Well, not a Monarch, but...

   I'm not talking about a member of the Royal Family, I mean Monarch butterflies. I've only seen two Monarch butterflies all year, yes two! No Monarch caterpillars either. This is despite having around six dozen milkweed plants and every available nectar plant they could possibly be interested in. For some reason we just don't have a lot of the big showy butterfly species around here, no matter which year.
   I do, however, have a lot of skippers and moths, if that counts for anything. If we can't have Monarchs, at least we have these. Meanwhile, we have attracted Milkweed Tussock Moths to our habitat. I realize they're not as prestigious as Monarch butterflies and the moths themselves are rather drab, but the caterpillars are really quite attractive. Just because they're a lowly moth doesn't make them any less important in the grande scheme of things. The highlight of watching them grow over the past week and a half has been seeing some predatory wasps come down, snatch one at a time, and carry it off to feed their young. When I first noticed the caterpillars, there must have been at least a hundred or so, and each day there's been fewer and fewer thanks to the wasps and random acts of stupidity on the part of the caterpillars. Some days I'd find caterpillars in really strange far-off areas, like crawling across the driveway, nowhere near pupating stage or running out of milkweed, in an obvious attempt to commit caterpillar suicide. I'm not worried that they'll denude my milkweed plants before the Monarchs can get to them, I have plenty of plants to share. Besides, I think we live in some sort of Monarch vacuum. I'm guessing my latitude falls in a range where they're just flying over and not looking to feed, mate, lay eggs, and die.

Here are some shots of the Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars in sequence as they've grown:

Hanging on by a thread...literally!

                                                                                                          

Like I said, about a hundred or so.

After about a week, they started to get more color.

For whatever it's worth, they're dining on Swamp Milkweed, which, by the way, failed to flower again this year.

I think they look like little orange, black, and white bristly toothbrushes. Not that I'd consider brushing my teeth with them, silly.

Do you think it's a coincidence they have the same colors as a Monarch butterfly caterpillar?

Come on, they are pretty cool looking, aren't they?

Look at those chompers! That leaf doesn't stand a chance!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Coping With The Heat...

   I can't complain, I'm sure somewhere it's been slightly hotter, drier, and downright more miserable, but this summer has just been plain hard. I try not to think about it, just put my head down and water. Yes, although virtually my whole garden is drought tolerant, it's not invincible. We've had three weeks of averaging a hundred degrees and no rain for over a month. I've been dutifully watering to keep everything alive, I've just worked too hard over the years and spent too much money to let everything die. Not only that, since all the wild plants growing in open areas outside our yard have long since gone crispy taco, the local insect population still needs to feed and I feel like I'm not only keeping my plants alive, but the insects that feed on them and from them too. In fact, this week I've noticed a significant increase in the amount of good insects (and bad, if you count Japanese Beetles) buzzing around my flowers, here's a sampling of who's beating the heat, and this time I won't be including any shots of the flower beds as a whole, it ain't pretty any more.

Today was the first day I noticed the Sulfurs were out, I think they look stunning on the Purple Coneflowers.

The Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) was quivering as if there was breeze (of which there was none!) with all the bees coming and going.

I had really hard time getting a decent picture of this fella, it wouldn't sit still! This Flower Fly is a Yellow Jacket mimic.

This hoverfly must be a girl since it seems to like diamonds...but I guess boys can like diamonds too ;-)

A Honeybee on Anise Hyssop, like the Wild Bergamot, the whole plant vibrates in the afternoon with so much bee activity.

Thread-wiasted Wasp on Short Toothed Mountain Mint (Pycanthemum muticum), I read this plant was a pollinator magnet, but I had my doubts until this week when the really cool wasps began to show up.

Wasp on Short Toothed Mountain Mint (Pycanthemum muticum).
*Remember! Wasps are a gardeners friend, many are predatory towards garden "pests", they're natural pest control, they are not to be feared, and are important links in the ecosystem chain! Never use pesticides anywhere!

A Long-Horned Flower Beetle hiding amidst the tangle of foliage

A beautiful Assassin Bug looking for a snack on the Anise Hyssop

A mystery bee or bee mimic, this one really has me perplexed. It's about the size of a honeybee, but looks white, and the wings are lighter in color than a bumblebee or honeybee. Any guesses?

What is She Doing There?!

Uhhh, I'm not sure how to explain this one. Here we have a female deer bedded down in the leaf mulch bin over at Dean. Maybe it's moist and therefore cool? Maybe she feels comforted by the feeling of a cage-like structure? If this wasn't weird enough, this happens to be at least the third time Jeff spotted her here, so she's making a habit of it. The heat can have deleterious effects on brains, mine included. I dunno, just thought I'd share.

Bunny Not So Funny Anymore

Ahhh, look at me, aren't I cute sitting here in the warm golden glow of the setting sun?

Ha, Ha, Ha! Silly human thinks I just hang out here in the tall grass.

I'm so casual, no predators around here!

Oh, now I'm getting closer...

No paparazzi, please!

I'm not being bad, I promise, I'm just hiding in here...

I'm not chewing anything, what are you talking about?

Oh look! A baby bunny! How did that happen? ;) How adorable!

You little sh*t! Get outta my flower bed!
In the grass, it's cute, in the flower beds, not so much.

Yep, just as I suspected...I can't really blame them, my flower beds are about the only place you can find something green. It's so dry around here, even the clover in our lawn is dried up and gone.

This is what I think of now every time I see one of those bunnies out in our yard.

"What's he do, nibble your bum?"

Maybe it's time to get out the Holy Hand Grenade!

Enjoying it While it Lasts

Early morning, just as the sun is beginning to peek over the trees.

The front sidewalk flower bed is reaching a crescendo this week, and not a moment too late since the impending 100 degree temperatures this weekend are sure to bring it to its knees, if flowers have knees, that is.

Sun's up a little further now.

This is the second and third year for most of these plants and they've really filled in well. I'm so pleased with the combinations, the various shades of pink, orange, and chartreuse, and they all have scented foliage and/or flowers. Of course, everything is a native or native cultivar and a pollinator magnet!

Ten minutes later and the sun is blazing!

This half of the front sidewalk bed has a summer blooming theme, the half not pictured, is fall blooming. This is a full sun with afternoon protection site, and everything is quite drought tolerant. Plants include Purple Coneflower, White Coneflower (mystery), Wild Bergamot (monarda fistulosa), "Raspberry Wine" Bee Balm, "Shades of Orange" hummingbird mint, Common Milkweed, Italian Parsley, Dill, "May Night" Salvia, Purple-leaved Coralbells (mystery), Anise Hyssop "Blue Fortune", "Rosita" hummingbird mint, and a mystery sedum.

I've really fallen in love with the pink, orange, and chartreuse color combo. (Dill and Purple Coneflower)

This is my mystery White Coneflower. When I bought it, it was a pure white flower and was labelled "White Swan", a common and durable white cultivar. Over the years, however, it has morphed into a flower that opens yellow, then fades to white, I like it better this way!

Monarda fistulosa, aka Wild bergamot, I love this plant!

While I was taking these photos, trying to preserve the memory of this fabulous flower feast in my mind, I happened to notice several insects were also patiently waiting for the sun to rise, so that it may warm their bodies enough to get moving before a predator should stop by.

Cool, early mornings are the best time to photograph insects like this moth, it's about the only time most of them sit still. (Wild Bergamot)

I think this bumblebee had just waken up, he was a little groggy. (Anise Hyssop)

Your only chance to find a cooperative hoverfly is on a cool morning.

A Camouflaged Looper, not yet camo-ed, heading for one of their favorite flowers, Anise Hyssop.

A Skipper, another insect that rarely sits still long enough to get a good photo.

Never Give Up...

 

   Our Bluebirds have been quite busy this year. They successfully raised four chicks in the Spring, and promptly started a new family in the same box in May. I guess I can assume they like the habitat we have tried to provide for them.
   I knew the second crop of young'uns would be fledging sometime this week, I was just desperately hoping it would be before the heatwave of mid-90's temperatures. You can always tell when the chicks are ready to fledge because they start hanging their heads out of the box hole. You will also often see the parents tease them with food offerings, bringing them a bug as if they're going to just give it to them as usual, then fly away with it as if to say "If you want it, you gotta come and get it". Invariably they either fledge that day or the day after.
   Well, all seemed normal as I noticed Tuesday a bunch of Bluebird chicks in the pine tree behind the bluebird box. They jumped sometime around sunrise. This was great because Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday proved to be scorchers and I couldn't imagine how they could have survived in their oven-like nestbox.
   Thursday night, Jeff went out to clean the box and repair the dodgey door latch. Oh crap! There was still a chick inside, abandoned and dying a slow death (or so we thought). We were beyond sad, apparently it wasn't ready to fledge with the others and we thought the parents had abandoned it.
   Friday morning, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw momma Bluebird bring a huge katydid to the box and carry away a fecal sac. Would you believe that chick fledged either Friday night or Saturday morning?! The parents never gave up on that chick and kept coming back to the box and feeding it for several days after the others had left! We are so glad we didn't do anything to interfere, just like when you see a fawn you *think* has been abandoned, Leave It Alone! Momma deer always leave their fawns somewhere while they forage during the day, they're not abandoned. There was a story in our local paper just this week about all the "abandoned" fawns people have brought to the local Wildlife Rehab Center.
  That chick is a survivor, just like our little Ginger (the abandoned kitten we found on Monday). What a week of highs and lows! I'm so tired...

I couldn't help but think of this famous line from this clip in Monty Python's "Holy Grail"- "I'm not dead yet!" 

When Life Gets in the Way of Blogging (again)...

   This week was supposed to be all about pollinators, in celebration of National Pollinator Week 2012. Monday morning I was working on the first of what should have been 7 posts celebrating pollinator diversity and importance when Jeff sent me a video via iPhone with the caption "Oh no!". Long story short...he found a kitten, or rather, it found him. Being the kitty lovers we are, and the fact that the kitten instantly decided Jeff was "daddy", our hearts just melted. Our other two cats were "found" cats, and our first, who passed away 3 years ago, was too. Tiny, hungry, dirty, and full of affection, this poor little kitten was probably dropped off or "discarded" by someone who didn't want it, it's definitely not feral, she's way to friendly and sweet. We scooped her up, brought her home, then took her to our vet that afternoon to get checked out. Jeff, meanwhile, searched the woods for others, but didn't find any. At the time her only problem was being dirty, covered in fleas and ticks, and a little under nourished, however she stopped eating about a day and a half ago. Low on energy and limp, we rushed her in to the vet this morning, they think she might just have a little infection, so they're keeping her for observation and they'll give her medicines and such. Talk about stress bomb! A few days ago we didn't know she existed, now we're fearing for her life. The docs are confident she'll be alright, our fingers are crossed.

Anyway, her name is Ginger, because of her color, and, now this is silly, but in England redheads are called "gingers". Also, of course, the redhead on Gilligan's Island was "Ginger". The vets guessed she was only about 8 weeks old. So, for the next few weeks while she's in quarantine (for FHIV testing before we introduce her to our other cats) our life will be a little crazy. Then for the next few weeks after that, while we start to introduce Ginger into the group, supervising the inevitable hissing and growling, our life will still be crazy. Oh well, she's worth it, she sure is a sweetie!

Look at that face, how can you say no?

At the vet, with my Mom's help (thanks Mom!). They said it was very unusual for an orange cat to be a girl, apparently most orange cats are boys, for some reason.

Post ear bath and treatment, she also had ear mites :-(

Back home, sitting in my lap, one lucky little girl!