Inflated Lobelia

Inflated Lobelia (Lobelia inflata), tiny flowers, in shades of white, pale blue and lavender, with a hint of yellow inside. Blooming from July to October. And like many of the plants growing around us, it is poisonous.

Here you can see the the “inflated” fruit of Inflated Lobelia which gives this plant its common, as well as its scientific name.

This annual is native to most of the eastern US and parts of the midwest, and is quite common here in the woods surrounding my cabin.

________________________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!

What’s Up There?

I had another visit today, from a wonderful bird, a Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum). They don’t get seen often, but my blueberries are ripe now and they love them. Blueberries are a sure draw for many birds.

Over the course of just a couple minutes I was able to get more than 40 images of this creature. It had the look of worry, repeatedly looking to the sky. I wondered if it knew the sky was falling. But it must have been a false alarm. No falling sky.

A large bird, ranging from 9 to 12 inches in length. Long tail, long legs, long slightly turned down bill. This, is a young one, having ashen colored eyes. More mature Brown Thrashers have stern looking yellow or yellow-orange eyes. Though the male and female look similar in appearance, the male is the songster. Repeating melodic phrases two times, copying the songs of other birds with rich notes in a varied repertoire. So pleased when I get to see one, or hear one!

A Good Day For Birds

Two surprise birds today. Two females. An American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla). Not interested in sunflower seeds or shelled peanuts but the birdbath I’ve put out for her.

And another female. A Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) on her way to the blueberry bushes that are still filled with yummy berries to tempt her.

A good day for spotting birds.

Wild Basil

Wild Basil (Clinopodium vulgare), is an herbaceous perennial, and member of the Lamiaceae (mint) family. True Basil is also part of the Lamiaceae family. Being in that family, it has a square stem like so many mint plants that I have growing in my gardens.

Flowers, 1/2 inch long are formed together in fuzzy clumps. Fuzzy because of woolly bracts that surround each of the flowers. Each clump, which generally has about 30 flowers, only has a few flowers blooming at a time.

Milder than its relative, true Basil, Wild Basil has a lovely, though faint fragrance and can be eaten in moderation. The leaves are opposite, covered in fine hairs and have short petioles. The plant’s stems are also covered in fine hairs.

Here, a fuzzy seedhead.

Wild Basil is native to northeastern United States. Bloom time is July and August. Right now!

Click Beetles

This is an Eyed Click Beetle (Alaus oculatus), one of about one thousand species of Click Beetles in North America. These Click Beetles have something other beetles don’t have, a flexible connection between the first and second section of their thorax. This allows them to move their heads and first pair of legs independently from the rest of their body, and SNAP those two sections. This makes a loud click, and if they are on their backs, they’ll flip over. This is a great trick if being watched by a predator, more than likely startling or distracting the predator.

The Eyed Click Beetle is one of the larger Click Beetles. You can see in the top photo, with my hand for scale, that the beetle is nearly two inches long. Other species of Click Beetles are generally from one half inch, to one and a quarter inch. Most of them are brown to black, but some are leaning toward red or yellow, some with patterns. They generally have the same shape as this Eyed Click Beetle, long and narrow with a tapering toward the end.

Anchor Stink Bug

Anchor Stink Bug (Stiretrus anchorago).

Found in Central and mostly eastern North America. This is a good guy of the stink bug world, feeding on beetle larvae and caterpillars, including many agricultural and gardening pests such as the Mexican Bean Beetle and the Japanese Beetle.

There’s incredible variation in the coloring of the Anchor Stink Bug but rather than having a triangular scutellum, these bugs have a U-shaped scutellum.

An interesting creature to see and find information about.

Barred Owl

Barred Owl (Strix varia).

Yesterday afternoon as I wandered out into the vegetable garden, I heard a great cacophony of bird calls. Much more than what I usually hear. Within seconds a Barred Owl flew out from its ill chosen perch and settled onto a branch across the way. Things settled down immediately.

I went right away to get my camera with its long lens, and tripod. The owl tolerated 4 images captured by the camera and as I inched closer it flew away.

Quite happy it stopped by for a moment though the other birds would not agree with my glee.

Spotted In The Garden

Spotted St. John’s Wort (Hypericum punctatum). The herbaceous perennial is native to eastern North America into southern Canada. The plant grows to 2.5 feet, though often shorter as it volunteers in my gardens.

Aptly named, Spotted St. John’s Wort is covered with tiny spots. On petals, sepals, and buds.

And tiny spots on leaves too, as the Willow Leaf Beetle shows us.

Spotted St. John’s Wort shows up in my gardens, volunteering to add their beauty. I do try to corral them. Gather them together. Try to make it look like it was my idea that they are there, where they are welcome.

________________________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!


Carolina Horsenettle In Bloom

Carolina Horsenettle (Solanum carolinense). Native to the southeastern United States. All parts of the plant are poisonous including the berries which look like yellow cherry tomatoes.

The stems, as well as leaves are hairy, and those stems, leaf midribs and petioles have many needlelike thorns.

Carolina Horsenettle is in bloom right now. Watch out for it.