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Dogbane Leaf Beetle
A dazzling jewel in the world of insects. The Dogbane Leaf Beetle (Chrysochus auratus). As you might guess because of its name, the Dogbane Leaf Beetle depends to a great extent on the many species of Apocynaceae, the Dogbane family. Not a difficult task, since there are 4,555 species in that family, which includes Milkweed…
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A Guest
I’ve been seeing many juvenile Skinks (Broad head Skink [Plestiodon laticeps]) or (Five-lined Skink [Plestiodon fasciatus]) here. They are so tiny and cute. A delight to see. Yesterday I discovered that one had managed somehow to get into my cabin. They are little, but not that little that it would magically squeeze in through a…
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Birds Eat Beetles
Yesterday I posted about Spotted Cucumber Beetles (Diabrotica undecimpunctata) (which has just been revised). They are not something that you want in your vegetable garden. They particularly like cucurbits, or melons, gourds, squash and cucumbers. Today I happened upon this photograph from last summer of an Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea). I’m not sure that the…
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Spotted Cucumber Beetle (Revised)
Spotted Cucumber Beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata). A handsome beetle, but one not to be welcomed to your garden if you are dedicated to growing melons, gourds, squash or cucumbers. They are specialists on these crops, which as a group are called, cucurbit crops. Spotted Cucumber Beetles will also feed on other plants in addition to cucurbits. If you happen to…
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Promise
I love Sunflowers (Helianthus). Each stage of its life from seed to withering, drooping flower, again to seed, it holds such promise, so much potential. Such inspiration. One of my pastel paintings.
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A Big Dragonfly
A Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia). This is a male. The female has a brown body and three dark patches per wing. Their diet consists of small insects like mosquitos and gnats. A good thing to have around. They in turn are eaten by various fish, frogs, and birds, and other aquatic insects. Common Whitetail larvae…
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White Swan Coneflower
A Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) on a cluster of White Swan Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’).
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Carrion Beetle
American Carrion Beetle (Necrophila americana). Beetles that do good things for our environment. They’re able to smell decaying flesh from a long distance and automatically take off for a next meal. They eat rotting flesh of dead animals which gives them the name of decomposer. They’ll also eat insect larvae feeding on decaying animals which…
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Seedheads
Drooping Sunflowers filled with seeds. Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) love them, and will do all sorts of gymnastics to get those seeds. Leave your garden filled with seedheads. The birds will thoroughly enjoy them throughout the fall and winter.
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Independent Leaflets
As days get shorter some leaves take that as a signal and stop making chlorophyl. That chlorophyll is what gives the leaves their green color, and what is left in those leaves will break down. The green fades and disappears. Yellow, orange, and red colors left in the leaves and now uncovered, become visible. This…