Bug nuts

It has been raining here, quite a lot, in amounts unusual even for May in Central Texas. The good news is the oak pollen is not only off the trees, but has been washed away well out of breathing range for those of us sensitive to its grainy gifts. The not as good news is, with all this rain, the garden has been too soggy for me to knock all the leftover chores off my list.  There is one job I have not neglected, rain or shine.  Pest patrols simply will not wait for good weather.

It is caterpillar season, and though I gave up trying to properly identify most of what I found creep-crawling around the garden in between rain showers, I feel certain each of these caterpillars knows just what to do, what to eat, and exactly what it is shaping up to become.

Chevron Striped Whatchamacallit

TeeWeeny Tiny Yellow Thingie

Sphinx Moth Cat on Fennel

In one of those contradictions that seems to define my gardening efforts, though I keep parsley and fennel around precisely so they can be eaten by the caterpillars of moths and butterflies I admire, I was not at all satisfied with leaving certain other larvae alone to decimate their targeted plant hosts.

An infestation of Colorado Potato Beetle larvae was alarmingly sudden, but fortunately close enough to the house to trigger my awareness and ongoing response.  Once I realized the numbers I was dealing with, the soapy bath of death came into play, and I am optimistic I put a significant dent in this large but very localized population.  I don't grow potatoes, but have been known to toss a sprouted tuber into the ground covers out back for the occasional flowers they provide.  I'm not sure if one of those vines pulled these bad players into our beds, but lesson learned.  I won't be so careless with future spud rejects - they will all go straight into the compost bin.

Colorado Potato Beetle Larvae - two different hatches

In larval form, I found their lumbering shapes and varying sizes, each representing a differently timed batch of hatched eggs, to be oddly appealing. The damage they cause is not appealing at all however, so I made repeat visits back to the area where they first appeared until I couldn't find a single one of any size.  I'm pretty sure I'll reflexively check for them everywhere until the shock of their showing up by the dozens fades.

Another unwelcome (though admittedly attractive) visitor is this Aztec Spur-throated Grasshopper, first instar stage.  When they are this tiny I try to catch and squish, but they are lightning fast and this little guy escaped to eat another day.  Seeing him I know there will be more, many more, so grasshopper patrols have been duly reinstated for the season.

A new (to me) visitor recently was this master of mimicry.  A Large Maple Spanworm Moth took refuge on the tiles close to our front door.  I was out sweeping leaves away from the house and it would be hard to say who was more startled.  Me, when the leaf I was sweeping literally flew across the porch, or this nocturnal moth, who figured it had secured a good spot to wait out the return of night.

Pretty good camouflage.  Once I saw it fly I could easily tell it apart from the oak leaves, but up until then it completely escaped my notice.

Of course if I'm going to feature creatures that blend in, there's no escaping including these photo bombers.

Nobody here but us heartleaf skullcap leaves, boss.

Begging your indulgence, I must include what is for me an obligatory Honeybee on Opuntia blossom shot.  Rain or shine, the flowers on the spineless opuntia are putting on quite the show this year.  Given any reasonable break in the cloud cover, the bees are quick to take advantage.

And who could blame them?  I find even the tightly wrapped buds attractive.

Finally, the Poppa and Momma mockingbird who set up shop across the street have successfully fledged at least one baby this year.  They have relaxed just a little, finally allowing most regular street traffic to pass unmolested.

There is one particular male squirrel that seemed to take pleasure in being chased, going out repeatedly and keeping a fairly precise distance ahead of his pursuers.  Days of rain seem to have interrupted the antics, but I have a feeling this bird and that squirrel have formed a chase challenge bond that will be playing out all summer long.

The mockingbird and I, we are keeping a close eye out for trouble makers of all sorts.  Vigilance, that's the key.

Immersed in their work

Apparently, the best way to keep an eye ON a beauty berry bush...is to keep an eye IN the beauty berry bush.  An adolescent male (a guess due to the territorial behavior) mockingbird has essentially set up shop in this last as yet unstripped fruit bearing beauty berry, Callicarpa americana, on our lot.  He sits there all day until and unless one of us gets too close.  Then, fussing, he retreats, but not far and not for long.

This particular beauty berry bush, planted closest to the house, is typically the last one to have its berries eaten each year. This young bird is quite determined to get his fair share.  Or more.  If he eats them all he'll have to waddle over to the nearest tree.

I am amazed each year at how bright these berries are and though I'd love to have them left on display a little longer, when I see how much the birds, mockingbirds especially, enjoy them?  I am more than happy to share.  Sharing has its rewards, as well.  We have a couple or three bird planted volunteer beauty berries coming up in our spaces.  I consider them the result of a most happy cooperative venture.

When I spotted the tiny scrub snail on this pot I couldn't help imagining it had scootched all the way up the side to see what that white mulch was, scattered all around the tasty succulent.  Then when it got close enough to see the piles of empty shells, it had the snail equivalent of an "oh Sh*t!" moment and fled the other direction.

Some things you are better off not knowing, little snail.

We are still enjoying every cooler morning, not taking a single one for granted, excitedly opening windows to welcome in the gift of fresh air.  This is a wonderful time to be in Central Texas, especially outdoors in Central Texas, and that is just where I'm headed.  The garden beckons.  Hope you are having a lovely Fall as well, wherever you may be.

Apropos of April

I never seem to get organized in time to participate in variously occurring "days" where garden bloggers show off what is blooming at regular intervals (or in other cases, what their foliage stars are up to). I applaud those who do so.  I openly admit that sort of advance planning is not one of my strengths. 

Regardless, there is a lot going on in our spaces this time of year.  At the risk of being designated a "petal pusher" (I'm looking at you, DC!) and apropos of nothing more than April itself?  Here's what's been grabbing most of the local attention lately.

This Grass Spider (Agelenidae) is apparently suffering from an identity crisis as it spent all day posing on the pink evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa).

Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) has rewarded me for cutting back overhanging branches with an abundance of scarlet trumpets.

This stray cat has adopted our garden spaces.  We keep her well fed and I can gratefully report no signs of bird predation on her part, though she does find the water in the birdbath especially flavorful.

The Hub carefully repots and sets out his growing collection of Plumeria alba plants annually.  This anole (Anolis carolinensis) will be disappointed they've been moved to their summertime spot in the back as he was a regular sun bather out front in the afternoons.

This Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas or Flanders poppy) is not very deer resistant but I have hopes it will freely reseed so Bambi's periodic chomp-pruning won't keep me from having a few blooms each year.

The Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) was designated the official state bird of Texas in 1927.  This one serenades the entire neighborhood from various perches in the tops of the oak trees.   Occasionally he'll set up in trees close to a street light on our corner and sing all night long.  All.  Night.  Long.

Yellow Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata - I think) glows in the morning sun.

Another singer in the local oaks - a black crested titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)

A consistent favorite of local gardeners and birds alike - Possumhaw Holly (Ilex decidua).

I realize Pyracantha coccinea is now considered invasive, but this one has been growing here since before we moved in and has reached considerable size and thorniness.  The birds love it and as long as I don't have any work to do in the bed close by, I do too.

It can look pretty sketchy off season, but it is hard to beat Damianita Chrysactinia mexicana) in bloom.

I wish these two were more seasonally synchronized, but at least I've got one "late" bluebonnet playing nicely with an "early" Salvia coccinea.

Mexican honeysuckle (Justicia specigera) growing in between paddles of Opuntia ellisiana.

The delicate bloom stalk of Provence Lavender (Lavandula Intermedia which grows well here in Texas), highlighted against a backdrop of Damianita.

With a promise of blooms to come, Opuntia ellisiana, or spineless prickly pear, is setting out rows of buds.

Those are most certainly the highlights of our garden spaces so far this April. Happy Earth Day 2014 (hey - I can plan ahead!) and thanks as always for dropping by.

Identification Frustration

Boy oh boy (oh boy!) do I generally stink at identification.

Mockingbird!

Bluejay!

(fat, complacent) Eastern Grey Squirrel!

Sure I can nail the names of the handful of regular visitors to these spaces (as could most third graders), but when it comes birds especially, I am as often as not totally stumped when pressed to determine anything other than the most general typology.

I wish it wasn't so.  I search out and spend hours on sites featuring recorded songs, rows of photos, silhouettes and habitat maps just to be able to say with confidence "that is a juvenile female Flibberty Gib.  They are migratory, generally traveling in mated pairs".

As it typically turns out, whatever I've taken a photograph of doesn't look exactly like anything on the sites.  I'll think I've narrowed the process down to a positive ID only to realize my bird in the photo doesn't have the "characteristic identifying" patch of color for this, or the "distinctive tail shape" for that.

Maybe "my" bird has been visiting the feeder all by its lonesome when the text about the species I think it might be clearly states "these birds travel in large numbers often overwhelming feeder sites".

Case in point?  This adorable little gal (because I decided she was a she, that's why!), who I've seen off and on the past few days.  I finally snagged a couple of shots from waaaay far away.

She's shy.  Even though I kept all the way across the yard once she noticed me she shot me an annoyed glance and promptly flew off (ahem, caff!) exhibiting the characteristic roller coaster flight of a goldfinch.  (Sorry.)
 

I spent way too much time trying, and yet I've still got no firm grasp of what particular sort of goldfinch she might be, because I couldn't find one single description or photo that precisely overlapped.

If you know, feel free to weigh in below in the comments section.  At the moment I'm leaning towards saying she is a Garbo Finch, (Finchus mysteriosus), noted for their tendency to shun paparazzi and travel sans entourage.  Anybody else want to weigh in?