Pollinators’ Delight

Posted on December 18, 2023 by Tina

As of mid December, my garden has experienced only the slightest touch of a light freeze, so some plants are still blooming, especially those plants which hug close to the ground. The late season availability of flowers makes for happy, busy pollinators during sunny days.

The autumn blooming ground-cover, Gregg’s Mistflower, Conoclinium greggii, is a favorite of many pollinators, big and small. This native-to-Texas perennial boasts bright green foliage and vibrant flowers with a fuzzy structure that pollinators adore.

I’ve seen many a Grey Hairstreak, Strymon melinus, nectaring on the mistflowers. This is one of its kind visiting, wings spread wide, proboscis deep in the bloom.

Another common pollinator of the popular aster are Fiery Kippers, Hylephila phyleus. I particularly like the orange and brown of the skipper paired with the bloom’s rich lavender color.

An American Hoverfly, Eupeodes americanus, can’t resist the bounty of the mistflower. I’ve seen other flies pollinating, but catching them in action proves elusive on breezy days. This yellow-n-black stripey fella cooperated with the photo session.

As always in my garden, the honeybees are active. If there’s a flower available for sipping, honeybees are all-in.

Yellow is a color of autumn and this Little Yellow, Pyrisitia lisa, is one of several who’ve worked the patch of mistflower for the past few weeks.

The Queen rules the mistflower. Queen butterflies, Danaus gilippus, are regulars in my garden. During autumn and until the first hard freeze, they’re particularly fond of Gregg’s Mistflower; Queens are some of its most loyal customers. This male Queen, along with several others of both genders, flit to the mistflower once the sun is shining on the blooms.

Male Queens and Monarchs have two black dots on their hindwings, located on either side of their abdomen. The black dots emit pheromones to attract the females. And they look cool, too!

Another queenly view…

Weirdly, Monarchs, Danaus plexippus, are still migrating through Central Texas on their way to their Northern Mexico wintering homes. I don’t recall seeing monarchs this late in fall, but I’m happy that there’s plenty for them to nectar from.

This Monarch’s wing looks like it met with a predator or possibly another kind of accident. It flew well though and I’m sure it will have no trouble getting to Mexico–assuming no other mishaps.

Tres mariposas, three butterflies–all in a row! Two Queens (left and center) and one Monarch, far right. Did I mention that these butterflies love Gregg’s Mistflower? Often there are even more individuals snacking at the patch of flowers.

More admiring fans of mistflower are Painted Lady butterflies, Vanessa cardui. The ones visiting my mistflower have been skittish, but I finally caught a couple of photos demonstrating their enjoyment of the flowers–and their beauty.

These are but a few of the pollinators working this popular flower during the zenith of its bloom season. Not shown, but definitely groupies of Gregg’s Mistflower, are multitudes of tiny native bees (which never seem to perch and pollinate, but must do?) and other too-quick-to-catch-with-the-camera butterflies. This lovely plant will bloom and provide for pollinators until a hard freeze renders it dead for the season. Fuzzy blooms then turn a warm toasty color and over time, mistflower fluff drifts with the breezes.

In a few month’s time and with spring’s warmth, new growth will emerge from the soil, signature puffy flowers will appear in clusters, and pollinators will return.

Poverty Weed and Goldenrod

Posted on October 26, 2023 by Tina

Two, new-to-my-garden native plants popped up this season, whether gifts from wind or wildlife, I won’t hazard a guess, but I’m pleased nonetheless. I was excited when I spotted the resplendent blooms of a Goldenrod, Solidago gigantea.

I then recognized its frothy neighbor, a Poverty Weed, Baccharis neglecta.

The plants actually belong to my neighbor and sister-in-law, as they’ve grown up at the base of the remains of her large Arizona Ash, which is now mostly bark, but full of life with insects and perching birds. I had no idea these two were plotting to play a role in the ensemble of the garden because they’ve been situated between my SIL’s tree and a group of my plants, including a large Plateau Goldeneye, Viguiera dentata, some Turk’s Cap, Malvaviscus arboreus, and a Mexican Orchid tree, Bauhinia mexicana, and so weren’t noticed until each grew tall enough and flowered bodaciously enough to demand attention.

Both plants’ blooms are providing plenty for pollinators; mostly I’ve seen bees.

In this photo, just north of the smeary honeybee, you can see a tiny, dark native bee. To the right of that bee, is another native, either bee or beetle, I’m not quite sure.

The Poverty Weed’s mass of snowy blooms reaches over a cluster of Goldeneye flowers; bees zip between the two plants.

Photos of the small flowers have been tricky, due to wind, rain, and photographer limitations, but in this photo, there are several tiny black insects–all native bees.

This honeybee is a giant compared to the little natives nectaring, but both species are enjoying the bounty.

I’m always tickled when new plants make their home in my garden and I appreciate observing and learning about them. I will need to cull any seedlings that these two produce (and there will be some…or plenty), but I welcome these native pollinator plants full of charm and beauty and appreciate their contribution to the diversity of my garden.

Yellow

Posted on September 10, 2023 by Tina

There’s yellow,

…and then there’s yellow!

Autumn migration is in full swing! Year in and year out, a most dependable visitor to my gardens during both spring and autumn migrations are the eponymous Yellow Warbler, Setophaga petechia. Flitty, flighty birds, these little darlings are a treat to see. I nearly always have birds of both genders stop in for a time; sometime they come as couples, often, they visit separately.

A female Yellow Warbler bopped around the Rough-leaf Dogwood, Cornus drummondii, growing near the pond. I planted this small native tree in this particular spot to give both resident and migratory birds a quick hiding place up and away from the pond. It also offers creamy fall fruits for noshing, if that’s on a bird’s menu.

Ms. Yellow used the foliage wisely, cautiously peeking out before her forays to the pond.

There are plenty of spots for tired, hot, thirsty birds to settle in for a drink and a fluttery bath.

Later, her mate, or maybe a random Yellow dude on the same travel path, came by to check out the water feature.

In the avian world, the male birds are nearly always brighter and more colorful than their female partners. The Yellow Warbler male also rocks rusty streaking on its chest which the females lack.

The Yellow Warblers are heading to Central America and parts of South America, along with millions of other birds. They have treacherous travels ahead before they land in their wintering quarters. My garden, especially the pond, provides safety and respite for the stalwart wanderers and the maintenance of a wildlife habitat is a responsibility I’ve wholeheartedly accepted. Wildlife-friendly gardens are necessary in a world where buildings, roads, sterile lawns, and all manner of urbanization has damaged and reduced the natural world.