Time for bees

A lot of folks, if they saw me wandering through our yard as much as I do, might say I have way too much time on my hands. As for me, I say I don't have ENOUGH! Because sometimes, waiting for nature to unfold requires a LOT of time...and patience. Take yesterday afternoon, for instance. I happened to be in the back yard with my camera, looking at plants, when I saw a bee dart into a hole. If you're the size of a bee, then this hole might be cave size. From this perspective, her hole looked like a cavern entrance on the side of a hill.

 See the hole? In the photo above, it's on the far right side, middle of the image. So I decided I'd wait and see if I could catch a picture of her. While I crouched on my haunches, I took some pictures of the...

...volunteer vine, likely in the morning glory family...

...the volunteer black-eyed susan, likely planted by a bird...

...and the healthy prairie verbena (I think that's right).

Meanwhile, I heard and barely saw a bee circle me at least twice. Then she landed on the dirt mound just out a bit from my elbow. "C'mon, you lost?" I said, "don't you know where your nest is?" Finally, I stood up to take a break, and she made a bee-line for a different hole! She'd been politely waiting for ME to move out of her way. In the photo above, her hole is just beneath the little white pebble. She's likely a different bee mom.

Here's another shot of her nest entrance. Alas, some rain started so I headed for the house. No more waiting on bee appearances the rest of the day.

 

This morning, I got a shot of her entrance. But no bee mom. (Yesterday heavy rains really brightened up our small crop of moss!)

Just awhile ago, I went back out with my camera and got a few shots of her working on her nest. I've seen her abdomen and her green eyes so I'm pretty sure she's a digger bee species of Anthophora. Nearly three years ago, I blogged about the same species–"Acrobatic bee!"–when I found one roosting in our globe mallow. They're cool.

Time permitting, I'll keep trying to get a better photo of her. Wish me luck!

Passionflowers

Passionflower blooms are just gorgeous. I was out photographing sick Gulf fritillary caterpillars (separate post) when I had to stop and snap some flower pics. The bees love passionflowers, too.

Yesterday, I finally planted two yellow passionflowers (Passiflora lutea) that I potted up from the adjoining neighbor's yard. Here's hoping they take!

Snagged a skimmer

Last Wednedsay, while eating supper, we saw a dragonfly pass by outside the dining room window. She lit on a plastic table so I grabbed my camera and hung out the window for a shot or two. She didn't stay long! I cropped tight so this photo isn't a great shot. But at least I documented her visit! I think this visitor is a female common whitetail (Plathemis lydia). If you disagree, please let me know! In the meantime, I've submitted this image as a new record to Odonata Central.

Pipevine cats

So last June, after a slew of pipevine (Battus philenor) caterpillars devoured our lone pipevine plant (Aristolochia fimbriata), we drove to Austin and bought two more from the Natural Gardener. Well, they've torn through one plant already and will likely finish up the second. Which leaves one plant. Good luck, guys!  

Click on this photo to make it larger and see how many black caterpillars you can find. There's at five, maybe more.

Even seed pods get eaten!

A caterpillar's stripping what's left of the leaves on this plant.

Battus philenor tends to be social. This photo isn't the greatest, but there are three cats on this one stem.

I shook out some seeds (and caterpillar poop) from a couple of seed pods in hopes that we can germinate new pipevines to plant. Aren't the seeds cool?

Trumpet creeper vine

Look what's blooming blooming blooming!

Gate done!

James finished his latest project...a cedar gate in the Meadow. Isn't it beautiful? He's already planted some Virginia creeper on both sides.

Last classroom visit

Last Wednesday morning, science teacher Pam Meier walked over from the Blanco Middle School with three students to tour our Texas Wildscape for the last time before summer. Two girls, Sarah and Lupita, will go to high school next fall. But Aurora will still be in middle school so hopefully Pam will bring her back along with some new students. 

As soon as the group arrived, I pointed out a shrill bird call and asked if they remembered what it was. Hmmm. It's baby, I hinted. It's our statebird, I hinted some more. Mocking....bird! 

Next I showed them pipevine caterpillars chomping away on pipevine leaves in the Meadow. I pointed out eggs, too. "I saw the mama butterfly deposit these last week," I said. Then I pointed to a chubby caterpillar. "Isn't it CUTE?" I asked. Everyone smiled and nodded.

This time, they brought their lunch and stayed long enough to picnic on our back patio. Before everyone left, I gave the girls each a flame acanthus and/or blue mistflower to take home.

"Wait a minute," I said as they headed back to school. "Hear that screechy call? What's that again?"

"A baby mockingbird!" the girls exclaimed.

Mission accomplished!