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| Caught on one of our robins in the front yard... |
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| Our volunteer Texas redbud is finally blooming.... |
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| And spotted some TINY spiderlings on the wedelia in the process of dispersing.... |
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Odds and little ends
Peach blossoms!
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| Pipevine swallowtail, I think. |
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What IS that?
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By the time I returned with my camera, the insect had climbed up under the window's middle section. I unlocked the latches, opened the window and hung out while I snapped this photo. Gabe, one of our boy cats (whom I do not talk about on this blog because it's really not cool to have domestic cats in a Wildscape....but, OKAY, might as well confess to three), was heading toward me. Darn it! And double darn it–the insect flew off.
In the meantime, I'd been e-mailing with Dr. John Abbott, curator of Entomology at the Texas Natural Science Center (and author of the upcoming Texas Damselflies: A Field Guide) so I shot him the image and asked what he thought it might be. "Looks like a maybe a Tephritidae (true fruit flies)," he offered. "I thought maybe at first a Pyrgotidae."
Time to post the image at Bugguide.net and get some more input. "Looks like Delphinia picta (Ulidiiae) to me," commented Bjoern Rulik.
By George, I agree! My mystery insect is a picture-winged fly!! Cool cool cool!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
New-to-me moth and bug
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| Phigalia denticulata |
This evening, I received a reply from Randy Hardy about the moth: "Small world (bug joke!). I'm Irene Cage's brother-in-law. Blanco must be warming up like Tucson is right now–love this time of year. Anyway, I THINK your moth is a Phigalia denticulata. Some nice pics of it at the Moth Photographers Group. Wait for the experts–I'm just learning. Have a great day!" Thanks, Randy!
A P.S. from Randy later:"I stick to moths mostly. We're lucky to have Maury Heiman, a moth expert from the Hill Country, here on BG. You might look through his photos HERE to help get IDs on moths (always fun to do the detective work!)."
The next two are bugs. No, really, BUGS. AIn the genus Brochymen–rough stink bugs. Cool, eh?
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| Brochymena chelonoides (per Bugguide.net updated October 31, 2011) |
The nursery....
Return with us now to November 11, 2011, when our argiope mother laid a beautiful egg sac near our front door. For 10 days or so, she guarded the sac, then I found her gone...except for a few straggly legs left on the porch.
Ever since then, the egg sac has remained fastened high up in the corner of our porch. I'd thought about collecting the sac and keeping it safely in a jar. But I never did....until earlier today when I noticed a hungry wren scouting around the bricks and porch light. Uh oh! So I got my camera and took a photo or two of the sac. When James got home, he held the sac for me so I could photograph it in the sunlight. Can you see the beautiful golden silk threads. They are STRONG! Took me some doing to carefully remove the sac.
Now the sac's safely in a jar with hose covering the top. I set it on a window sill and will keep a close eye on it. Many years ago, my daughgter Lindsey and I did this. That spring, I kinda gave up on any kids hatching out. But long about May, I heard Lindsey yell, "MOM, COME HERE!" Sure enough, the spiderlings had broken out and were ready TO GO! So we took them outside and they ballooned or crawled away. I'm hoping for another happy ending this spring.
Ever since then, the egg sac has remained fastened high up in the corner of our porch. I'd thought about collecting the sac and keeping it safely in a jar. But I never did....until earlier today when I noticed a hungry wren scouting around the bricks and porch light. Uh oh! So I got my camera and took a photo or two of the sac. When James got home, he held the sac for me so I could photograph it in the sunlight. Can you see the beautiful golden silk threads. They are STRONG! Took me some doing to carefully remove the sac.
Now the sac's safely in a jar with hose covering the top. I set it on a window sill and will keep a close eye on it. Many years ago, my daughgter Lindsey and I did this. That spring, I kinda gave up on any kids hatching out. But long about May, I heard Lindsey yell, "MOM, COME HERE!" Sure enough, the spiderlings had broken out and were ready TO GO! So we took them outside and they ballooned or crawled away. I'm hoping for another happy ending this spring.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Behold
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| My 67-cent mealy sage–a sad little thing bought off the sale rack last summer–returneth! I just love spring! |
Today's lesson...
This afternoon, I headed outside to clean out the DRATTED sparrows from our purple martin house. Beautiful day! Sunny and warm. While I wrapped up the house project, I looked around the Meadow and admired the tiny sulphurs flitting just above the grass. Hmmmm. No flowers to be seen. What the heck were they doing? I watched one land on a greenthread and perch a few moments. Then it flit away. DUH! I crouched down in the grass to confirm my suspicions. Bingo! Time for my camera!
But first I had to mark my place in the grass. Which I did.
Look carefully at the photo above, and you'll see a teeny tiny, elliptical yellow egg. Just laid by a dainty sulphur (Nathalis iole). I took some more photos and barely caught another female depositing an egg (below). See her bent abdomen? (You might have to click on the picture and see it enlarged.) The next photo is the new egg....
But first I had to mark my place in the grass. Which I did.
Look carefully at the photo above, and you'll see a teeny tiny, elliptical yellow egg. Just laid by a dainty sulphur (Nathalis iole). I took some more photos and barely caught another female depositing an egg (below). See her bent abdomen? (You might have to click on the picture and see it enlarged.) The next photo is the new egg....
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| She's depositing her egg... |
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| The new egg |
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| A dainty sulphur |
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