What are the odds of both Jeff and Tim sharing their favorite garden bug photos with us in the same week?
"I really love welcoming beneficial bugs to my garden, as well as bugs that are at least neutral. I could certainly do without aphids and leaf miners. Hopefully folks aren't too turned off by bugs. It wasn't a great year for monarchs, for some reason, but we had a Red Admiral explosion for a few weeks last summer. I read that some years are just that way, depending on a lot of factors, but this is the first time I've seen so many at one time in one place. It was wonderful to be inundated with what seemed like hundreds of them in the garden, feeding on every available flower."
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Comments
ok, my favorite of your pics is the hummingbird moth. I spent all of july and most of august trying to capture a shot,,,,,,never happened. that castor bean leaf with ant is pretty snazzy as well and the spider web and the............... my challenge to you for next time,,,,,,,,,,reptiles
Thanks, Jeff. Those hummingbird moths are really pretty busy. I think the lily must have had a good payload for me to get that shot. I love reptiles and amphibians, too. In the almost-20 years I've been in our house, I've seen neither a single reptile nor an amphibian. Might be all of the neighborhood cats and rodents.
Put a few broken pots half buried in shady places and you might get some toads.
Oh, yes. We discussed this. On my list.
Nice to know!
Tim, I have anywhere from 1-3 cats at a time and I have always had toads and what I hear that my husband says is a tree frog. No busted pottery and no toads ever in my "toad" house. But there are woods around my house and farm fields right next door. I never see any of the toads unless they move. My outside kitty, who delivers 'prizes' to the back door, has never dropped a toad there -voles and an occasional mole. This past year for the first time a baby rabbit. Don't like the idea of my cat polishing off baby bunnies, but also glad that all my tulips and lilies have their heads on.
I just got curious about who eats toads. Almost no one! Their dry skin secrets poisonous compounds. However at the tadpole stage they are vulnerable. Now I am wondering where they are as tadpoles since I am on a hilltop with no natural water source. They must travel.
I'll be on the lookout this year. Maybe a cool, moist terra cotta Mr. Toad home will be the trick to finding them if they are around.
I rarely see rabbits in our neighborhood; I've assumed it was the cats. Possums and raccoons and the occasional ground hog are are suburban denizens in my neighborhood, though.
Nice idea. How about slugs and snails too.
Do you have a big slug problem? One thing that has helped my shade garden is not having any debris in it. I carefully rake and hand remove all leaves, sticks, etc. I don't mulch it. I have to hoe for the weeds and that's a chore but I don't have to put out sluggo or other slug bait which is a chore too. Then hopefully it's the toads that are eating the slugs I do have.
I hope I'm not jinxing things when I say that, luckily, I do not. They are present, but their numbers are kept in check by the garter snakes, lizards and maybe some birds. Maybe even the little tree frogs help. Keeping all debris removed from my garden would be a full-time job for more than one person :)
Great pictures and I had some wonderful monarch's this past season too!
So glad you had monarchs this year. Do you have any milkweed plants for the caterpillars? They are really special and unique butterflies. Love them.
Tim, wow a Red Admiral! I have never seen one before. And that spider web. Was it dew covered? We do have a spider on the other side of the mountains, a large fat one, that spins an enormous web at the end of summer. But unless it is dew covered it is not easy to see like that one. We could have a butterfly battle. I have a pic with Agastache Black Adder that has 5 butterflies feeding. Who feeds the most butterflies! Glad to see the hummingbird moth, he is a favorite. Once I saw a luna moth. I just got on a site for Maryland butterflies and we do have the red admiral. What flowers attracted him besides Echincea? I'll plant them. The hummingbird moths here don't have the two yellow stripes.
Red admirals are pretty cool. In our previous home, we'd have one every year (presumably a new one each time) that would stake out a spot on the sidewalk every day and would land on you if you stood in his spot. The coneflowers and milkweed were at peak and they loved those, but they were on everything this year. I think they lay their eggs on stinging nettles and I've never seen a single nettle in the neighborhood. Generally I only see one or two in the garden.
We have two different orb weavers in the garden; they're smaller and this one is black, spiny and scary-looking. I don't think it was a particularly dewy morning for the shot, although in might have been a little damp. The shaft of sun caught it just right and it lit up like a beacon.
The luna moth is my all-time favorite moth. I've often thought of mail-ordeing cocoons to boost our local population because I've never seen one here.
I tried to look up the species of the hummingbird moth. The ones that look closest to this one had the stripes, but was pretty furry, like a bumble bee. Maybe this one is the same species but shares my male-pattern baldness!
When we first moved here to our TN property 20 years ago, I was mystified about what the holy heck this weird flying thingie was that turned out to be the hummingbird moth. It took a couple of years before I had it identified (ha, pre internet). I once had a visiting relative who exclaimed upon seeing one, "oh, look, a hummingbird with antlers". I kid you not and that has always stayed a smile producer between my husband and me.
I'm told the old country name is Bee Bird.
I love Bee Bird, too, Eddi!
Oh, "bee bird" that's a good name because they are pretty big.
hummingbird with antlers? Awesome!
Quit laughing. When I was pregnant 15 years ago I saw one for the first time. That was how I described it. Everyone thought I was completely nuts, and then I saw it on a gardening television program and I was redeemed. I rarely see them at my home garden, but I saw them frequently at the cottage. They seemed to be a different variety, very tiny, but definitely hummingbird moths. They are attracted to the same flowers that the hummingbirds love.
It is a very apt description! I love it, Lisa.
What a great idea to mail order cocoons! didn't know that was available. I don't have any milkweed really. just a couple of small starts. I guess it depends on how much they travel. so if there are no stinging nettles in a weedy spot somewhere nearby, you won't have any visitors. by the way stinging nettles is an herb you can use to reduce allergic response. no more allergic runny nose for me in spring. I just take a dropperful of nettles in water in the morning for a week or two and I am fine.
I've thought about ordering cocoons for years, but never got around to it. I haven't looked this year, but winter is the time for it. I know I've seen them on eBay and am fairly certain Carolina Biological sells them. I've found private moth collectors selling them online, too. I love moths and butterflies!
I knew that people ate edibles, but never knew that they help reduce allergic responses. That's great that it helps with your allergies; allergies are the pits!
Wow! That castor bean photo is stunning!
Thanks, Diane. Those emerging new leaves look like they are dipped in wax. It will be hard to find space for the castor beans in my small garden, but I'm hooked now!
Tim, I have never grown castor beans. Are they edible or merely decorative? I am currently over most annual plants, as I dearly love heirloom daffs, iris, lilies, and peonies.
Castor beans are very toxic: Ricinis communis, from which the poison ricin is produced. They shouldn't be grown around livestock that might eat it, but it's not something I worry about. One would have to consume about 6 beans to get a toxic dose. I handle the plants and seeds, no worries. I wouldn't want the beans around kids.
Amazingly, it is also the source of castor oil; completely edible. I don't remember if it is heat or what, but the process to make the oil destroys the toxin.
I do love your heirlooms: daffodils, iris, lilies and peonies are swoon worthy!
Thanks Tim. Stay tuned for spring photos and thank you for following my blog. You will be among the first to see my spring blooms.
Tim, try a castor bean in one of your larger containers... the dwarf variety only gets 4-5' tall, the clump variety is great!
That sounds beautiful, Sheila. I must try that.
Morning, Tim. You started us off with my inner child's favorite insect of all time. Whenever I come upon a praying mantis in my garden, I almost always offer a finger for it to move on to so I can bring it up closer to my face for some conversation. It must have been such a treat to have so many of the Red Admirals swirling about. These pictures of both the insects and plant material are wonderful...color me mesmerized!
Thanks, Michaele. I stop and photograph every praying mantis that I see; even if it is the same one in the same place! They are so cool. Early last summer an egg case must have hatched near our porch glider because I had to flick miniature mantids off of the glider and me for a couple of days. We have two species and they are generally either green or brown or a combination. This guy was so cool with his pale wing stripe, acting like a blade of variegated grass.
I have more and more of them in the yard every year. The only reason I can come up with is that every year there is less lawn and more garden; more food, more places to hang out and lay eggs, I guess.
Think it would work if I picked up some eggs at the nursery if they are available? Hmmmm....
Look what I found:
https://peakgardening.wordpress.com/2011/04/09/benefical-insects-in-our-gardens-praying-mantis/
You are so cool, Tim. You allow me to be very lazy by doing all my research! First for my rock garden plants, now for bugs! Love it!!! Thanks ;)
All of this great info, thanks so much Tim.
How very fortunate you are to have such an amazing bug grace your gardens Tim, and actually live there amongst your plants. I have never seen one in real life.
It is wonderful, Linda, especially considering how densely packed the houses are in our neighborhood. Two really great things are that it is a very old, established neighborhood with lots of trees (my house was built in 1911) and that there are several wooded ravines that traverse the area where few or no houses or built; they sort of function as wildlife refuges.
Wow, 1911, that's impressive! We have lots of woods around our neighborhood also but I have wondered if it is too wet here for many flying creatures - also, we have bats, maybe they are eating too much, although don't know if many of the other flying bugs are out at daybreak.
I'm laughing at your post! Not long ago I had a wonderful visit with a really handsome dragonfly that landed on my teacup outside. He looked at me with his head cocked to one side and enormous eyes scanning my giant ( to him) face. When I spoke he turned his head as though listening intently. Nice to know I am not the only crazy (old) lady around!
Oh, I love you for sharing this, Eddi...yep, it's so fun to have those little moments when the feeling of connection to other living creatures is so strong. Is there any negative to dragon flies? I feel like I have never heard a bad word about them.
Not that I know of although I've heard they sting - not true, they just look scarey until one can really get a good look. We have many because of the pond.
That feeling of connection is something to be treasured, isn't it. We are lucky.
When my Mother was young she was told that you had to be careful of dragon flies as they would stitch up your lips if you got too close to them! She never knew why she said that, maybe she was trying to catch one. Old Wives Tale?
Hmm, what a a cute cautionary warning from your mother. One has to wonder what its origin is. There's often some teeny tiny basis in fact for Old Wives Tales.
ok, just did a google search on this topic and here's some enlightening info.
https://charlespaolino.wordpress.com/tag/old-wives-tales/
Seems like once upon a time in medieval Europe, dragonflies were sometimes referred to as "the devil's darning needle".
Thanks don't know why I didn't think to Google. My Mom died in 1994 and we didn't Google then but it is nice to get the information. Fascinating world we live in.
Very pleasant, Tim. Great shot of the spider web - way to find that crucial angle to highlight it.
Thanks, David. Fortuitous moments like the light shaft on the spider web often make me late for work!
Fantastic photos of your garden visitors and what a beautiful buffet you prepared for them! The hummingbird moth looks as though an artist carefully detailed the moth's back with two yellow swaths. Wow. The frilly castor bean leaf is gorgeous. Thanks for sharing
Thanks, Kielian. I love flowers as much as foliage, so I always hope that my garden shouts out 'Buffet!' to butterflies and moths! I had not noticed the cool shape and structure of the emerging castor bean leaf until I got up close to take the photo. So cool!
Lovely! Thank you for sharing your gift.
You're welcome lily. It is fun to share with fellow gardeners, isn't it?
Great photos, Tim! Especially love the one with the spider web! Rare to see the Hummingbird Moth- around here, anyway! Great "catch"!!
Thanks so much. I am never without my iPhone and it does a crazy-good job. I don't see many hummingbird moths. I should research what the caterpillars eat to see if I can increase the population!
Hummingbird moths make me so happy... they fly through my gardens every year and rest on the brick wall by our front door. Last year I only saw 2 small ones, the year before, though, we had dozens. Early one evening that summer, I was out front and there really were dozens gathering nectar from my agastaches. At one point at least 10 neighbors stopped to check out the party! It was magical.
I remember the photo of your gorgeous sphinx moth by your front door. They're closely related. Hummingbird moths fly all day; most other sphinx moths fly in the morning or evening. When you had dozens, when were they feeding? Some of the bigger ones look like cigars with wings!
It was early evening as I remember. Typically, we have 4-5 hang out for a week or so a couple times during the summer. They are generally a little smaller than the sphinx you mentioned. Both the sphinx and the hummingbird moths are particularly fond of the agastache's... and I usually have several plants scattered around since they tend to reseed with great abandon!
I am jealous on both accounts!
After a little research on the differences between Hummingbird and Sphinx moths... I don't have a clue, but who cares? They both like my gardens. Yes!
What? You don't like splitting hairs, um, I mean, moths?!
:)
I don't have the patience, but I do like having a quick fix ;)
Love the orb web especially. Webs always look spectacular on autumn mornings.
There were over a dozen in our garden last year, feasting on Veronica - a white variety. I em envious of your praying mantis for we haven't seen any for several years. The little Pearl Web fritillary is new to me so will keep my eyes peeled for one of those. There were several small brownish butterflies this past year but none of them stayed still enough to identify!
Beautiful visit today, Tim, thank you.
Thanks, Eddi. I'm surprised you haven't had any praying mantises. Maybe they are hiding in the field: you certainly have great habitat for them! I love the little brown butterfly; I never knew their name until I put these photos together.
These bug days are so much fun! Thanks to both of you, Tim and Jeff. I'm so glad I'm not the only one who loves to see all the visitors to the garden and drops everything to try getting photos. I'll have to check out the ranges for some of your guests, though I know that the Monarch is rare here. I have plenty of Swallowtails, Pine Whites and the Lorquin's Admiral. I so miss seeing the praying mantis, a childhood favourite when I lived in the east. And I've never seen the hummingbird moth, or at least not close enough to verify. Though I'm mildly terrified of spiders, I appreciate what they do for us and leave them alone. We get lots of orbweavers and crab-spiders in the garden and the huge ones in sheds and woodpiles. I do take photos of them all, but have learned that some of my friends don't appreciate those very much.
I've never heard of Lorquin's Admiral: that's a beautiful little butterfly. I'm mildly terrified of spiders, too. I'm to the point that I can look at them and have even handled small ones. I really don't like the thought of one on me, though. I look like a crazy person when I walk out to the car first thing in the morning in late summer; I wave my whole arm in front to me to remove webs that might be across the path so they don't wind up on my face!
That's exactly what I do in late summer. Since I walk my dog along forest trails every day, I pick a long branch and wave it in front of me to catch the webs before they end up in my face. I look like a conductor waving a baton for an imaginary orchestra, or maybe a water-diviner seeking an underground pool. This worked really well with my old dog, but Lacey, my young Sheltie, thinks I'm waving the stick in order to throw it for her to fetch. She gets all excited and does circles in front of my feet till I have to throw it in order to continue walking. So I now wave my hands more often instead and make sure my mouth is closed!
Love these crystal clear photos and the IDs of the insects. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thanks, Mary. I've loved bugs since I was a kid and it's great to have them around in the garden now.
Wow to all photos. That castor bean leaf is really amazing!
Thanks, Lori. I'm so glad I was gifted with those seeds. Love your crocus ID photo. Thinking of spring!
Tim, between you and Jeff, GPOD has exploded with awesome photos this week!
Your images are stunning... I still can't believe they are from your phone. The asclepias shot makes me swoon, the colors are so vibrant, and the praying mantis is super cool. Am I the only gardener out there that has never seen one in her garden? I mean, really??? And, thanks for ID'ing the Red Admiral for me. I saw a lot of them last summer and didn't take the time to find out what they were.
Thanks, Sheila. Do other people in Denver have mantises? I have no idea of their range. That milkweed was a gift from a friend who grew it from seed he collected in Belize. They have them in our local nursery, but that one is special because of its provenance. It's dormant in the house now, awaiting another season.
Love the Red Admirals. Glad that you have them, too!
Great shots Tim. What fun these posts have been. Great minds think alike.
Thanks, Catherine. Bugs do go with gardens: some good, some bad!!
OK all you folks waving through webs, this is for you. One of the things we country children did when walking to school in autumn, was to break off a bendy stick, bend it over til it made an oval with a handle - think hand mirror. When this was made, we then used it to "capture" the brilliant sparkling webs on the grasses and bushes, shaking the mirror gently until the droplets of water ran together and became one shining little sheet between the twig support. Used up the walk in no time.
I love that story, Eddi!
Me, too! I'm just fending off single, long web strands, but I love the idea of a hand-held orb web. I'm going to try to remember to do that this summer!
Wonderful! I'll have to try it for sure!
I so so love that people are noticing "bugs" as beauty in the garden rather than "squish." Of course, these people are almighty gardeners! Great photos - especially the mantis in the grass! So enjoyable.
Thanks, Kathy! I'm super happy with that 'miscanthus mantis'!
Great shots, Tim. Hard to pick a favorite, but that Ricinis leaf is gorgeous! I had to almost do a grid search to find that ant, but I finally did! Love the blue pot next to the web. As far as I am concerned, you can skip the pix of snakes and slugs, guys. Please?
Thanks, Shirley. I really wish I could have centered that ant in the green triangle so that the silhouette was more visible. To be honest, I think I was taking a photo of the leaf and the ant was just a happy accident!
I definitely understand wanting to skip snakes and slugs: I know a lot of folks are bug averse, too! My wife hates the sight of bugs on nature documentaries: she's not scared of them or bothered by them in the yard, but I think the close-ups of those legs must seem creepy. Me? I'm a six year old trapped in a 55 year old's body!
This just in from my friend, Mary:
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Amphion-floridensis
It's not even what is commonly called a hummingbird moth, but same family and a day-flying moth like the the Hemaris. Learn something new every day.
Here's a link with nice information about hummingbird moths. I found it interesting that the first photo looks like the same species as in my photo, but is unidentified there, too.
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/hummingbird_moth.shtml
Wow! Tim, you have so many wonderful flying creatures in your gardens. Must be due to your great 'bug buffet'. We have a number of Monarches here in the summer but not many others. Mostly we have spiders! The bane of my gardening joy as I have been bitten a number of times!! Your photos are incredible, each one is superb on its own - and you take all of these with your phone?! Another WOW!
Spider bites!? I have chills.......
Gotta love that iPhone*.
*This comment not sponsored by Apple.... :)
Such beautiful butterflies!
Thanks. Butterflies have been a favorite of mine since I was a kid and they've been on the decline because of pesticides and loss of habitat. It's a thrill to see even one now!
Stunning photographs! Vikki in VA
Thanks, Vikki! Has winter visited Virginia yet? I read on another blog that spring sprung early in your neck of the woods because of the nationwide warm winter.
Yes we have winter finally. Temps this week in the 30's and we had a taste of snow last week. It melted quickly which is fine with me. I'm in Southeastern VA...Chesapeake next to Norfolk & VA Beach so the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic keep things nice for us most of the time. :)
Great bug shots, Tim. You're lucky to have Praying Manta in your garden. I haven't seen one of those since I was very young but find them fascinating. Don't you just love the Hummingbird Moths? Like the Hummingbird, we found that they are very territorial. You are definitely getting the most out of your IPhone. Very impressive!
Thanks, Linda. I do feel so lucky to have the beneficial bugs visit the garden. They are an extra treat to find when doing the garden tour!
Looks like Battle of the Bugs on GPOD this week. Great shots Tim! I wonder if the trend continues for the entire week?
Looks like we're in New Zealand today! I'm sure some folks could use a break from the bugs. Thanks, Cherry!
Oh Tim. So glad I found you to follow around... Youre the King of the Beautiful flowers ... ?
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