Caterpillar season

Most folks would likely go EWWWWWWW if they were to spot damage like this in their garden. Not us! When I happened upon these caterpillars yesterday on our sawtooth sunflowers, I was thrilled! That's the difference when you have a Wildscape.

Seeing this mass of black caterpillars reminded me of when we first started our native gardens. We found a mess load of larva similar to these devouring a flame acanthus in the back yard. James was disgusted. I didn't know quite what to think. I said okay when he suggested that he cut off the branch and carry it across the street to a vacant field. In the meantime, I got on the Internet and researched. Lo and behold, those were crimson patch (Chlosyne janais) caterpillars! They host on plants in the acanthus family. Needless to say, no more cutting off branches loaded with caterpillars.

Likewise, these hungry cats in the back yard right now are bordered patch (Chlosyne lacinia), which host on sunflower species.

And remember our white-lined sphinx cats in the butterfly gaura? Only two are left. Everyone pretty much ate all the gaura leaves but at least left the flowerbuds. Thanks, guys!

Below is the other remaining white-lined sphinx larva. At least, I'm assuming it's the same species, though it looks QUITE different from the others. Evidently, the species has larval variations. Interesting, eh?

Surprise in the gaura

So I'm strolling along, taking phtos of the spittlebug nymphs, when all the sudden I spot a HUGE CATERPILLAR chomping away on our white butterfly gaura! Then James spots another one, then another one! There must have been at least five big babies! Upon closer examination, I announced that "there are white-lined sphinx caterpillars!" Remember all the sphinx moths we had in our gardens a couple of weeks ago? They left their calling cards! Cool, eh?

White-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) feed on a variety of host plants, including those in the Onagraceae (evening-primrose) family. Yep, gaura is classified in the family. When they're done eating our gaura, these caterpillars will pupate in shallow burrows in the ground.

Spittlebugs return

They're BACKKKKKK! Last year, I investigated the abundance of "spit" on plants around our Wildscape and learned about spittlebug nymphs. Look up my April 2016 post and find out how and why they make that slimy ooze. Very interesting! I took more photos yesterday of spit on our plants and discovered a different species. Take a look!

Missouri primrose

Our Missouri primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa) is blooming! We've had this plant for several years (I failed to note on this blog where we got it and when). It started out in the front yard, then we transplanted it to the back yard. According to one post of mine, it bloomed for the first time in June 2014. 

When I was editing photos, I noticed a critter was tucked way down in the bloom! Looks like a beetle.

Federal and state listed plants of Texas

NEW RESOURCE!

In Texas, plant species of conservation concern may be listed as threatened or endangered under the authority of state law and/or under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). Species may be listed as state threatened or endangered and not federally listed. The state list only addresses the status of a species within Texas. The federal list addresses the status of a species throughout all or a significant portion of its range, which may encompass several other states or nations.

Candidate species are those organisms the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has sufficient information on to propose as endangered or threatened under the ESA but development of a proposed listing regulation is precluded by other higher priority listing activities. Unlike species listed under the ESA, candidates receive no statutory protection.

Species are ranked (Global and State) using a conservation status system established by NatureServe.

New additions

Today's new friends bought at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center's native plant sale:

Corkstem passionflower (Passiflora suberosa)

Prairie fleabane (Erigeron modestus)

Texas sage (Salvia texana)

Bought at center from the Native Plant Society of Texas:

Scrambled eggs (Corydalis aruea)  (A little freebie!)

Texas aster (Symphyotrichum drummondi var. texanum) 2

I also bought a package of Texas Indian paintbrush (Castilleja indivisa) seeds from Native American Seed. I'd like to get more established in the Meadow to compliment our growing numbers of bluebonnets.

Another native plant sale!

Once again, James had to work. Which left me again on my own and unsupervised at a native plant sale. He's a trusting husband, isn't he? Today is the members-only preview sale at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin. We've been to regular sales in the past but never to a members only. This spring, the sale  only runs today and tomorrow.

I was curious about what the crowd would be like first thing in the morning. I arrived about 10 minutes before the 9 a.m. sale start. La Crosse Avenue, which leads to the center, was already getting full of parked cars. I decided I'd try to find a spot in the center's parking lot. I did! I was QUITE happy about that. After getting my orange MEMBER sticker, I got in line with others members who were waiting for the sale to open. I ended up chatting with a guy behind me from Austin. He was hoping to buy a madrone. Oh, well, did I know something about THAT! I told him about Mike Prochoroff and his madrones at the Madrone Way. Plus I gave him my card so he could check out my post about planting our madrone child.

Then off we went to explore tables and tables and tables of plants plants plants! Once again, I was restrained and didn't buy but a few plants. I was saddened to miss out on purchasing a gray globe mallow (ours has died, I think) because I waited too long, and they sold out.

At the Native Plant Society of Texas's booth, I spotted my new friend Paul and waved him over. I'd spotted some of Mike madrones there! Paul quickly and happily snagged one (that's him above, holding and hugging his madrone). God always puts us where we're suppose to be!

Before heading home, I wandered around the grounds for a little bit. Might as well, right? It was a beautiful morning.

I don't remember seeing this plant tag before. Even POISON IVY, definitely a native vine, deserves a bit of recognition.