Here at My Gardener Says… it’s anole week. In addition to squabbling anoles, another green reptilian gnome sits pretty in a fluff of Blue curls, Phacelia congesta.
Comfy and sweet in its chosen bed of blooms, this roving reptile isn’t just chilling. Lying in wait for pollinators, it snatched a couple of tiny native bees and another winged-thing as I watched, though was deferential as a honeybee buzzed by its head. I snickered too much to catch a photo of that.
Perched just above the green hunter’s snout is the aforementioned winged thing–maybe a mosquito? The anole turned its head deliberately and in lightening-fast movement, converted the insect to a snack.
Anoles are garden predators and will eat anything smaller than themselves–except for honeybees, I guess. Maybe the green goblin can learn something about honeybee consumption from this female Summer Tanager, Piranga rubra. 
Typically, Summer Tanagers catch bees on the wing. This time of year, every year, they visit my garden and a few bees become meals for the birds. In a light rain, she hung out next to the hives, gobbling the bees crawling on the ground.
Yummy honeybee.
Watch out for that stinger!
My Gardener Says... 
Great quality images, I zoomed in to see the insect and it really does look like a mosquito.
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Thanks, Christina. Yes, I think it is a mosquito–we’ve had plenty of rain, lately. The males are good pollinators, probably their only good quality. 🙂
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Another amazing shot with the bird and the bee.
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Thanks, Judy!
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Excitement in the garden! Your Blue Curls photos are beautiful – what a plant.
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Blue curls are another of our wonderful annual spring native flowers!
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That last photo made me quiver a little. I once took a swig from a diet coke that had a honey bee inside, and was rewarded with a sting on my bottom lip. Obviously, that’s no problem for the tanager! At first glance, I missed the anole. That’s good camouflage he’s chosen.
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Oh no! Ouch and puff! I’ve become less reactive to their stings, but really puff up if I get dinged on my face. Not pleasant.
Yes, I missed him too, as I was looking for bees to photograph. He was there for a while–scamp!
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Brave little birds. Aren’t they cute.
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They are beautiful birds. If you haven’t clicked on the link, do so–the red of the male is magnificent. I’ve had a juvenale male hanging out with this female–both eating bees, of course–he’s pretty too.
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Your phacelia photo with anole and is poster-worthy! Great shot
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Thanks–I think he was posing for me!
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Your lizards are so cool, I wish we had some. Though Judy dislikes all reptiles except turtles and frogs. We’re hoping to see some Scarlet Tanagers soon.
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They are very cool, I wish you had them too! I’ve never seen a Scarlet Tanager, thought they’re here. My husband has seen a couple.
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More impressive pictures. I can not get such good pictures of Rhody the terrier, and he is supposed to be well trained and obedient.
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How good of you to have caught blue curls, an anole, and a fly all together.
You can submit photos of insects to
https://bugguide.net
for identification. All you have to do is register on that website, which is free.
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He was waiting for me to blunder by. 🙂 I’ve submitted to BugGuide before; you think the companion critter is a fly? Could be…
I just submitted and will update when I get a response.
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I’m using “fly” in the broad entomological sense (Diptera), according to which mosquitoes are a kind of fly, as are various other insects.
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Me too: great photo of the anole and mosquito in the phacelia! (glad Christina mentioned zooming in).
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Thanks, Hollis. I was a the right place and at the right time!
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Love that first photo, especially the color of the blooms. Speaking of being wary of a stinger, I have to laugh seeing squirrels dancing and hopping around the water bowls, trying to avoid squirrels!
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I’ve noticed that birds (and this anole) are quite respectful toward the honeybees. Maybe we’ve all learned our lesson.:)
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