Tag Archives: Virginia Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana)

Virginia Spiderwort

May 15, 2026

Virginia Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) in bloom right now. Such lovely, rich colors! If you look carefully at this photo, you might notice a tiny insect that resembles a bee, gathering pollen and nectar.

Here is a better look at the critter, a Margined Calligrapher Fly (Toxomerus marginatus), a type of Flower Fly. They enjoy the pollen and nectar of Spiderwort flowers. Beneficial insects, their larvae consume aphids and spider mites.

Glad that they’re helping to eliminate those pests!

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Surprise, Surprise!

What a delightful surprise this morning. Well, actually not really a surprise, but after almost a whole week of fog, drizzle, rain, and no sunshine – there it was, the sun was out creating lovely shadows all over the mountain!

I grabbed my dear camera and the two of us roamed with thoughts of capturing evidence of the brilliant sun and its shadows.

I got many pictures, and this is one, with another surprise. I had no idea Virginia Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) bloomed in the autumn, but sure enough there it was, one bloom for this morning and several buds waiting for their turn. And if you look carefully, on the right side of the bloom, a tiny insect, a Flower Fly (Syrphidae) having breakfast of nectar and pollen.

Hooray for sunshine!

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