Spider training and class visit

 

Yesterday I presented "Spiders of Central Texas" to the 2026 training class with our Texas Master Naturalist chapter (Highland Lakes). Every year, I add a few more slides and updates. So I'm talking longer!

After the day of classes, a few trainees visited our native plant gardens. In years past, a stop at our house was part of the day's schedule. But last February, when the gardens looked so dead and dreary – and I felt that way myself – James and I requested a "year off" from a class visit. THEN the rains came! Which lifted the gardens hugely and me, too. Darn, I wished we'd hadn't opted out. But we did have some Master Naturalists visit Wednesday after our chapter meeting here in Blanco. And yesterday, three trainees plus a coordinator came by. Fun!

Trainees Eleanor and Gretch (who's holding an envelope of sedums that I gave him)

James with coordinator M.J. and trainee Dawna (petting Prima)

Notes to myself

Scarlet globemallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea), Jeff Davis County

Jimsonweed update

So the jimsonweed (Datura wrightii) that I transplanted from the front yard (because the local deer had uprooted it) to The Pasture is coming back (photo above). Plus a little one that I found also in the front yard is hanging in there. This makes me happy. Because we used to have a fairly healthy jimsonweed in the front yard, but it died. However, a couple of seeds from it have randomly germinated, like the one below. Even though they're highly toxic, jimsonweeds are cool and have such beautiful flowers that bloom at night. 

 

'Raven Girl' blooming!

Look at these stunning black-purple blooms! For James' birthday in 2022, I ordered two kinds of black-blooming bearded irises from American Meadows. We planted them in November 2023. Sadly, our 'Senior Jinx' rhizomes didn't survive. But 'Raven Girl' hung in there, even when we got little rain last year. Here's our reward...gorgeous blooms in the back yard! 

Texas feathershank follow-up

Awhile ago, I made a metal marker for my Texas feathershank (Schoenocaulon texanum). I was so elated April 2 when I discovered these five plants in a rocked-in bed in The Meadow. That's where I dropped seeds given to me by a Blanco friend in April 2024. This species is in the lily family, and the blooms are gorgeous (see photo below). I'd never seen one before I spotted them growing wild in Alison's property just a few blocks north of here. 

A photo from 2024 of one of Alison's blooms. 

What is that white thing?

While walking in The Meadow yesterday, I spotted what I thought was either a spider inside a white silken retreat or maybe an insect in a white cocoon. Wrong on both counts! iNaturalist suggested a FUNGUS in the genus Balansia. Turns out it's probably Texas wintergrass fungus (Atkinsonella texenesis). I don't think I'm gonna worry about it. 

 

Caterpillar in vomit mode

This is a white-lined sphinx caterpillar (Hyles lineata) that's been feeding on some narrowleaf four o'clock (Mirabilis linearis) in our back yard. A couple of days ago, I touched it, and it oozed out some greenish goo. A new behavior to me! James irritated it while I shot a short video (see below). So I've since learned that these caterpillars can indeed projectile spew as a defense mechanism (our friend just dripped it out). That vomit stuff is semi-digested plant material mixed with toxins.