On a still morning recently, I observed this female Neon Skimmer, Libellula croceipennis, as she rested on the tip of a newly risen bloom spike of my Manfreda undulata, ‘Chocolate Chip’. The skimmer looks content, if not downright happy.
On the flip side, gossamer wings bisect distant garden greenery.
I puttered in the garden for a bit, attempting to catch pollinators at work. This pretty predator sat still, until at some point, it left. I hope it hunted mosquitos with success.
A male Neon Skimmer, Libellula croceipennis, rests on the remains of a dead branch. Easy to spot because of their large size and eye-popping color, these common, gorgeous dragonflies are active in summer as they breed, fly, and munch mosquitoes. Neon Skimmers live near ponds and streams, with males defending their territories. Both males and females zip through my garden, almost always near the pond in the back garden. This one is an outlier: he perched in the front garden, where no water is immediately available. Perhaps he wished to warm his wings in the late afternoon autumn sun or maybe he needed a break from the beach.
Females are a paler version of the vibrant males. As they lay eggs in our pond, they hover above the gently moving water. Curling their abdomens to the water, they dip a bit of that water with their eggs. The eggs are then deposited on watery solid surfaces, like lily pads or bits of algae, or at the edge of the pond where water meets land. Their movements are undulating, the process graceful and mesmerizing.
As summer has ended and autumn is well underway, the life cycle of these garden companions draws to a close. I’ll see these insects for a few more weeks, then not at all until April or May. They always bring a smile, especially on that day, in spring, when I spot them for the first time of the year.
Looking forward…
As it’s both Wildlife Wednesday and Independence Day, let’s cheer America’s 242 birthday and wish a hearty huzzah for wildlife in the garden.
Wildlife is active in my garden this summer, but I’ve been slow at catching that activity. Feathered and furred alike, it seems they scatter when they see me with the camera! That woman is out with her weird, third eye!! Plus, it’s been unusually windy here, so photos of teeny-tiny bees-n-such have been difficult to come by. Nevertheless, wildlife persists, augmenting the beauty of the early summer garden.
This brilliant male Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, brightens the landscape with Red plumage whenever he visits my garden.
He and his lovely lady,
…never nest in my garden, but are regular visitors to the trees, feeders, and water features. They raised two chicks this spring and early summer; both babies have fledged and are learning to garden-hop. I haven’t managed good shots of the girl, but the boy is working on his red attire.
He’s a bit mottled in this shot, taken in mid-June. I’ve noticed recently that his red feathers are becoming more dominant, lessening his awkward teen appearance. Thank goodness! Soon, he and his sister will move on to a different part of the neighborhood, both in search for mates for next year.
As for White, well, it’s less in the guise of wildlife and more in flower form, like this sweet Four O’clock bloom, Mirabilis jalapa. The flowers open at sundown and close early in the morning.
I guess for wildlife White, I could include some white-wing, as in this White-winged Dove, Zenaida asiatica.
Like many birds who visit the pond, this one perches on a rock which is adjacent to the tumbling rush of cool water.
Blue has greater representation in my garden with a bevy of Blue jays, Cyanocitta cristata, who call it home.
I dole out peanuts every morning and the Blue jays love them! Each morning, 7 or 8 jays take turns plucking peanuts from a ceramic bowl affixed to the fence. Additionally, a Blue jay pair nested in my Mountain Laurel tree in May and June, so I’ve enjoyed watching the parenting care in raising the brood and the antics of the fledglings. The newbies have finally learned how to take their own peanuts for breakfast, rather than fluttering their wings in hopes that mom or dad will share peanuts.
This Blue made a brief visit one afternoon.
Austin hosts numerous communities of Monk parakeets, Myiopsitta monachus. I see them flying over my neighborhood and hear their loud cawing, but only rarely do they land in my garden. I assume this Blue parakeet is part of a Monk group, though he/she could also be an escaped or lost pet. The bird was eyeing my pond, but was in the tree for just a few minutes.
Other Things in the garden include an uptick of damselflies and dragonflies–they thrive in summer and are constant pond companions as they flit through the garden while hunting for their meals and resting on foliage. This Neon Skimmer, Libellula croceipennis, posed beautifully one weekend afternoon as I lolled in the swing.
This male is a bright orange, his mate of a paler hue. I’ve observed her laying eggs in the pond several times this summer–more skimmers in our future, unless the fish eat all the larvae.
I see Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Melanerpes carolinus, during winter and early spring, but this summer, both a male and female have been regular guests at the feeder.
This guy snatched black-oil sunflower seeds from the feeder, afterwards zooming to the nearby oak tree to stuff the seeds in a hole. I didn’t see a juvenile at any point, but wondered if this was parenting behavior teaching a young one.
Finally, this unknown moth surprised me late one evening.
Like most folks, I’m bedazzled by the beauty of butterflies; their bright colors and lovely patterns seduce the wildlife watcher during daylight hours. But moths are certainly gorgeous, though subtle in color. Their patterns are remarkably intricate, but we don’t see these nighttime lovelies enough to appreciate their good looks or their contribution to flowers and gardens.
Wildlife in the garden–it’s been a good month and I hope you’ve enjoyed your critters, no matter what their colors, stars, or stripes. Please post about your wild happenings and leave a link when you comment here–and happy wildlife gardening!
Happy Birthday, America–it’s been a good run for our democratic institutions–may they remain.
My Gardener Says... 