ5Cc0ev8gKG_tcBdjPJjBJOigYp6xq28eOFe3SstVJEayveeQbFF_iJhcomYSBsj4r3HTe27Yxv2yKj64AyE_F5RfsrgZws6dyeT0Kdu4Z3FD1Fzg3iY2hJxYTk/s640/polistes+exclamans.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">P. exclamans (top left) has a signature orange tipped antennae.</td></tr>
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Both types of wasps reacted when I worked close by their nests. The polistes exclamans went ballistic, flapping their wings and vibrating their bodies, becoming quite agitated. Well warned, I backed away and stopped working in their vicinity.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UwrjvNCL3I1j7NP8rWwXRCFSWwWtGY3WjjDuaURb-B_6z1DW47qTe_ChC3KnbwAAYGFuaY6WkLTP8lEtvjEIXepsFOzQbrMtZbIvZRwfvFJbXylaLR0uwpbl2gpIdl02CVxAhnd6bqU/s1600/polistes+carolina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UwrjvNCL3I1j7NP8rWwXRCFSWwWtGY3WjjDuaURb-B_6z1DW47qTe_ChC3KnbwAAYGFuaY6WkLTP8lEtvjEIXepsFOzQbrMtZbIvZRwfvFJbXylaLR0uwpbl2gpIdl02CVxAhnd6bqU/s640/polistes+carolina.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Polistes carolina harvesting wood pulp aka our bench</td></tr>
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The red wasp, or polistes carolina, had been consistently circling overhead while I worked. When I got close to the nest, the wasp flew in and landed on it, which first served to draw my attention and then facilitated my choice to stop work for the day.<br />
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Temperatures will drop. Both nests will be abandoned. Most of the plants growing in the areas where the sprinklers have been blocked by wasp nest-bearing branches, are mature native specimens. For today, I'm making no decision other than to keep a watchful eye on things. And hope like crazy for rain.<br />
<br />TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-36689192585883569292015-08-05T06:00:00.000-05:002015-08-05T06:00:00.216-05:00Wildlife Wednesday - Mad Dogs and Garden BloggersAugust is upon us and though some long for summer days to last forever others are more than willing to welcome the beginning of the end of the heat in the central Texas area. <br />
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There have been a lot of dragonflies and butterflies this year, due at least in part to heavier than usual May and June rains. These evocatively named Widow Skimmers, this one a male, according to the blue body, have provided near constant supervision and companionship out in the garden beds. <br />
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Skipper butterflies continue to visit daily, their erratic flight patterns reminding me of Charles Schulz's flittering companion for Snoopy, the adorable Woodstock. Yes, Woodstock is a bird, a little yellow bird, but besides his random low-level aviation preferences (he got beak bleeds if he went too high) you may recall Snoopy pulling out a field guide and attempting to identify Woodstock, to no avail. </div>
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I'm not sure the artist ever actually identified Woodstock "as" any specific bird. Snoopy gave up his attempt with a shrug. The point was not "what" Woodstock was, other than being Snoopy's close companion.</div>
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I can relate. At times knowing is important. Other times...not so much.</div>
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Here, what I <i>think</i> is a Sachem Skipper busily nectaring on a coneflower, while another different type of skipper butterfly can be seen clambering up onto the business end of a second bloom in the background. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiypU4jOmhAS9zw7k-btS1PsnCBOxUbDWFHUQRbvkCQaFh5Ja9SNbZ1WKEJgACRQpasq9cI0luZALQ_UmF4OkDrQLimLAc_64v3T7QlY12igycsk9QYG_zCDNtMKWCJd_IOvA5HNLbR8Dg/s1600/Sachem%253F+skipper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiypU4jOmhAS9zw7k-btS1PsnCBOxUbDWFHUQRbvkCQaFh5Ja9SNbZ1WKEJgACRQpasq9cI0luZALQ_UmF4OkDrQLimLAc_64v3T7QlY12igycsk9QYG_zCDNtMKWCJd_IOvA5HNLbR8Dg/s640/Sachem%253F+skipper.jpg" width="614" /></a></div>
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Coneflowers are an ongoing steady draw for skippers and other butterflies. Beautiful at every stage, these dramatic late bloomers fill in just as other flowers are fading for the season.</div>
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As well as attracting pollinators to their flowers, finches are drawn to the developing coneflowers seed heads. </div>
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This Lesser Goldfinch might have been hungry when he got here, but there was no reason to leave that way. This one could have been after the seed heads of some blanketflower nearby. After snapping this I retreated rather than interrupt. Finches can be shy, as behooves a bird small enough to perch easily on a flower stem.</div>
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Speaking of shy, the spiny lizards have sure been out in numbers all around our area. Over the years we'd spot one or more of these a couple of times a season so we always knew they were around, but this summer we are seeing them daily, if only for a moment and often only as they are skittering to whatever feels like safety.</div>
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I think they are quite handsome, and hope their population micro-explosion continues. I'm not sure what they feed on, I've purposefully avoided seeking that information out. I'd rather enjoy the idea they are here without "knowing" what they eating. In my horticultural haven, everything eats unspecified garden pests. So let it be written...</div>
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Spider webs were absolutely everywhere all July long, and the entrance of August has not seen much of an abatement. There are scads of messy webs in the tips of lots of tree and small shrub branches, originally leading me to believe we'd been invaded by web worms. Closer inspection revealed they are webs sans worms.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Objq-4KKuc4daxbw8ThyphenhyphenMUUAOkeuasl_MWEmPOcZhZkxdz-06BO-m5n1q2CODcMwWGnibW1vCSDwxIxy4I6wW1toJrAOIrTeXsAsIUo1o5wEPuUaDtv9m6Fiej2ASo2YBHmBQDU72Zs/s1600/P1260852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Objq-4KKuc4daxbw8ThyphenhyphenMUUAOkeuasl_MWEmPOcZhZkxdz-06BO-m5n1q2CODcMwWGnibW1vCSDwxIxy4I6wW1toJrAOIrTeXsAsIUo1o5wEPuUaDtv9m6Fiej2ASo2YBHmBQDU72Zs/s320/P1260852.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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They make for interesting photos as the webbing renders like a loss of focus by the camera lens. I'm demanding all my future photographic portraits be shot through this stuff.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DWojbfUX37VzNMJt2zEOo-uzZloJHj6Dn0k2ELBpCFf0dfqj3_shIwL3QQ3ugJC8tucGfjlGMOJFGfsEiNxycFSnkbKPrdmJWD8pJbBarKrvPpuz742QiQOvtg3MWCWxRQTZuSU-6qc/s1600/spiderweb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DWojbfUX37VzNMJt2zEOo-uzZloJHj6Dn0k2ELBpCFf0dfqj3_shIwL3QQ3ugJC8tucGfjlGMOJFGfsEiNxycFSnkbKPrdmJWD8pJbBarKrvPpuz742QiQOvtg3MWCWxRQTZuSU-6qc/s640/spiderweb.jpg" width="408" /></a></div>
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Here's an example of what I think of when I think of spider webs, the more traditional intersecting silk gridwork. I wasn't able to capture the iridescence of this as it undulated in the morning breezes. the camera only able to "see" one color wavelength at a time. </div>
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I've always wondered if spiders appreciate their work for being attractive as well as functional? Can't you just imagine a group of spiders gathered to critique each other's efforts? The mouthy one (there's one in every group) is holding forth "So here is where Francesca went a little off grid, commenting on the disorganization of modernity as superimposed.." while Francesca leans over to the spider next to her to whisper "<i>That</i> is where I trapped and wrapped my dinner. Disorganization of modernity, my ass!". </div>
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In the very last days of July, I ended up taking a series of shots attempting to capture the antics of a pair of tufted titmice. I first noticed one bird hunting insects all around the Candyland bird bath.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwncse-M_OgIKfyuvGv0192DrMnkgVVtBBWjbuqYaGmIoebKdGB2FE5iAuLFKVYSDileWAJS4PjeaEyvHUSHCbaOoub3ipT4NcA7Ju3b4KEyL1wj3F_F9Y2wRSNj4-O8V6NwnZrJ5OMVY/s1600/Tufted+titmouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwncse-M_OgIKfyuvGv0192DrMnkgVVtBBWjbuqYaGmIoebKdGB2FE5iAuLFKVYSDileWAJS4PjeaEyvHUSHCbaOoub3ipT4NcA7Ju3b4KEyL1wj3F_F9Y2wRSNj4-O8V6NwnZrJ5OMVY/s640/Tufted+titmouse.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This guy hunted for bugs in the water, and then went after a couple of unguarded wasp nests over the kitchen window. At that point he was joined by a previously unseen hunting partner. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgL-q8CnaKfoXMDcYQraMm2Yxv5VY69k-3t1SnUHCH19O641e-8vDennwNPA9NVSk5w4p0sKpz00uPJMFiLVYZJ_KeSBoWWYXOIDmfFtwjHh61S554EoNSFh683EGSMz4AcMjb2jvjpo/s1600/Titmice+hunting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgL-q8CnaKfoXMDcYQraMm2Yxv5VY69k-3t1SnUHCH19O641e-8vDennwNPA9NVSk5w4p0sKpz00uPJMFiLVYZJ_KeSBoWWYXOIDmfFtwjHh61S554EoNSFh683EGSMz4AcMjb2jvjpo/s320/Titmice+hunting.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The two of them investigated every clump of ball moss and patch of lichen in the oak trees overhead. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKllu1f7iqgv9xIqmEznRYbCjhaPb-V4Mjl639UogcOZgeB5WrbecsjujiT7MnSsbTmGCAqj3R-UnBz-TCkXaRaweHTkqqQHFEU7CZ0rZCLQElWw2GdkaS5zFVCIuPTt7u6f7n5gk7Tbw/s1600/Titmouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKllu1f7iqgv9xIqmEznRYbCjhaPb-V4Mjl639UogcOZgeB5WrbecsjujiT7MnSsbTmGCAqj3R-UnBz-TCkXaRaweHTkqqQHFEU7CZ0rZCLQElWw2GdkaS5zFVCIuPTt7u6f7n5gk7Tbw/s400/Titmouse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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They were nothing if not thorough. Nobody is handing these guys anything, they worked hard, staying in near ceaseless motion. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYRkTc0j7bkYNVehQ547AD52IIEUDwxuZIgoE7025HqDg8G23g1y_fTTUBkpyqq-PPs6R4v9si6URjkD157MN14ZvmRieqHCBjCUN9jsSPEzYBqQdNbF_QM45g7DqFnT0I3CpoPG05m4/s1600/looking+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYRkTc0j7bkYNVehQ547AD52IIEUDwxuZIgoE7025HqDg8G23g1y_fTTUBkpyqq-PPs6R4v9si6URjkD157MN14ZvmRieqHCBjCUN9jsSPEzYBqQdNbF_QM45g7DqFnT0I3CpoPG05m4/s640/looking+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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At least they're working in the shade. It was 95 degrees when I took these and the temperature was still climbing.</div>
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And that is it for this August's Wildlife Wednesday. Only mad dogs and wildlife garden bloggers go out in the sun in July and August, the bloggers no doubt working to chronicle fellow hot weather denizens for their own Wildlife Wednesday posts. I hope you've enjoyed taking a quick peak at some of what is happening on the other side of all our lowered shades and closed curtains this time of year. </div>
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Please note: all the identifications made here are my own amateur efforts unless specifically credited to another source. If you are pretty sure I've labeled something incorrectly, feel free to point that out in the comments section. We'll all feel better afterwards if you do, or at least I certainly will! </div>
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Thanks to the remarkable Tina at <a href="http://mygardenersays.com/" target="_blank">My Gardener Says</a> for hosting the first Wednesday of each month's <a href="http://mygardenersays.com/wildlife-wednesdays/" target="_blank">Wildlife Wednesdays</a>. As she notes, <span style="background-color: white; color: #373737; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px;"> "</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #373737; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px;">A garden is never so alive and vibrant than when it is graced by wildlife." </span>Be sure to visit her amazing blog and discover the potential rewards of enjoying your very own garden spaces along with the creatures who depend upon them for their daily sip, seed, or bug. </div>
TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-35985416742971040482015-08-03T14:51:00.000-05:002015-08-03T18:35:42.972-05:00Why try?Identification of various insects and spontaneously appearing plants can be tricky. I've <strike>complained</strike> written here often, bemoaning hours of time spent fruitlessly trying to match a photo taken to images online, hoping to establish the correct name of something.<br />
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Why? Why even bother? Why not just throw up my hands, assign my own names to everything and call it a day? <br />
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Part of the answer is that I am (extremely) stubborn. Once I begin a search for a name, if I'm not rapidly rewarded with what I feel are reasonably accurate results my efforts become a <b><i>Quest.</i></b> The more time I spend <u>not</u> finding what I am looking for, the more determined I become to find it. (see "Top Management Mistake:Throwing good money after bad")...<br />
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Most of the rest of that "what <i><u>IS</u></i> it!?" energy comes from the fact we are trying to take a no-kill approach here. If a plant appears that we didn't plant, we usually accept it as a gracious gift until it is proven otherwise. Several plants others consider weeds, we prefer to regard as native ground covers. <br />
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To properly identify a plant I typically rely upon the LBJ Wildflower Center's <a href="http://www.wildflower.org/plants/search.php?search_field=scientific+or+common+names&newsearch=true&family=Acanthaceae" target="_blank">Native Plant Database</a>, but I also keep an eye out on local garden blogs. Common things being common, most if not all the plants I run across are not strangers to others in my area. Just because I don't know what something is, rarely means somebody more experienced in my area does not. And potentially, somebody else in my area is also wanting to know.<br />
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Recently I experienced a small frisson of recognition while reading a post on Sheryl Smith-Rodger's wonderful "<a href="http://sherylsmithrodgers.blogspot.com/2015/07/horseweed-continued.html" target="_blank">Window on a Texas Wildscape</a>" blog. She was updating readers on the watchful-waiting attitude she'd taken towards a horseweed, or mane's tail weed, aka <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conyza_canadensis" target="_blank">Conyza canadensis</a>. Her plant was tall, and getting taller. She had decided to let it grow until it bloomed and then she planned to take it out of the ground to prevent its spread from seed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-U2Ylf-c379clVXU-J3qU4gtGM04Viwz7TDj6gcnaDKpcWGugZukB9rkiXRAueiC1cKkZxyRXwnVBzCkUlX_kXLNrrpJBNIq7u6F4L6N4WVaJFQBkr6HmQp5WFM2zFCqiBDhmPRz_s8/s1600/P1270024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-U2Ylf-c379clVXU-J3qU4gtGM04Viwz7TDj6gcnaDKpcWGugZukB9rkiXRAueiC1cKkZxyRXwnVBzCkUlX_kXLNrrpJBNIq7u6F4L6N4WVaJFQBkr6HmQp5WFM2zFCqiBDhmPRz_s8/s400/P1270024.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Please understand Ms. Smith-Rodgers is a certified master naturalist and quite a skilled gardener. I am neither, but I do share a great deal of curiosity about the world around me, so it was a bit of a thrill to realize that the mystery plant I'd been observing in one of our front beds is the very same plant she'd written about. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0PgoUqL46-LX5-zMLAMRA7dfHbHm4zY1A-fW-0n1oqpgC0VXDP5re6SOs927lFLFE1yPZRM1Pb1D46cYWf4EdJppdAHhJNU-7Q9J-np-6vaS9dNACTzLkcMdei8GdXbW7x2foZV5l7IY/s1600/P1270111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0PgoUqL46-LX5-zMLAMRA7dfHbHm4zY1A-fW-0n1oqpgC0VXDP5re6SOs927lFLFE1yPZRM1Pb1D46cYWf4EdJppdAHhJNU-7Q9J-np-6vaS9dNACTzLkcMdei8GdXbW7x2foZV5l7IY/s640/P1270111.jpg" width="518" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mystery Plant appears center stage, a bit spindly with the tiniest of blossoms up top.</td></tr>
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So, not to steal any thunder, but Sheryl, here are those blooms we've been waiting for. Such as they are.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFT-lHqtt1xN-0uvxuopXShbkmOvuGS9oFpMRKeUDDMmAAa_SJdJ57xlmZNveS7-wPQBuVGGK8nr0fhqzKgOrGU0nBSZS_PCrXnBZZi6XTh0_6EojEKk4C8o45tR8872K8Bh68dgEJtME/s1600/P1270022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFT-lHqtt1xN-0uvxuopXShbkmOvuGS9oFpMRKeUDDMmAAa_SJdJ57xlmZNveS7-wPQBuVGGK8nr0fhqzKgOrGU0nBSZS_PCrXnBZZi6XTh0_6EojEKk4C8o45tR8872K8Bh68dgEJtME/s640/P1270022.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
I nearly missed the opened flowers, mistakenly thinking the blossoms might fan further out in wider fashion. They never did, and the appearance of the first seed ball let me know it was "time!" to pull the plant. <br />
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And you'll have to forgive me - I didn't get a photo of the seed ball because I reflexively trapped and disposed of it safely before I thought of recording its appearance. Imagine a miniscule dandelion seed head. That's pretty close. Rather than risk seed dispersing while I waited for a photo, I pulled the plant.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_ufE_2zkXCOJWEFN2mmNb97u_hzG51djAamQOLJNUBiE0PWqU39vQ55VR_uOz_uHzP83KTKrQPASpD2BOdb97s_gV_pa4KWEXpDdFHTwtfy842kuna2meeNqHXEBYEV2LPNad6xCCm0/s1600/P1270109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_ufE_2zkXCOJWEFN2mmNb97u_hzG51djAamQOLJNUBiE0PWqU39vQ55VR_uOz_uHzP83KTKrQPASpD2BOdb97s_gV_pa4KWEXpDdFHTwtfy842kuna2meeNqHXEBYEV2LPNad6xCCm0/s640/P1270109.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take a closer look at the blooms to the right and left of center in this frame. Those are opened blooms. Easy to miss.</td></tr>
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Update: The bloom stalks I cut and put in a vase in my kitchen window (I think they're pretty) have yielded up a seed head. Here for posterity...the seed head of Conyza canadensis. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHY7YUzBaXELsD43BZY6bDNpCBpB7fj_qzlCIlIvq0CEHJ46foASGG0BBGLtWc1pf_8IO2Xm_kMpw4Y7EkX0AbQ25AOKEIC8hRdvxKHKogvmdyH5xQvJBsIdCIJldESUH20BD1M0WKY8/s1600/P1270186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHY7YUzBaXELsD43BZY6bDNpCBpB7fj_qzlCIlIvq0CEHJ46foASGG0BBGLtWc1pf_8IO2Xm_kMpw4Y7EkX0AbQ25AOKEIC8hRdvxKHKogvmdyH5xQvJBsIdCIJldESUH20BD1M0WKY8/s640/P1270186.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Bloomed and seeded and gone. Bye-bye horseweed! I enjoyed your tall slender stalks while they were safe to keep around. Next time (and place) you appear I'll know just what to expect.<br />
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By similar token, when a new (to us) creature appears in our midst, we'd rather find out about it before deciding the appropriate measure to take (if any). Co-exist, relocate, or potentially exterminate, as stewards we try to establish the wisest course. Those decisions all require accurate information.<br />
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Supporting that same no-kill approach with insects and arachnids drives me to other blogs and sites established to help amateurs make good choices. Toxicity, aggression, tendency to overrun a biome, we strongly believe all these factors must be taken into consideration before doing anything other than admiring these drop-in time-share partners. <br />
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Just yesterday my daughter and I were wrapping up a lovely visit and a swim, when I noticed a nearly 3 inch long spider sitting in the skimmer basket opening. I wasn't really worried about it, but we do have other local family (including canines) who might take issue over sharing the water with such a large arachnid. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZQX3v1YQF6P_DOX2HeQdaEG5G6A0CXapw3qO4p-QSgr6OdbjTd6c6s_jTeoIV1SCl_hbw7CXzWQikJ-OI29Ba1Vm_CJc8Lhk6qHjRFUQxbPzrkRMAsMYfUxIVwIce4mnKH7GZndwkRLg/s1600/6+spotted+fishing+spider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZQX3v1YQF6P_DOX2HeQdaEG5G6A0CXapw3qO4p-QSgr6OdbjTd6c6s_jTeoIV1SCl_hbw7CXzWQikJ-OI29Ba1Vm_CJc8Lhk6qHjRFUQxbPzrkRMAsMYfUxIVwIce4mnKH7GZndwkRLg/s640/6+spotted+fishing+spider.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Does it swim? Does it bite? Is it aggressive? I watched for a while and it seemed to be hanging there, waiting for prey. I knew I needed more information to convince everyone involved it would be safe to let it stay there undisturbed.<br />
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I tried (and TRIED! I promise!) to make some definitive identification, but to no avail. Finally I sent the image in to <a href="http://www.whatsthatbug.com/ask-whats-that-bug/" target="_blank">What's That Bug</a> and asked for their weigh-in. Soon I had my <a href="http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2015/08/03/fishing-spider-takes-up-residence-in-swimming-pool/" target="_blank">answer</a>. It is their opinion the Mystery Spider of August 2015 is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-spotted_fishing_spider" target="_blank">Dolomedes triton,</a> also known as a six-spotted fishing spider. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6bwt5j3BSad_NI9hAB-WK91BzIY8PsQZgLlhyY2Yj9Px3HWT6nE3khhFFG06U34RMJFtFGCaEpHmmrr6xcrqMebitb7RD9gC53n74xMLq8izNdyCUOhbPUUXl7AGkDPTsgajzStS_AU/s1600/Dolomedes+Triton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6bwt5j3BSad_NI9hAB-WK91BzIY8PsQZgLlhyY2Yj9Px3HWT6nE3khhFFG06U34RMJFtFGCaEpHmmrr6xcrqMebitb7RD9gC53n74xMLq8izNdyCUOhbPUUXl7AGkDPTsgajzStS_AU/s640/Dolomedes+Triton.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Probably a female, she might stay there by the pool and hunt until she's ready to lay eggs, at which point she'll move out into the vegetation, spin a nursery web, and then stay on guard there, protecting her babies. <br />
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I read these water bug hunters might dive to 7-8 inches and grab a plant to hide if frightened, but they don't live in the water and they don't really swim per se. No need to stress, no need to relocate, and most definitely no need to exterminate her. We can safely admire her and swim securely knowing she's keeping the water's surface patrolled for other bugs we might not be so happy with in close quarters.<br />
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So thank goodness for other bloggers and interweb identification helpers. They all make this attempt of ours to peacefully co-exist a lot easier to support with some peace of mind. <br />
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Do you ever struggle with identification? If you aren't surrounded by knowledgeable gardening neighbors, here are a few of the other sites I rely upon frequently.<br />
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<a href="http://bugguide.net/node/view/15740" target="_blank">Bug Guide</a><br />
The experts there recently helped me pinpoint what to this beauty is called: <a href="http://bugguide.net/node/view/1114171" target="_blank">Melipotis indomita</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oTuXu9lq_vjimJ1-SDwpSytt6roc6DniOhlG6Ii0c5imhH3yyiKL5A7G8xt_cSDyNYggrhsl2raY0OP2VtczshyVhYNHUuet7f0_yfaqTzAGqbLXQhqZOzUCEdXMvD685086h08A9m4/s1600/Melipotis+indomita.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oTuXu9lq_vjimJ1-SDwpSytt6roc6DniOhlG6Ii0c5imhH3yyiKL5A7G8xt_cSDyNYggrhsl2raY0OP2VtczshyVhYNHUuet7f0_yfaqTzAGqbLXQhqZOzUCEdXMvD685086h08A9m4/s640/Melipotis+indomita.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.austinbug.com/" target="_blank">Valerie's Austin Bug Collection</a><br />
I don't have a recent story utilizing this website, but I turn here frequently as a first step. When searching out identities of the locals, it never hurts to limit the starting point to the usual suspects for your locale. Valerie has done most of that work for Austin and the surrounding area. (Thank you, Valerie!).<br />
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For those of us living in the Lone Star State, there are a whole host of other "fill-in-the-bug type here" of Your County or "Birds of Texas" type sites to consult. Your results will vary depending on where you live, and occasionally on how prevalent agriculture is in your neck of the woods. <br />
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Not surprisingly, there's a wealth of information to be had from the extension agencies serving farmers and ranchers. Granted, a lot of that information includes data on eradication and/or control, but armed with the facts, you can feel more secure in making your own choices about how to respond to the various surprise appearances life delivers into your yard or garden.<br />
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There you have it. Now you know. I am curious, stubborn, and I am trying (hard!) to co-exist peaceably with everything and everybody Momma Nature throws our way. What's important about all those names? Oh, only everything...<br />
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<br />TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-43538883783628126072015-07-27T10:24:00.003-05:002015-07-27T10:24:14.114-05:00Name that Butterfly!I had every good intention this month to participate in the <a href="https://transmutationalgarden.wordpress.com/2015/07/26/butterfly-bucket-list-pearl-crescent/" target="_blank">Butterfly Bucket List hosted by Anna at The Transmutational Garden</a>. The meme, just a few months old, happens every 4th Sunday and was begun by Anna as an attempt to identify every butterfly and moth as they visit her garden spaces.<br />
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I'd been caught up in a similar endeavor on my own for over a year now, but after spending what eventually amounts to days of my life staring and scrolling through images of butterflies that look "sort of" like the one I'm trying to identify, I'd given up searching out all the names in frustration. Don't even get me started on moths or native bees or grasshoppers (or syrphid flies, or...). I eventually decided to try and enjoy whatever shows up, identify the easy ones and allow myself to bail if a few quick search attempts didn't yield a likely suspect. <br />
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It seems as though the point of Anna's meme is to increase and disperse good information about winged visitors to our spaces. My series of very likely MIS-identified photos to follow could actually do the opposite, increasing confusion. And who needs more of that? So, I hesitated. And here it is, Monday, already. What to do?<br />
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Well, I came to play and play I shall. Late, insecure in the identifications, and without a shred of additional light to shed on habits or host plants. I am only going to tag one of these photos because, as already mentioned, I am reluctant to add fuel to anybody's misidentification fires. <br />
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To follow are the photos and potentially the names of several of the adorable visitors that have been dashing around the garden beds here, regardless of heat or lack of moisture.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharWMP02cpIPZSTGQfcWCvnycumn8Q5FxinW5PhgM8mYPqK511eZ3YR-OoDno8BACHUiehk5uDeEODhKl5_H-_DIzdiWkGjIC7lQAtdBiQdYDuSTfeko28Roz2JGZDXZYLx0rZbp6UWsI/s1600/Clouded+Skipper+%2528maybe%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharWMP02cpIPZSTGQfcWCvnycumn8Q5FxinW5PhgM8mYPqK511eZ3YR-OoDno8BACHUiehk5uDeEODhKl5_H-_DIzdiWkGjIC7lQAtdBiQdYDuSTfeko28Roz2JGZDXZYLx0rZbp6UWsI/s640/Clouded+Skipper+%2528maybe%2529.jpg" width="626" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clouded Skipper (?) on Prairie Verbena</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkEtbi7Ws_N1gI9EiWPKNgegWyPOUgrCaJ6g5OOkLnaHBPjeyh7H24zNQi4ALEZoYfYRtQwI_vNdgLI-5HWWOLNLwwy9t6u9bGF0Wiv3wujIH_3eFz3XIdE_arcYJRD1tzaLegTLL9EG0/s1600/Fiery+skipper%253F.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkEtbi7Ws_N1gI9EiWPKNgegWyPOUgrCaJ6g5OOkLnaHBPjeyh7H24zNQi4ALEZoYfYRtQwI_vNdgLI-5HWWOLNLwwy9t6u9bGF0Wiv3wujIH_3eFz3XIdE_arcYJRD1tzaLegTLL9EG0/s640/Fiery+skipper%253F.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fiery Skipper(?) on Verbena</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCWrNUl2pOiNg5DD8Ytf5sAJLw5kcn4JaIG5T4PO1xdcfQNo6CF1aE4LDOvd4hjdpe00XkG7RDa_3RQ1vJlJ7jkTAuJ9MMA0rCSR4ANbLyo7MvNgbcI3rIjXYkN1S_4YRMNi0MUDkdQE/s1600/Horace%2527s+Duskywing+Butterfly%253A2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCWrNUl2pOiNg5DD8Ytf5sAJLw5kcn4JaIG5T4PO1xdcfQNo6CF1aE4LDOvd4hjdpe00XkG7RDa_3RQ1vJlJ7jkTAuJ9MMA0rCSR4ANbLyo7MvNgbcI3rIjXYkN1S_4YRMNi0MUDkdQE/s640/Horace%2527s+Duskywing+Butterfly%253A2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horace's Duskywing (?) on Coneflower</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bQli7uoBpvCdWK_yTwDhrdQDjv4iZ6vsIZhi3veYc8_ye5d_OzJTk53BlVFddAO_NGrufXuE9ver09dtvmrpN_r_PV_cW9tCQCMeUpmysmstrsOW-hxqAG_F_C3yzw_bneE6aAC4D20/s1600/Horace%2527s+Duskywing+Skipper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bQli7uoBpvCdWK_yTwDhrdQDjv4iZ6vsIZhi3veYc8_ye5d_OzJTk53BlVFddAO_NGrufXuE9ver09dtvmrpN_r_PV_cW9tCQCMeUpmysmstrsOW-hxqAG_F_C3yzw_bneE6aAC4D20/s640/Horace%2527s+Duskywing+Skipper.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A different angle - Horace's Duskywing (?) on Coneflower</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJtf1Qt4kMSd_cqVzZ2PSkGTwyneCi0UBYvZr3Hwvired0fmnd0urZ02YHfFjhKMAXBv3b-uCzTnMBvCA7k0hcGnaK59VqXaXhep4hOONsusggnlnw6w6AE5IuoEltSEIgNkXTbXnzWw/s1600/Queen+butterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJtf1Qt4kMSd_cqVzZ2PSkGTwyneCi0UBYvZr3Hwvired0fmnd0urZ02YHfFjhKMAXBv3b-uCzTnMBvCA7k0hcGnaK59VqXaXhep4hOONsusggnlnw6w6AE5IuoEltSEIgNkXTbXnzWw/s640/Queen+butterfly.jpg" width="612" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Queen Butterfly on Mistflower (Yippee!!!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRl-_6hwo1x1aZeEjzHoG_ShdFokrRE61u-v7AfLuHgAXs7IKobrZi3ZZiJrZUpFP-CUS0oP7SNH0xwikqLWjOURxL8ymzCu0vu0llm6cFP99XNCxEjivz7AB4FZ9OTLTMDooUIQWJTKU/s1600/Sachem+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRl-_6hwo1x1aZeEjzHoG_ShdFokrRE61u-v7AfLuHgAXs7IKobrZi3ZZiJrZUpFP-CUS0oP7SNH0xwikqLWjOURxL8ymzCu0vu0llm6cFP99XNCxEjivz7AB4FZ9OTLTMDooUIQWJTKU/s640/Sachem+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sachem Skipper (?) on Coneflower</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qwlRLA_lVxl7kktHCMF_yP4uckHsW5SwpGmW_VkxytEn7AJFuufrikm7W5s-0xbYGaodCUNpgNllM_7Rd_R_pBL20eu6K8qtd5eIEpIU83WqdJVTiQgaAkbr_m8BOJavzz8XbS8VTnI/s1600/Sachem+skipper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qwlRLA_lVxl7kktHCMF_yP4uckHsW5SwpGmW_VkxytEn7AJFuufrikm7W5s-0xbYGaodCUNpgNllM_7Rd_R_pBL20eu6K8qtd5eIEpIU83WqdJVTiQgaAkbr_m8BOJavzz8XbS8VTnI/s640/Sachem+skipper.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view, Sachem(?) Skipper</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilt5j7ZkOtcD3ltN7xBeb9MwtVeFVHEHhY2W9iJ234eUtexNjhxhNA_NSkVsGPTmMw-9Ahn9YtmJVlsJUNLq-sCmWqEHcQo9FF_LJr7UeqYekFCN9jvBFFH_r3T_I8wTTpuCgaLyCkjgE/s1600/skip+it+skipper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilt5j7ZkOtcD3ltN7xBeb9MwtVeFVHEHhY2W9iJ234eUtexNjhxhNA_NSkVsGPTmMw-9Ahn9YtmJVlsJUNLq-sCmWqEHcQo9FF_LJr7UeqYekFCN9jvBFFH_r3T_I8wTTpuCgaLyCkjgE/s640/skip+it+skipper.jpg" width="558" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry guys, I'm not even going to guess. Something-or-other Skipper on H. Duelberg Salvia</td></tr>
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So there you have it, a reasonable representation of the butterflies voted Most Likely to be Mistaken. Regardless, I enjoyed watching them and trying to get capture a shot, and I hope you'll forgive the lack of information provided along with the images. <br />
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Perhaps you know what that last little cutie is called? Or you've seen one or several of the skippers shown and can clarify as to their ID? Please feel free to correct or speculate with your own identification attempts in the comments section. The bar is absolutely flat on the ground already, so jump right over and let's name these butterflies!TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-16676214754114061212015-07-13T09:39:00.001-05:002015-07-13T09:39:10.516-05:00Widely regardedIt has been months since I posted any wide shots. I have my reasons. The unusually generous amounts of spring rains led everything to first bolt an extra foot in height and then fall over. (Are you quite as tired of hearing about "all the rain" yet as you were previously tired of hearing about the lack of it?). <br />
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It was all very pretty while it was upright, and for the most part everything continued to be functional while it was flopped over. Pollinators still had access to blossoms, seed was set. It all worked for the plants, it just didn't look like much.<br />
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Paths here, the ones that are chronically in need of weeding, became entirely overrun. The To-Prune list was short enough - it read "frickin' everything". Only so many hours in the day, only so many mosquito bites I'll host at a time. But I'm at a happy place for the moment and things are back to what passes for normal. Caution to the winds...let's take a look at some of what's going on out back.<br />
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These wide shots never proffer the depth a first hand view provides, but I enjoy seeing other folk's gardens taken more as on the whole, so here goes with a few of the bigger picture(s). I'll list most of the plants but not by scientific names. I'm not trying to catalog, just give the general idea. If you see something you wonder about, please ask. <br />
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This first shot is when I'd gotten about seventy-five percent of the clean up completed. I thought I could stomach posting at that point but once I got a good look I balked. The path running behind the beds was still the seven inch tall equivalent of a rain forest in some spots. <br />
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The darkened soil in the front center bed, to the left of the bottle tree and basil in the planter, is a space where there are passalong purple coneflower plants newly placed in a semi-circle around some H. Duelberg salvia and a couple of re-emerged tropical milkweed plants. To the left of that bench, under the bottle brush tree, are now two mist-flower plants, one white (a passalong) and a second mist flower, a blue, from the sale table at my favorite nursery. Oregano runs rampant to the far right with parsley and Mexican tarragon on the left. The black planter behind the bench is filled with thyme.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpbMIGBZ3clMEj-aer9CT8PqWtDvAD3OFflsSmCCf-BQMoOhI0PdZMmDeCEZNJWaWBUYy9kIDr_RzekH6T8MU9vXiQf7wdduUsuMHkL99YPVAUtU-crOyf-M2rIOr-eyEUuTDpRVd9VQ/s1600/P1260707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpbMIGBZ3clMEj-aer9CT8PqWtDvAD3OFflsSmCCf-BQMoOhI0PdZMmDeCEZNJWaWBUYy9kIDr_RzekH6T8MU9vXiQf7wdduUsuMHkL99YPVAUtU-crOyf-M2rIOr-eyEUuTDpRVd9VQ/s640/P1260707.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
The paths are nearly all cleared in this shot. Several planters have been relocated and a few have been elevated to give them more visual impact. The additional height also holds them up above the constant ground-cover warfare I inevitably encourage. <br />
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This strawberry pot has been moved and is taking a shot at becoming a succulent garden. It's still an investment waiting to pay off, it will take weeks for the succulents to fill out (fill in?) their spaces. I'm hoping this will prove a hospitable warm weather home for the planter and I appreciate that it provides some needed balance for the Blue Guy. During winter months the planter will be moved to the greenhouse.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_kwGQEaXq6RmuDNVOrM55l_KThlI0MWbq0PzOvC_LiE2-6RXs2SUhfIT-8DGLEdnJqvVojsBJ60q4UwY0qKJuYi-V4q2pSLK0KbA-fETz7vmRNseoYeX7XLF_kGLAkYcV3W9jR9wksE/s1600/P1260708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_kwGQEaXq6RmuDNVOrM55l_KThlI0MWbq0PzOvC_LiE2-6RXs2SUhfIT-8DGLEdnJqvVojsBJ60q4UwY0qKJuYi-V4q2pSLK0KbA-fETz7vmRNseoYeX7XLF_kGLAkYcV3W9jR9wksE/s640/P1260708.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
That blue Buddha sits atop the broken ceramic post from a bird bath. The blue post found a second life providing a pedestal so Buddha can ride implacably above the four-o-clocks, columbine, Aztec grass, and whatever else is hiding in there under the Althea tree. <br />
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Moving left, behind the bird feeder bed that corner now features cannas, tropical salvia, horse herb, dayflower and an elevated terra cotta planter filled with what I believe to be the dwarf form of sansevieria trifasciata. There's a flailing grocery store miniature rose in there as well, given one last shot at recovery. <br />
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Under the bird feeder, a second strawberry pot, this one in its second year, sits between a potted Makrut lime on the left and some chives on the right. They help disguise the white base of the pole, a baffle to keep squirrels off. <br />
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What's hard to appreciate at this distance is the goldeneye growing up to the right of the volunteer Meyer lemon tree mid-bed, and the row of blanketflower, now gone to seed on the far right. There's also purple prairie verbena, wood sorrel, daisies, wire grass, tropical salvia, tradescantia pallida, various rain lilies, coneflowers, a day lily, some heart leaf skullcap and a large rosemary planted in this bed. Once I get every plant established in every bed, hopefully a large (beautiful) pattern will emerge.<br />
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This gives you a slightly better glimpse. That is the bottom half of the bird feeder bed (top left) and the entirety of the bottle tree bed (bottom right). <br />
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You can imagine how the cone flowers are going to shine around the blue salvia. I also have a producing jalapeño plant, mint, garlic chives and basil growing in this area. Maybe I don't point it out often, but these beds are all for kitchen use as well as wildlife. There are struggling blackfoot daisy plants, a crag lily, parsley and recently transplanted skullcap (scutellaria suffrutescens) all working things out while the liriope holds court in the corner. Once everything takes it will be splendid, I think.<br />
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This is it, an amateur's ongoing attempt to replace lawn with garden beds, captured for the moment, warts and all.<br />
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The Death Star is back, the rains have retreated, and there is no longer any play given towards the needs of transplants or new starts. The active work of installing a better planted mixture of native plants and culinary herbs stops until cooler weather returns. I hope you've enjoyed taking a look at the layout here. I certainly look forward to featuring closer shots of these areas as the plantings (and my plans) progress. Happy summer ya'll!<br />
<br />TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-5600528558071824672015-07-05T10:09:00.000-05:002015-07-05T10:09:14.130-05:00 Belated yet heartfeltWe ended up spending more time at the airport than planned, and had unexpected family visiting, so this post did not appear yesterday as I'd originally hoped.<br />
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Nonetheless, I am appreciative of those of you who drop in, regulars or not, and wanted to extend this, a wish from <span style="color: red;">austin</span>agr<span style="color: blue;">odolce</span> to all of you, for a meaningful holiday weekend. <br />
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Whatever this holiday has come to mean to and for you, I do hope you were able to take good advantage of an extra day away from paid work, perhaps time to get outside and enjoy the days of summer.<br />
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Because it is July, and July waits for no-one to break out The Summer. <br />
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Happy red,<br />
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white,<br />
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and blue!<br />
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<br />TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-39481733138525453222015-07-01T06:30:00.000-05:002015-07-01T06:30:01.208-05:00A little wet means a lot of wild in Texas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Welcome to Wildlife Wednesday for July, 2015. I am finding I have less and less to say about our garden beds and the lives that are led there. Recently it has occurred to me the best I can do for our tiny patch of the world is to slowly repopulate the spaces with native plants and other well adapted visitors that feed the usual suspects, and then let Mother Nature have her head. She always knows just what to do.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCY6CSJYAWooFLNKoaHDmSU-4JL8WPQZQyOzuYidara7O-zW63XeajOWmwKQHAgTP-6n8VaExBJaxro59oHiywR1PffFUzzROLNpQTiWeIhIg0XSw6LmoY57kLcmi4y-sbQevuAw4Y0gI/s1600/P1250698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCY6CSJYAWooFLNKoaHDmSU-4JL8WPQZQyOzuYidara7O-zW63XeajOWmwKQHAgTP-6n8VaExBJaxro59oHiywR1PffFUzzROLNpQTiWeIhIg0XSw6LmoY57kLcmi4y-sbQevuAw4Y0gI/s640/P1250698.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you see a black swallowtail doing this...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi80C1JMm4C95W7z2oiVf7g-PDCa_xl-hQI7Oa1Q0w-vMh8oXcqpvcZz7H41Kjju6qyX1iyUK7t_gWySf7J8pakBklUHcUFg2Ajc7MvSseI9ia1mjo9Nntr7p9o6_GlZogKsWRpsVq0M9Y/s1600/P1250877.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi80C1JMm4C95W7z2oiVf7g-PDCa_xl-hQI7Oa1Q0w-vMh8oXcqpvcZz7H41Kjju6qyX1iyUK7t_gWySf7J8pakBklUHcUFg2Ajc7MvSseI9ia1mjo9Nntr7p9o6_GlZogKsWRpsVq0M9Y/s400/P1250877.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty soon you'll see these, eventually followed by...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMkTm2Qw4MCIr1mWa0TteblG3Mt5KBf79VmYHi_teLo8SrYELdkzOEEDKjrQ6N1C3Hi_cdThHTT-_uGWz5LIDDOPkBNqyp467MaXjbzHEXVfn1W0zwN6hPJXFFeMo6D1QjBfS3YYfAcU/s1600/P1250740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMkTm2Qw4MCIr1mWa0TteblG3Mt5KBf79VmYHi_teLo8SrYELdkzOEEDKjrQ6N1C3Hi_cdThHTT-_uGWz5LIDDOPkBNqyp467MaXjbzHEXVfn1W0zwN6hPJXFFeMo6D1QjBfS3YYfAcU/s640/P1250740.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of these, newly emerged and drying out its wings.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOViYzs2Sf4-RdZzfAZg-BZZ5m71iVCRvqg02EBCNYQxvqk9ieM2xjgibikKMLosNWDwKeasqk2M07jyUtHuZeQUPoe9PEAQRyiuPaWZTlPbyT5DOWc0tnap-Se5wz-frf4XT2KEylx20/s1600/P1250918.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOViYzs2Sf4-RdZzfAZg-BZZ5m71iVCRvqg02EBCNYQxvqk9ieM2xjgibikKMLosNWDwKeasqk2M07jyUtHuZeQUPoe9PEAQRyiuPaWZTlPbyT5DOWc0tnap-Se5wz-frf4XT2KEylx20/s640/P1250918.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This flower spider didn't bother the other big players. This palpita moth was never in jeopardy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure what fuzzy wuzzy is destined to become. As long as he/she knows, it'll be fine.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qApfKJLP4MEWKhJHq6QtkgEwsf_zVuKfxDf9JNWWiLC_aRtPdHZp9FeJmYdHMFPLeK7NeBDiyjxKzgOmAhJqjQXPWbVWXgkr497Dl7L6ulkdgmtWWjaXfThf4OVNnz2jw0jZJWc_Txk/s1600/P1250787.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qApfKJLP4MEWKhJHq6QtkgEwsf_zVuKfxDf9JNWWiLC_aRtPdHZp9FeJmYdHMFPLeK7NeBDiyjxKzgOmAhJqjQXPWbVWXgkr497Dl7L6ulkdgmtWWjaXfThf4OVNnz2jw0jZJWc_Txk/s640/P1250787.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Handsome is as handsome does... I'm currently in determined "no look-up" mode, only wanting to enjoy what I'm seeing without researching any further.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8HrFKRgT7TkbKZNEqPC65RcmA6xGrlsTOLOfn2pKV9mkdmHTltgYMe5G-TsxrWf71Nxr3530tICKteP9xPwfGjBKJhP-BSHNRVsg2eQ187iG4ErBs68eFW6OC-8mw1upgpFpxpKfjtSE/s1600/P1250759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8HrFKRgT7TkbKZNEqPC65RcmA6xGrlsTOLOfn2pKV9mkdmHTltgYMe5G-TsxrWf71Nxr3530tICKteP9xPwfGjBKJhP-BSHNRVsg2eQ187iG4ErBs68eFW6OC-8mw1upgpFpxpKfjtSE/s400/P1250759.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tarantula Hawks apparently always run. It was hard to get a photo even though this guy is two inches long.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZg8xKf7B5v_Y95kOaJdHDTBAd94L0mwq52jqgahNGqgniCsUaumSZqHPITnTv6o5iMSONeXwfx-bnJ4JfqXT_3rbM8E85qGw1bCob0X00VBY94JUEig_BjlESSgrWgTn1WyxFrdBCYVI/s1600/P1250910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZg8xKf7B5v_Y95kOaJdHDTBAd94L0mwq52jqgahNGqgniCsUaumSZqHPITnTv6o5iMSONeXwfx-bnJ4JfqXT_3rbM8E85qGw1bCob0X00VBY94JUEig_BjlESSgrWgTn1WyxFrdBCYVI/s640/P1250910.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katydid nymphs are wonderfully spotted and dotted.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ECJyP-GqLwPNK630RbWa0bgKd83X6QKX5GQX7cLYL0tAOVURF9XDYoh4-s1qdARiuxU6pJU1_kMAQoksqotZKpGTeVwTLUn_hRoww76sjqKsCvxqU424cQ1ZsrDuIGUTPfWx1OOn1Dw/s1600/P1250899.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ECJyP-GqLwPNK630RbWa0bgKd83X6QKX5GQX7cLYL0tAOVURF9XDYoh4-s1qdARiuxU6pJU1_kMAQoksqotZKpGTeVwTLUn_hRoww76sjqKsCvxqU424cQ1ZsrDuIGUTPfWx1OOn1Dw/s320/P1250899.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fat and in no particular hurry. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Bk-ivJpv1pVXYRO6ArtYKrfPNmvDeQbPvoQrFdaWIZh7m54aqjKYk28__iDG7YjOErawnP-kbLwLnja2c9EoUtcgNb7wMLQy2FqAG1gvJf0cUnbFKyecIklQhlRy0K0pELW-XY21JPM/s1600/P1260036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Bk-ivJpv1pVXYRO6ArtYKrfPNmvDeQbPvoQrFdaWIZh7m54aqjKYk28__iDG7YjOErawnP-kbLwLnja2c9EoUtcgNb7wMLQy2FqAG1gvJf0cUnbFKyecIklQhlRy0K0pELW-XY21JPM/s640/P1260036.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the reason I put the first tomato cage out but the reason I put out two more...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iLbAiIpSQD6g4I9ajAK71QeXPHjy2RLcDH1xoOSIN2R0ZLUD-aBfy9mJFEb4LntKSs2jehJWECK6QItypRK_M-xJypgQfKrcIhVR7SNiY4F71ThHK_fgUAlepdQ2DjFrq4qksEVXPfg/s1600/P1260106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iLbAiIpSQD6g4I9ajAK71QeXPHjy2RLcDH1xoOSIN2R0ZLUD-aBfy9mJFEb4LntKSs2jehJWECK6QItypRK_M-xJypgQfKrcIhVR7SNiY4F71ThHK_fgUAlepdQ2DjFrq4qksEVXPfg/s400/P1260106.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blanketflower seed head post finch feasting.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGm0o7Ypr9P7l1NmbrQ7u7X8PltYCMsLol9DoGMACHiOgs6oiM9RPWEB-rwjdbU2DUOnaNFWV2qSA63TXQZEraJDJevbrCR7AWzcM84ZJSjv6_hT4yf5Yv1L7dAyc_nnx1Oenda03PUA0/s1600/P1260046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGm0o7Ypr9P7l1NmbrQ7u7X8PltYCMsLol9DoGMACHiOgs6oiM9RPWEB-rwjdbU2DUOnaNFWV2qSA63TXQZEraJDJevbrCR7AWzcM84ZJSjv6_hT4yf5Yv1L7dAyc_nnx1Oenda03PUA0/s640/P1260046.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steel Blue Cricket Hunter Wasp. Good hunting to you sir!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5TsknfIa-I1ncv99ExC2Dqjy1xFQnXq7AFVzWdZ1I3b3bqJOYtR8Y2bAJSEmfyq3rCyJFoFca06YXCFbmuxYv_X63RZRFT9VeoxZTMsDt2Exvpp_tRs9Zw4gHZr9nJZVU8JoGXaKixU/s1600/P1260056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5TsknfIa-I1ncv99ExC2Dqjy1xFQnXq7AFVzWdZ1I3b3bqJOYtR8Y2bAJSEmfyq3rCyJFoFca06YXCFbmuxYv_X63RZRFT9VeoxZTMsDt2Exvpp_tRs9Zw4gHZr9nJZVU8JoGXaKixU/s640/P1260056.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little brown skipper. I love how serious this one appears. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGbe7XkPtikPZZ1vbYNJhIhyphenhyphenhGOjaU3du3KvEXejOCFWPaMTsAZ5IjXJOw7z_fqKLiwRiZRbxQvuxXb-4oZq1fImkdJXsvlDrPZuQBB4Ttu1WV_t6suxWYyNZAtSBkMHCXpHRYeChrtDU/s1600/P1260099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGbe7XkPtikPZZ1vbYNJhIhyphenhyphenhGOjaU3du3KvEXejOCFWPaMTsAZ5IjXJOw7z_fqKLiwRiZRbxQvuxXb-4oZq1fImkdJXsvlDrPZuQBB4Ttu1WV_t6suxWYyNZAtSBkMHCXpHRYeChrtDU/s640/P1260099.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks to blogger Debra at "Under the Pecan Leaves, I know this is a Male "Widow" Skimmer (blue body).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvIg6zhS6QtK6lWD9DKErAZ5xdDkGHgp1d5RKtLejGWHeLeb2N0AnKhtUqQw_fXSbVJy6O25FpW7_Hls7r6lm9DTxutNu644OqNC8D3kUlBSms-A4bEBG17ZTg_gsP90v0lDirrHaJQQ/s1600/P1260104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvIg6zhS6QtK6lWD9DKErAZ5xdDkGHgp1d5RKtLejGWHeLeb2N0AnKhtUqQw_fXSbVJy6O25FpW7_Hls7r6lm9DTxutNu644OqNC8D3kUlBSms-A4bEBG17ZTg_gsP90v0lDirrHaJQQ/s640/P1260104.jpg" width="550" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think this is a blue dasher. (not gonna look it up, NOT gonna look it up...)<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDKDMKx1xMwOgDBk3bbSi1wYrG5FPbFMsz7ZY17cQJHAjdARVlcWnHMs84eazidx2HgAu_d0SuA5UeWcC6_7SL8itKWYFYy_w11W6ZynkJDtpb0OI-q_bEX9qaKdgdUPv8aehAwmBeCo/s1600/P1260109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDKDMKx1xMwOgDBk3bbSi1wYrG5FPbFMsz7ZY17cQJHAjdARVlcWnHMs84eazidx2HgAu_d0SuA5UeWcC6_7SL8itKWYFYy_w11W6ZynkJDtpb0OI-q_bEX9qaKdgdUPv8aehAwmBeCo/s400/P1260109.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bitty baby black swallowtail cat on parsley. No kitchen duty for this plant!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTaJNL001F02zktPqV5pniu-uHgVqSChBrk8sdgl5ZnfANv3knx7iIqJgf2wS1GZ2S0N1h6_2lq-SUSRFdqbgThHDkFryaYmfVRwl_LnZNTA-3Jku7SilgbQrABNDPFzGW5w15yO2Fcs/s1600/P1260161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTaJNL001F02zktPqV5pniu-uHgVqSChBrk8sdgl5ZnfANv3knx7iIqJgf2wS1GZ2S0N1h6_2lq-SUSRFdqbgThHDkFryaYmfVRwl_LnZNTA-3Jku7SilgbQrABNDPFzGW5w15yO2Fcs/s400/P1260161.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This ditch daylily is a magnet for native bees. They dive right in.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfJqilnjnNmobtrbTTiJgEdGHw1elodNF6eYuWeSxNYXI-v6464-_Pyi2ljqcURrVPl1lMza26eygepree_5Jla-_fisGAgp3CXZ8ZR8dZThe5juMYlFJbR5MhRg3rGa1mQXwBCuCMkY/s1600/P1260177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfJqilnjnNmobtrbTTiJgEdGHw1elodNF6eYuWeSxNYXI-v6464-_Pyi2ljqcURrVPl1lMza26eygepree_5Jla-_fisGAgp3CXZ8ZR8dZThe5juMYlFJbR5MhRg3rGa1mQXwBCuCMkY/s640/P1260177.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henry Duelberg gets regular visits from his many admirers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcW9onO00D3NWWAVic_k_M8nwPDSgKZQR6llAGTBw5NYszvH7451TFTulhxZrv_de2DawYlsa1Oc2NP4_QVtyxbR8zzhkfJWwoP1i5Q0Ww_zRuoXaJQWflX90WTyl8RmK1SKaf0TNk9g/s1600/P1260180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcW9onO00D3NWWAVic_k_M8nwPDSgKZQR6llAGTBw5NYszvH7451TFTulhxZrv_de2DawYlsa1Oc2NP4_QVtyxbR8zzhkfJWwoP1i5Q0Ww_zRuoXaJQWflX90WTyl8RmK1SKaf0TNk9g/s640/P1260180.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue damselfly supervising.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am deeply grateful for the chances I get to share our garden spaces with all sorts of wildlife. Today I suppose that includes you! Though I occasionally chafe at all the nibbled leaves left behind, it is a small price to pay for the best of company. <br />
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I find the less I pretend at control, the more I enjoy my time out of doors. Part of how that plays out is I now resist the impulse to do research associated with every image I capture with my camera. For whatever reason, allowing myself to "not know" is helping me remember who these spaces are designed to serve. <br />
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Thanks as always to Tina at "<a href="http://mygardenersays.com/" target="_blank">My Gardener Says</a>" for hosting Wildlife Wednesday. Check out the comments section of her post for July to find links to amazing gardeners showcasing their wild visitors from all around. Maybe you'll consider adding in your own wildlife experiences for the month. Once you go "Wild" you'll never want to go back. Happy July everyone!<br />
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TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-27921545064179797722015-06-16T08:15:00.004-05:002015-06-16T08:15:55.845-05:00What's Blooming in JuneI'm not weighing in with any particular viewpoint or lessons learned today, other than thinking it advisable to start keeping better track of what is blooming, and when. So, without further ado...what is blooming in this middle of the month of June, 2015:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUg4wxIguOIByJApyTA5EF8NpDNmqUI9ox_ZdapWFTg0an4i2s0m29lCRhVd3hWJBy0htNuhii03KCzh5nLYVCRXa5al5AbVhfyk6dKfWFCvJGWP8sBlCpy5G0Y0XxThzJjEE-v69B6M/s1600/P1250547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUg4wxIguOIByJApyTA5EF8NpDNmqUI9ox_ZdapWFTg0an4i2s0m29lCRhVd3hWJBy0htNuhii03KCzh5nLYVCRXa5al5AbVhfyk6dKfWFCvJGWP8sBlCpy5G0Y0XxThzJjEE-v69B6M/s400/P1250547.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fennel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7c2Gi-NlgqTaFkWW-yJH6JmXEbdcVXFfSkUBPAUvaVTo6j-JQllygmJbK64Ou6td5ER4QMqydnezaJPu7_R-Y3EyA3WMM4-iH_IkJTmLSOy6yax23fLEeYwfK_VQbTdEGVgwIPQtQ3d0/s1600/P1250684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7c2Gi-NlgqTaFkWW-yJH6JmXEbdcVXFfSkUBPAUvaVTo6j-JQllygmJbK64Ou6td5ER4QMqydnezaJPu7_R-Y3EyA3WMM4-iH_IkJTmLSOy6yax23fLEeYwfK_VQbTdEGVgwIPQtQ3d0/s640/P1250684.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turk's Cap</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKOz6IZS4cm0ysnWWRgCVafLFrBM0O7HBJWWNRk_7nnEPOopifUf_r1oo2mDOecf5h_SNR5JHR6qtINPzZd8x0Do2KGXd0-uQjMs5seY_HDdBJKNguuQNBeq2423AbOJUsLFs0J5GoKY/s1600/P1250687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKOz6IZS4cm0ysnWWRgCVafLFrBM0O7HBJWWNRk_7nnEPOopifUf_r1oo2mDOecf5h_SNR5JHR6qtINPzZd8x0Do2KGXd0-uQjMs5seY_HDdBJKNguuQNBeq2423AbOJUsLFs0J5GoKY/s640/P1250687.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goldeneye</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dw8VRpuL26eoW_EoC4JNXzzMHQ_Nck3x7cfMLqJhE3XyyDAUWDLKkhdhyphenhyphenz5DBQZmKlTUVTUhpQACvdbEzah8x7AJ6XgWjjW7A_HadS_Dz-6i3qH5aDOWp2XGT42nFM7_X-1tl5r0k1Y/s1600/P1250691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dw8VRpuL26eoW_EoC4JNXzzMHQ_Nck3x7cfMLqJhE3XyyDAUWDLKkhdhyphenhyphenz5DBQZmKlTUVTUhpQACvdbEzah8x7AJ6XgWjjW7A_HadS_Dz-6i3qH5aDOWp2XGT42nFM7_X-1tl5r0k1Y/s400/P1250691.jpg" width="388" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coral Yucca</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij1ss2spYjR5oZYtUFlEAiBtTmIXjKY6zdZOzC_qXQEUrTjiu0d9A0AhzI5cnzD1Nt-d-rHTOQyizuYL5B-WcrWSUrPoCVsVp8faof6HFV1kBHHNG41J6U_w_EjFFmKeHYi6XidPR4bq4/s1600/P1250705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij1ss2spYjR5oZYtUFlEAiBtTmIXjKY6zdZOzC_qXQEUrTjiu0d9A0AhzI5cnzD1Nt-d-rHTOQyizuYL5B-WcrWSUrPoCVsVp8faof6HFV1kBHHNG41J6U_w_EjFFmKeHYi6XidPR4bq4/s640/P1250705.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunflower, unspecified</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hJzyeyiNAmi6c1hbjIqYHPqc0cHWH2_AR7TVeKPXNKnyjNDzS6lrjGinpPtlWEId1ayD_VWmtgmarSuspjaDjXPN701HtNuJuPzDPU34P2cPmqHU3sIuSeaFI1KYy4cXCzQvu6T6EX4/s1600/P1250708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hJzyeyiNAmi6c1hbjIqYHPqc0cHWH2_AR7TVeKPXNKnyjNDzS6lrjGinpPtlWEId1ayD_VWmtgmarSuspjaDjXPN701HtNuJuPzDPU34P2cPmqHU3sIuSeaFI1KYy4cXCzQvu6T6EX4/s640/P1250708.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple Coneflower</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCJws1e7Vm787IBSW04lLXtjCxGnh2BonSjg6i7JKPMXlt8XJ6kzinz5mQB9uxZ8lSWVxSsqzhRZn3__pKYYeaUGmL6YY1IMtI9vaivEm9n4_Xk9QsknI4EIBVg43RIb_n8FzjS9no2k/s1600/P1250864.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCJws1e7Vm787IBSW04lLXtjCxGnh2BonSjg6i7JKPMXlt8XJ6kzinz5mQB9uxZ8lSWVxSsqzhRZn3__pKYYeaUGmL6YY1IMtI9vaivEm9n4_Xk9QsknI4EIBVg43RIb_n8FzjS9no2k/s400/P1250864.jpg" width="381" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prairie Verbena</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHm-Qko_60A-IQU5vZAySQ-YCKTrZWlHN4ZAWTE9nJ_r6dXZOVrMx1OYHmFW3ucP9Zk93KGYi4auZrV5skpDe_fl1qoya5-bVLgNXNrkBWLCf_CtGe9VJmQK_I80j4PHUMSr5AzOSwhk/s1600/P1250804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHm-Qko_60A-IQU5vZAySQ-YCKTrZWlHN4ZAWTE9nJ_r6dXZOVrMx1OYHmFW3ucP9Zk93KGYi4auZrV5skpDe_fl1qoya5-bVLgNXNrkBWLCf_CtGe9VJmQK_I80j4PHUMSr5AzOSwhk/s640/P1250804.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CandyLand - Bromeliad central...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdD5OSKuHZwZDFRU6bw8lf2HQN_lFJzAcmY4XxtXUmbmR2fbFuhXvMvT05sqwdmBdO__zO-VdzVYVmrsGgsSsBsw6gKRIFW1nJ8LN3EmTWcjPnOkIgPpg8v_H1u_Adyognkp0mesmeIU/s1600/P1250806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdD5OSKuHZwZDFRU6bw8lf2HQN_lFJzAcmY4XxtXUmbmR2fbFuhXvMvT05sqwdmBdO__zO-VdzVYVmrsGgsSsBsw6gKRIFW1nJ8LN3EmTWcjPnOkIgPpg8v_H1u_Adyognkp0mesmeIU/s400/P1250806.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bromeliad flowers nestled in pink bracts</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21bAILHvPLfed9T8NgxwvADgEWslQz5tQ12zaQRJcqEeD5mcOODfh1nS7ZciOGl6ySdOv99hK9HvYgyuJeFyVPfTRhDS0SJiCMQjPIAA7u5saqBT-E8jOeIs-lghUdvHFq09QTUDeXiI/s1600/P1250857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="539" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21bAILHvPLfed9T8NgxwvADgEWslQz5tQ12zaQRJcqEeD5mcOODfh1nS7ZciOGl6ySdOv99hK9HvYgyuJeFyVPfTRhDS0SJiCMQjPIAA7u5saqBT-E8jOeIs-lghUdvHFq09QTUDeXiI/s640/P1250857.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blanket Flower, Winecup and Fleabane</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJb3uO72g2FzOvcLjPSWwq6vEdPO45KRROBo5k9T7FjloH5O90ymIgSYvyy0XzatGKd4eTyTnrL3M7STD57L5YXmI5NTxSxOUtYPsT82eZjPMHyhciJTJogoizOF_Cmd5WRFtKZ7ULCRE/s1600/P1250860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJb3uO72g2FzOvcLjPSWwq6vEdPO45KRROBo5k9T7FjloH5O90ymIgSYvyy0XzatGKd4eTyTnrL3M7STD57L5YXmI5NTxSxOUtYPsT82eZjPMHyhciJTJogoizOF_Cmd5WRFtKZ7ULCRE/s400/P1250860.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OxEye Daisy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymwQtD9XEbYynFIUt0bsa7NSFSytxljndZKXfCYuB7s6_omBtj03WB3tmQvpiP33tiB01lMV0uWBG-up7MMyhKaT8aUuOcm_2c22F_vpGSgtP5mzgRW7m1CMlogb4jtYecHSjOl0SXx4/s1600/P1250863.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymwQtD9XEbYynFIUt0bsa7NSFSytxljndZKXfCYuB7s6_omBtj03WB3tmQvpiP33tiB01lMV0uWBG-up7MMyhKaT8aUuOcm_2c22F_vpGSgtP5mzgRW7m1CMlogb4jtYecHSjOl0SXx4/s640/P1250863.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Daylily</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7m2PNZu3zIGVxeLAStcKOD8VLsR5mikTDkHIDGaVWtATBqg3oxAsGRMMcdWFjiTmPGjGq7jfeZPomeiAnCrBV4HVwkAG9siw8MbA0EAVLiECUTR9qGlmAhqegc_b_OQy_6b2GzMuESDA/s1600/P1250870.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7m2PNZu3zIGVxeLAStcKOD8VLsR5mikTDkHIDGaVWtATBqg3oxAsGRMMcdWFjiTmPGjGq7jfeZPomeiAnCrBV4HVwkAG9siw8MbA0EAVLiECUTR9qGlmAhqegc_b_OQy_6b2GzMuESDA/s400/P1250870.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tropical Salvia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCqa9REujbVC27_YcVcjSgYKbG7RdlgY0D4iYlHdMia9-xZf8jD0h1cnbkXqeKoOwdozu5W0l9naOIdYBu4Sn6rlPtl-UJivhiRBY-fUoYiNu5sw70XQY7CM-L3hfLNMZ5L899Xekrt2c/s1600/P1250868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCqa9REujbVC27_YcVcjSgYKbG7RdlgY0D4iYlHdMia9-xZf8jD0h1cnbkXqeKoOwdozu5W0l9naOIdYBu4Sn6rlPtl-UJivhiRBY-fUoYiNu5sw70XQY7CM-L3hfLNMZ5L899Xekrt2c/s400/P1250868.jpg" width="373" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coreopsis </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYhKOZ0bkNVTKdIwc5AsM2Y0g6Zlqqq7zn19yZKHCWapAAaLNAS54qioMFw4sL8JNuIynAHzaTLJ-lBjWIZR4FwRAw__Vylx4ORM02frnSaPWX0UAHxsjgPOKYdqYUl77qP37NMwZ-gM/s1600/P1250871.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYhKOZ0bkNVTKdIwc5AsM2Y0g6Zlqqq7zn19yZKHCWapAAaLNAS54qioMFw4sL8JNuIynAHzaTLJ-lBjWIZR4FwRAw__Vylx4ORM02frnSaPWX0UAHxsjgPOKYdqYUl77qP37NMwZ-gM/s640/P1250871.jpg" width="616" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henry Duelberg Salvia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEvhPpvD4A7AK0tatwcAyuyrwY-79s8zzm2eQtVlI40rpeIyrRVFa2VeQd3G6PrwJ6o4OX8bxSzulPfHxAwoE3D7J3fKqJDy47sZFgn_Cr2yI79ymIc-1rcxURFM7YyyeORz9ElLXqnw/s1600/P1250384.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEvhPpvD4A7AK0tatwcAyuyrwY-79s8zzm2eQtVlI40rpeIyrRVFa2VeQd3G6PrwJ6o4OX8bxSzulPfHxAwoE3D7J3fKqJDy47sZFgn_Cr2yI79ymIc-1rcxURFM7YyyeORz9ElLXqnw/s640/P1250384.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monarda</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBbS1-dNy-sOZNMalxTkvDgoS9lEfs_E1sK4YKReQ4-LhF5oJf-1jiO9p1feX4iph1xuTpdhShotQ8nskFqXKgZp0YxmHi9Qfo-WJc9pdE6RqBBCibm3x-UoSB3b79LiwKt9DkwiMw4Q/s1600/P1250395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBbS1-dNy-sOZNMalxTkvDgoS9lEfs_E1sK4YKReQ4-LhF5oJf-1jiO9p1feX4iph1xuTpdhShotQ8nskFqXKgZp0YxmHi9Qfo-WJc9pdE6RqBBCibm3x-UoSB3b79LiwKt9DkwiMw4Q/s400/P1250395.jpg" width="355" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four-o-clock/Marvel of Peru </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAoUk1m12rsi1_lH3uYQKVmCMkNCHRavXH_bb2UQ2fxBXAZsq89LEaBnpugvae1Gaibkvef0qs3DO4U8KfjiV_uo2BQWp1Wd5SRPq1IY23o9Xg-BArun9zW-_TS9lm2UmGIQdwzlSfmg/s1600/P1250405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAoUk1m12rsi1_lH3uYQKVmCMkNCHRavXH_bb2UQ2fxBXAZsq89LEaBnpugvae1Gaibkvef0qs3DO4U8KfjiV_uo2BQWp1Wd5SRPq1IY23o9Xg-BArun9zW-_TS9lm2UmGIQdwzlSfmg/s640/P1250405.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Althea/Rose of Sharon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-S1nvjv6T73_RHEd89eChgaGOvAVCQjjnhQ-cu4pDK2A3jY-gluexSEd5wjBgzf3xYjM08rZ-4AnFvrvtkGK2gVcVaySy-A8WHAreTolyJW7vp-lzNIy-i1I8UcJTNM0Yh3w_8AdqawA/s1600/P1250531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-S1nvjv6T73_RHEd89eChgaGOvAVCQjjnhQ-cu4pDK2A3jY-gluexSEd5wjBgzf3xYjM08rZ-4AnFvrvtkGK2gVcVaySy-A8WHAreTolyJW7vp-lzNIy-i1I8UcJTNM0Yh3w_8AdqawA/s400/P1250531.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Datura/Jimson Weed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmK-6R7Sn9IUKMkL-OlBLPkfZRDupbdmjXd8Hw4Xy7H8YYDdd5fu50-lKnGvtzHlitDG4gXi1e-DBCoD9RwQ2daX3MLh5Z_SfwPR68mAmM6B8ZY7vUKEiWnzuXzXz_cVdrCLpB0zZSrLU/s1600/P1250792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmK-6R7Sn9IUKMkL-OlBLPkfZRDupbdmjXd8Hw4Xy7H8YYDdd5fu50-lKnGvtzHlitDG4gXi1e-DBCoD9RwQ2daX3MLh5Z_SfwPR68mAmM6B8ZY7vUKEiWnzuXzXz_cVdrCLpB0zZSrLU/s640/P1250792.jpg" width="622" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prairie Coneflower</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I may have missed one or two but that's the vast majority of the floral action at the moment. I was surprised to note how there are flowers in every color at play - I always have the impression my garden beds are predominately purple or yellow, when the truth is I have lots of white, a bit of pink, orange, and even a a few plants with red flowers. So what's my color story here? "Rainbow" will have to be my answer. A little bit of every color, and every one appreciated in turn.<br />
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Thanks for indulging my wish to take stock and tolerating the flower "show". I hope to be back soon with a little more content to accompany the photographs. In the meantime, we had over an inch of rain already in June with more promised as a tropical storm heads our way. There is nothing typical about the weather this year and I hope to take full advantage, rearranging and adding plants well past the usual "stop work" dates for central Texas. Could there be some "before and after" fun lurking just over the horizon? There could, there certainly could...TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859291696897577217.post-53770284837214591862015-06-03T10:17:00.000-05:002015-06-03T10:17:06.623-05:00Wildlife Wednesday - June Drips DryAfter the big wetting down our area experienced last month I'll venture everyone in Central Texas, gardener or not, has begun keeping a closer eye on the weather long range, and the skies, short term. <br />
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We've all turned to various sources for updates and information in attempts to understand what happened and why. All except for the wildlife, that is. Long lived denizens or one season wonders, the various populations of wild creatures in our area are all coping as best they can with fluctuating local conditions, one day at a time.<br />
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Native bee populations have been significantly shifted due to the ongoing presence of standing water where usually there is nothing but dry ground. Carpenter bee numbers seem relatively unaffected, and I've seen many of them out and about whenever the sun shines. <br />
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This one, a male judging by the large size of the eyes, is probably <a href="http://bugguide.net/node/view/3509/bgimage?from=24" target="_blank">Xylocopa virginica</a>. It seemed to be satisfied to simply hang in mid air, without working nearby flowers. Perhaps it was eyeballing fence posts for potential new habitat, or was simply stretching its wings after having spent days cooped up in brood galleries while heavy rains fell. I empathize. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_T9jys0VejVGXwRk2Tu9DMkXmEDX_0LXRCU7kNAUltk0ZHl9SdWRplRLDcJZowwgCj43lOxOx9poEvLRhqGOfoX6NwdvnnelwBVdUS9Ii3w0jbt_WfcT1VO8HlW9Frlu9PZ0JbwugRVE/s1600/carpenter+bee.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_T9jys0VejVGXwRk2Tu9DMkXmEDX_0LXRCU7kNAUltk0ZHl9SdWRplRLDcJZowwgCj43lOxOx9poEvLRhqGOfoX6NwdvnnelwBVdUS9Ii3w0jbt_WfcT1VO8HlW9Frlu9PZ0JbwugRVE/s640/carpenter+bee.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
After recent rains I could not wait to get back outside, but once I did I was not always happy with the welcome I received. Mosquitoes in particular seemed happy - SO happy! - to find me. I was surprised to read that there are several different species of "flood mosquitoes" (Psorophora, Ochlerotatus, and Aedes genera) who lay eggs well above normal water lines. The eggs wait in dormancy up to several months until waters rise and trigger immediate hatching. <br />
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These mosquitoes emerge swarming and hungry, but are not typically the carriers of any serious illness. A second wave of flood mosquitoes can be expected 10-14 days after the initial rise of waters, so we have that to look forward to. I'll warrant there is currently not a single flood mosquito egg left high or dry in all of central Texas.<br />
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Though it is significantly annoying to be relentlessly attacked by biting insects with each foray outside, this "bloom" of bugs serves as a boon to all the many insect eating creatures, who are all working with rain scrubbed habitat and the potential depletion of many of their other ground dwelling meal tickets. Mosquitoes as a silver lining to recent clouds? It all depends on what you like for dinner. Or who...<br />
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Recently my eye was caught by a flash of white in a patch of Virginia creeper (Pathenocissus quinquefolia).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxh81vdstCH8zXBpWEffnx6mTFeB6pXn2YVas7aiBAIvPaf_UiNzPnTJ48a5xmmPD_t0xcpBN18ofFbVbd5tT2TPeKhYdrLxlEQ1ZtoDK5EMx0N8NmAWgr2Ka5oYwPqcCZf_568aJRTM/s1600/P1250589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxh81vdstCH8zXBpWEffnx6mTFeB6pXn2YVas7aiBAIvPaf_UiNzPnTJ48a5xmmPD_t0xcpBN18ofFbVbd5tT2TPeKhYdrLxlEQ1ZtoDK5EMx0N8NmAWgr2Ka5oYwPqcCZf_568aJRTM/s400/P1250589.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
What I believe to be an Achemon sphinx (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eumorpha_achemon" target="_blank">Eumorpha achemon</a>) caterpillar is carrying the spun silk cocoons of developing larvae of a parasitic wasp, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotesia_congregata" target="_blank">Cotesia congregata</a>. <br />
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While I was vaguely aware that some wasps utilize caterpillars as hosts for their developing larvae, I had the idea the caterpillars were paralyzed as part of the process. That meant I was especially startled when this caterpillar began to move slightly after I relocated it into a sunnier spot for close-up examination.<br />
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Achemon cats are one of several "hornworm" caterpillars, and are known for a defensive whipping back and forth motion, used to startle predators into dropping them to the ground. This caterpillar was exhibiting a very faint version of that defensive mechanism but if I'd have been holding it up, I'm pretty sure I would have dropped it in a big hurry. Realizing the caterpillar was not only alive but responsive, and seeing that the creeper stalk it attached to had been chomped on fairly recently, I knew I had some information gaps to fill.<br />
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What I found out was equally disturbing and fascinating. Cotesia congregata wasps inject their future nurseries with genetic material that seems to both slow the host's metabolism, allowing it to eat (and eat) without moving forward in the metamorphic process, and to simultaneously provide interior hosting space for the wasp's eggs without triggering an immune response. <br />
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Some caterpillars reportedly reach relatively enormous size before succumbing, never reaching their reproductive moth stage. Talk about arrested development. <br />
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After a period of time the wasp eggs hatch and the larvae exit the caterpillar, attach, and spin themselves a silk cocoon for pupation. Eventually the adult wasps emerge from the end of their silk cylinders and fly off to begin the cycle anew.<br />
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As hornworms can cause major damage to vulnerable cultivated crops, these wasp hitchhikers are considered beneficial insects, one of nature's many checks and balance systems. I'm not growing tomatoes this year and though we have wild grapes they all fruit high in surrounding treetops, so these hornworms have been welcome to feast undisturbed, except for this one. After taking a closer look I carefully relocated the caterpillar back into the creeper undergrowth, where the wasp cycle will complete without further interruption by curious humans.<br />
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Nearby a backlit small garden spider, (<a href="http://bugguide.net/node/view/2025" target="_blank">Argiope aurantia</a>) had established its web for the day. Notable for the stabilimentum, or stabilizing denser zig-zag silk center, these spiders reweave that portion of their web each day, after having consumed the silk, potentially to recycle the chemical components. <br />
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If she has chosen well, this spider will continue to use this location for the entire season. I'm looking forward to having this lovely spider as company in the garden, weaving her daily web centers in amongst the inland sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium). <br />
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Not so beneficial, Aztec spur-throated grasshopper babies (<a href="http://bugguide.net/node/view/134480" target="_blank">Aidemona azteca</a>) are numerous and causing damage to leaves and blossoms all around the gardens again this year. While I've managed to capture and dispatch a couple of the dowdier brown adults, these brightly colored early instars often perch like tiny insouciant jewels, glittering in amongst the holey damage created by their incessant eating. <br />
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Also appearing in larger numbers than ever before, snails of every size and shape have been taking full advantage of a temporarily wet and therefore more easily traveled world. <br />
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It has been impossible to walk around the paths without accidentally crushing some with every other step, the telltale crunch giving them away even when their size is too small to easily detect. <br />
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Well hidden by placement and coloration rather than size, this fritillary chrysalis continues to develop, whatever the weather. Watching this one develop during the course of some of our rainiest hours, I am encouraged that native populations have developed good coping mechanisms for all the worst the Texas weather has to offer. <br />
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And here is a mystery yet to be revealed, or perhaps unraveled... This tiny ball of what appears to be an insect silk of some sort, might harbor spider eggs, or it might be silk cast off and set aside for some other purpose. After admiring it I resisted the impulse to open it for inspection, choosing rather to try and check it daily to see what develops. Anybody seen one of these before?<br />
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We've had the usual assortment of avian visitors, many of them overheard more than seen. Wrens, mockingbirds, blue jays, cardinals, woodpeckers, tufted titmice, golden finches and chickadees, all are out and about, enjoying a return to more normal circumstances. Including this non-feathery familiar...<br />
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who joins me in wishing you a most pleasant June!<br />
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Thanks to <a href="http://mygardenersays.com/2015/06/03/wildlife-wednesday-june-2015/" target="_blank">Tina, of My Gardener Says for hosting Wildlife Wednesday</a>, the first Wednesday of each month. Please visit her site to read her post and other contributors as linked to in the comments section. In fact, we'd love for you to join in all the fun. Please consider sharing a post of your own, as we observe and salute the myriad wild creatures who so generously share their spaces with us. Rain, or shine.TexasDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.com24