Trav’lin Monarchs

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Tina

As of this past weekend, migrating Monarchs are gone from my gardens. We received our strongest cold front of the season and like other winged migrators, Monarchs hitch a ride on those strong winds heading southward. I did visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center over the weekend and saw busily nectaring Monarchs there–maybe those were some that left my garden a day or two before. While the Monarchs’ migratory patterns and their winter habitat are seriously threatened, causing concern for the future of this North American species, I was gratified to host Monarchs in my gardens over the past few weeks. Every afternoon, there were several,

…sipping and sharing with other pollinators.

The perennials in my gardens cooperated, supplying blooms galore for the Monarchs’ winter needs. They especially enjoyed the blooms of the Frostweed, Verbesina virginica.

Any migration worth its mileage will have both males and females along for the adventure. How do you know whether it’s a boy Monarch or a girl Monarch? The male Monarchs tend to have thinner wing veins than females, therefore are lighter in color. More easily observed though are the black spots on the hind wings which have pheromones which attract the ladies. Can you see the black spot in this photo?

It’s located on the underside of the hind wing, just above where the “B” for the label is.

In this photo with wings spread, the gentleman’s black spots are to the left of the label.

This Monarch, dining on nectar of the Gregg’s Mistflower, Conoclinium greggii,

…is female. As is the one below, sipping on a Blue Mistflower, Conoclinium coelestinum.

There are no discernible spots on either, so they are female. Read here and here for a couple of excellent tutorials on sexing Monarchs.

I wish good travels to the Monarchs out there and safe harbor in the mountains of Mexico. I’ll await your return in the spring, with blooms ready to help continue your remarkable life cycle.

Decisions, Decisions

Posted on November 1, 2014 by Tina

Resting on a cushion of snowy white Frostweed blooms, this Green Anole, Anolis carolinensis, can’t decide:

…should I be green?

…or brown-ish?

Noticeable in his rather mottled confirmation, he should skedaddle to someplace safe where he won’t become a morsel for some passing bird. Or cat.

Even in this indecisive state, I’m certain that he’d want to remind that Wildlife Wednesday is next Wednesday, November 5th. My gardens enjoy lots of wildness and I’m sure your garden does too. Please join in posting about the wild garden visitors for November Wildlife Wednesday. Share the rare or mundane, funny or fascinating, beneficial or harmful critters you encounter. When you comment on my post, please remember to leave a link to your Wildlife Wednesday post so we can enjoy a variety of garden wildlife observations.

Happy Wildlife Wednesday and good wildlife gardening!

Blue Mistflower(s)

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Tina

This is Blue Mistflower, Conoclinium coelestinum.

This is also a blue mistflower,

…except that it’s Gregg’s Mistflower, Conoclinium greggii. From the shared Latin name, Conoclinium, it’s obvious that these two lovelies are related.

Both Blue Mistflower and Gregg Mistflower are in the Asteraceae, or Aster, family of plants and both are native Texas groundcovers. Blooming in August until the first light freeze, these mistflowers are desirable pollinator plants, easy to grow, and downright pretty.

I planted the Blue Mistflower many years ago in a different spot from this,

…and loved it. About five years ago, as spring arrived, only about ten “sprigs” emerged from winter dormancy. I was in major garden redo mode, so I pulled those few surviving sprigs up and replanted them.

The leaves are dark green and slightly serrated, with fuzzy, rich blue-violet flowers atop the branches.

The color of the photos doesn’t translate well, but Blue Mistflower is quite striking in full bloom.

The Gregg’s Mistflower is a newer addition in my gardens, though it’s more commonly planted in Austin gardens than the Blue.

I’ve only grown the Gregg’s for about three years. It’s an excellent attractor of pollinators–bees, butterflies, and moths are constantly working these flowers.