The Good Pollinators: Wildlife Wednesday, December 2016

Posted on December 6, 2016 by Tina

I suppose there aren’t many bad pollinators, but I’ve certainly relished the good work of pollinators in my garden this autumn and, in fact, for the whole of this past growing season. Today is the first Wednesday of the month and time to appreciate those who require and benefit from our efforts as gardeners.

Gardeners garden. It’s what we do. Neophyte gardeners are first attracted to the multitudes of choices with blooms-n-foliage, as well as the endless arrangements therein as we delve into the joys of augmenting personal outdoor space. But sooner or later, we notice those who “visit” our gardens: pollinators, birds, mammals, reptiles. With greater observation and understanding, the notion of garden beauty morphs into more than an emphasis on the human-focused composition of plants to a recognition of the purpose of those plants, as well as the gardener’s role in promoting a healthy, diverse environment. For many gardeners, the drive to attract wildlife to our particular slice of the Earth spurs deeper learning about plants and the processes of wildlife gardening.

When I was traveling in October, a neighbor sent me a Facebook message with a photo attached, wondering what “this” butterfly was. I didn’t have time during my travels to research, but did take a look at on-line butterfly sources once I returned home. In my own garden, I observed this Tailed Orange, Pyrisitia proterpia, working blooms one afternoon.

I sent my Tailed Orange link to the neighbor and she delightedly affirmed that “my” Tailed Orange was “her” butterfly, too. Score! While probably not the same individual butterfly, clearly this was a species hanging around the neighborhood.

Tailed Orange butterflies are fast flyers, the adults nectaring on many flowers as they move rapidly from one to another. Tailed Orange butterflies prefer plants in the pea (Fabaceae) family as their hosts.

Another cheery autumn yellow butterfly common in Texas most years is the Cloudless Sulphur, Phoebis sennae.

Also utilizing host plants in the Fabaceae family, this butterfly graces my garden annually from the end of summer, well into early winter. I grow the native Lindheimer’s senna, Senna lindheimeriana,

…which is a likely plant (check out the species name of the insect!) in which these butterflies lay their eggs. In the future, I’ll need to keep a keener eye out for the larvae on the leaves and snatch a photo of the juveniles of this insect.

Queens, Danaus gilippus, which are year-round residents here,

The two black dots on the hind wings indicate that this butterfly is a male.

…and a few straggler migrating Monarchs, Danaus plexippus,

The lack of black dots on the hind wings indicates that this Monarch is a female.

…continued their regular visits, though I haven’t seen a Monarch since mid-November.

This little cutey, a Spotted Beet Webworm Moth, Hymenia perspectalis, rested on a Purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea,

…while this Clouded Skipper, Lerema accius, contemplated a shuttered Rock rose, Pavonia lasiopetala bloom.

Another skipper, a Tropical Checkered Skipper, Pyrgus oileus, was loathed to pose for a photograph in the bright Texas sun, but eventually, relented.

It enjoyed the bounty of a Rock rose flower, which is a member of the family (Malvaceae) that this butterfly requires as its host. The checkerboard pattern on the upper wings,

…and its “hairy” body were the keys for identifying this butterfly.

I often see Grey Hairstreaks in the garden but this past month I enjoyed a Mallow Scrub Hairstreak, Strymon istapa, as it visited several flowers in the aster or Asteraceae family.

Hairstreaks are such pretty butterflies, with subtle coloring and unique markings.

A Variegated Fritillary, Euptoieta claudia,

…a Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae,

…an American Painted Lady, Vanessa virginiensis,

…and a Southern Dogface, Zerene cesonia,

…all are typical butterflies which contributed to the mass of butterfly/moth activity gracing my November garden.

It wasn’t just about butterflies and moths this month, though. There were beetles–lots of beetles–in the garden this past month.

They employ some sipping of the nectar, but also cause a little damage leaves and petals during their feedings. Does that make them bad pollinators? Nah, I never met a pollinator that I didn’t love. Or, at least tolerate.

Additionally, native bees were out in force in the last weeks of full-bloom garden action. Throughout summer, I’d catch a glimpse of a stunning metallic green bee, but I was never fast or organized enough to document its activity–until this month!

Bee and beetle, working side-by-side.

I’m fairly sure that this gorgeous bee is a Green metallic bee, Agapostemon texanus.

Though rare, this species of wild bee are seen in this part of Texas. I was pleased to watch her work the flowers of a Goldeneye, Viguiera dentata.

Also enjoying fall-blooming Goldeneye, were two kinds of Sweat bees:

Lasioglossum spp.

This sweat bee shares flower space with the Mallow Shrub Hairstreak.

…and Halictus tripartitus.

A Small carpenter bee, Ceratina sp., nectared and gathered pollen from a Rock rose.

Identifying native bees is tricky because there’s just not that much research on these important pollinators. To help me figure out what I’m seeing in my garden, I use a site hosted by an entomologist at The University of Texas, Professor Shalene Jha, who studies Texas native bees. The site focuses on native ecosystems and native bee sightings in wildlife preserves. The information on the native bees is local and relevant to Texas, the photos of these bees, remarkable.

Not a pollinator, but a regular contributor to Wildlife Wednesdays, this juvenile Anole lizard is most likely making his/her last appearance for a while.

I might spot one from time-to-time over the course of the next few months, but they’ll be nicely tucked in for our (usually) mild winter.

Did wildlife visit your garden this past month? Please post for December 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 readers can enjoy a variety of garden wildlife observations.

Pollinators Galore: Wildlife Wednesday, November 2016

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Tina

Having traveled for half of October and with a general lack of time for critter photo-ops when I was home, there isn’t a portfolio of day-to-day proof of the masses of buzzers and flutterers who’ve been in my gardens this past month. You’ll just have to take my word for it–this past month was epic on the pollinator front in the garden! Not only in sheer numbers, but the variety of butterflies and native bees has been a delight. Today is Wildlife Wednesday and I hope you’re set to celebrate the wild things in our gardens. Whether winged, scaled, feathered, or furred, wildlife is what makes a garden a truly living space–wildlife is what makes a garden.

It’s been quite a few years since my garden has enjoyed and benefited from the numbers of butterflies who visited in these past couple of months. The wet year, coupled with relatively mild summer temperatures, allowed for the right breeding conditions to occur and for blooming plants to thrive. Plenty of host and nectar plants are available for feeding this year and pollinators are taking advantage of the bounty. There are always more butterflies in late summer and fall, but this year I notice some that I’d never seen before.

I saw many of these pretties,

…mostly hanging out around the Blue mistflower, Conoclinium coelestinum. I knew that I’d seen a photo of this kind of butterfly–somewhere–but couldn’t recall where. After some sleuthing, I identified this species as a Common mestra, Mestra amymone. Eventually, I remembered that I’d seen photos of the mestra on the FB page of The National Butterfly Center, which is located in Mission, Texas. Primarily a butterfly of South Texas, Mexico and South America, they will stray northward–and so they did, right into my little garden! They favored the Blue mistflower, but I also saw them nectaring at the Plateau goldeneye and Turk’s cap, too.

White-Striped Longtail butterflies, Chioides albofasciatus, are a new butterfly in my garden.

They proved difficult to get clear photos of because they nectared at Yellow bell blooms which are located high on the tall shrubs and subject to every puff or blast of breeze–not conducive to great photography, Also, this critter doesn’t sit still for long.

Lucky for this gardener though, one spent casual time at a lower-to-the ground West Texas native, the Shrubby blue sage, Salvia ballotiflora and I opportunistically snagged some shots.

Yet another butterfly more common in South Texas and regions further a-field, it’s interesting that there were “tropical” butterflies in my Central Texas garden this past month.

Along with the southern visitors, the usual garden suspects were active. For example, Fiery Skippers, Hylephila phyleus, decked out in autumn colors, have been all over the Gregg’s mistflower, Conoclinium greggii, sharing nicely that pollinator favorite with many other winged things. .

A tiny native minor bee is blurry just above the Fiery Skipper.

Other fans of the Gregg’s mistflower are the many Clouded Skipper, Lerema accius butterflies which regularly tour the garden. These skippers have been active throughout the warm season this year.

Monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus, continued their march through Texas.

Male Monarch demonstrates his scent glands (the two black dots on the hind wings).

It was a pleasure hosting them this autumn–I hope they safely arrive in Mexico and winter well there.

Black Swallowtail, Papilio polyxenes, butterflies visited daily.

Black Swallowtail on Turk’s cap.

Honeybees (from my three hives) busily worked at the bloom-heavy Plateau goldeneye, Viguiera dentata, as well as everything else, preparing their honey stores for winter.

There are still scads of the charming S outhern Pink Moth s, Pyrausta inornatalis, like this one resting on a White tropical sage. The Pinks are another species in abundance this year.

Native bees of all kinds are still working in the garden. This leaf-cutter, Megachile, was not the only native bee around, but fun to watch as she worked Plateau goldeneye blooms.

Additionally, this past month saw a boon in the Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae, population.

The foliage decimation wrought on my Passion vine by caterpillars eating and eating and eating,

…and then pupating into their adult form wherever they could,

…is all the proof I need to suggest that they’re quite at home in the garden.

I don’t fret about butterfly and moth caterpillars munching on host plants because they generally don’t kill the host, munching away only to some level of plant un-attractiveness. Usually, the plants–like the Passion vine–spring back to full-leafed health quickly and in preparation for the next generation of caterpillars. Biology dictates that for the most part, the symbiotic relationship between a host plant and its insect is a healthy one, and a plant is rarely, if ever, eaten to death. From an evolutionary standpoint, it wouldn’t make sense for a host plant to die every time its insect requires reproduction.

Ain’t nature grand?!

Texan Crescents, Anthanassa texana,

….are eating their native host plants–the Branched foldwing, Dicliptera brachiata,

…as can be seen by the green sticks left from the last crop of caterpillars. No worries about the recover of the plant though, the munched Branched foldwing is already leafing out. For the remainder of autumn, more of the butterflies will nectar in the garden in clouds of fluttering brown and gold. I missed the opportunity to catch a photo of the nondescript caterpillars, though I’m always happy to get photos of a pretty face–and lovely set of wings.

Not only did butterflies and moths grace my garden, but plenty of Syrphid, or Flower flies, appeared too. For the most part, Syrphid flies haven’t been as numerous in the garden this year. But recently I’ve seen many of this particular kind, the Distinctive Syrphid, Ocyptamus fascipennis.

Syrphid on the bloom clusters of the Barbados Cherry (Malpighia glabra)

As for what attracts all of these garden gifts, If there was an award for Pollinator Plant of the Month, it would have to go to Frostweed, Verbesina virginica.

There are four individual pollinators on this particular flower cluster–and it’s not unusual to see that many pollinators simultaneously feeding on Frostweed bloom clusters. Where Frostweed grow, insect–especially pollinator–activity is abundant. Both small and large butterflies, honey and native bees, and eventually, after the blooms are spent, little finches and warblers choose this plant as a favorite food source. It, along with the Plateau goldeneye, are amazing plants for attracting and feeding wildlife. Both plants are easy to grow (Texas natives!) and attractive; both fit especially well in a woodland garden or at the back of a perennial bed.

These beetles enjoyed one particular group of Frostweed. I never quite figured out what kind of beetle they are, but I’m leaning toward an identification as some kind of blister beetle.

The adults were definitely nectaring on the flowers,

…though the nymphs congregated along fruit or foliage, just hanging out it seemed. Typical teenagers, I guess.

At any rate, the beetles didn’t appear to damage the plants, so I left them alone.

A few beetles visited the Mexican honeysuckle, Justicia spicigera.

Like the beetles on the Frostweed, these didn’t appear to harm the honeysuckle foliage or flowers.

This month wasn’t all about pollinators though–this predator Crab spider was clearly waiting to snatch something smaller than herself for a meal.

And this Hydrophilidae, a Water scavenger beetle, was loitering on a spent Garlic chives bloom.

Not quite sure what this one was up to, but I think he’s a little menacing looking. He neither spit nor lunged at me, so I suppose he’s okay and we can be friends, or at the very least, co-workers in the garden.

Did wildlife visit your garden this past month? Please post 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 readers can enjoy a variety of garden wildlife observations.

Pollinator Pow-Wow: Wildlife Wednesday, October 2016

Posted on October 4, 2016 by Tina

Truthfully, it’s been a pollinator Wow! for this past month.

Loads of butterflies and many kinds of bees enhanced the garden and though I didn’t get as many photos as I would have liked, I have a few favorites to share this month. It’s Wildlife Wednesday and time to appreciate the wild critters who make the garden what it is: a dynamic, living space providing refuge and sustenance for wild things.

Monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus, visited daily as they travel to Mexico for the winter.

Monarch enjoying Frostweed.

Monarch at a Gregg’s mistflower.

Most days there have been four or five fluttering from bloom to bloom.

Two cool fronts pushed through recently, ushering in pleasant fall temperatures and providing wind for the Monarchs’ wings as they head south. I’ve seen some Monarchs since, but only one or two in my gardens. I’m betting more will show up in the next few weeks and am glad that I grow some of their autumn favorites like Gregg’s mistflower, Conoclinium greggii, Blue mistflower, Conoclinium coelestinum, and Frostweed, Verbesina virginica.

While this photo isn’t great,

…I felt compelled to include it because this lovely Monarch was a meal for my resident male Neon Skimmer just seconds after the photo was taken. I was attempting a better shot, when the Monarch flew into the path of the Skimmer. The two tumbled to the ground, out of my view and behind some plants, and neither arose into the air immediately. After a few seconds, I walked to where I thought they’d landed. The Skimmer suddenly zoomed upward, Monarch in hand, or rather, claws. An excellent predator, Mr. Skimmer had caught himself a substantial lunch! As he flew around my garden, holding tightly to the hapless Monarch whose wings continued flapping, I yelled at him to drop that Monarch!! My verbal gesticulation didn’t change his mind, nor reduce his grip on the Monarch, and the Skimmer eventually took his prey to a neighbor’s yard (probably because I was being obnoxious and noisy) and I didn’t see either one again that day. Skimmers (and all dragons and damsels) are predators, usually eating mosquitoes–I certainly wish he’d chosen a few of those biting beasts for his meal instead of the Monarch.

Though the demise of one Monarch is sad, it’s a hallmark of nature–eat, or be eaten. It is especially sorrowful because of survival pressures on Monarchs, including habitat destruction, pesticide and herbicide use in mid-western agricultural states (where wildflowers once dominated), and the changing climate, which impacts every region. These are problems caused by people, not dragonflies, and have contributed to the decimation of the remarkable Monarch butterfly. Home gardeners and those who create school or public gardens can help mitigate Monarch decline by utilizing good wildlife management gardening practices such as refraining from chemical use and planting for pollinators with native perennials and annuals.

Relatives of the Monarchs, the Queen butterflies, Danaus gilippus, are also in full fall flight in my gardens and enjoy many of the same Monarch nectar sources. Queens do not migrate and are common in Central Texas throughout the year.

Nectaring on a Gregg’s mistflower.

I didn’t take a photo of the Neon Skimmer this past month because I was pissed at him (I’m kidding. Sort of…), but a Blue Dasher, Pachydiplax longipennis, posed nicely on an almost-spent bloom stalk of a Big red sage, Salvia penstemonoides; I couldn’t resist her allure.

I think this one is a female because of the brown abdomen coloring. She also sports big, beautiful, blue peepers common in dragonflies.

There was more murder and mayhem the garden with this lovely scene:

I was attempting a photo of one of the many fast flying tiny orange butterflies common this time of year (and was unsuccessful) when I spied this Green Lynx spider , Peucetia viridans, who had one of my darling and pollen-sprinkled honeybees in pieces in the middle of a Rock rose flower.

I suppose that if the end is near, it might as well be in the middle of a flower, doing work you love. Again, this is another predator-prey situation and while it’s painful to witness, it’s the way nature works. Spiders must eat, too.

The spider skittered out of the flower because of my photo interference, but the poor bee is…decapitated. Ugh.

It’s a bummer for the bee, though.

Additional sightings of the Lepidoptera sort includes scads of Southern Broken-dash, Wallengrenia otho,

Nectaring on a Purple coneflower.

Nectaring on a Blue mistflower bloom.

…and oodles of Clouded skippers, Lerema accius.

The Clouded Skipper rests besides a buddy–a Common Pillbug (Armadillidium vulgare).

Gray Hairstreak butterflies, Strymon melinus, are more numerous this year than I’ve ever noticed before.

Working a Martha Gonzales rose bloom in the sunshine.

Resting on a spent rose bloom in the shade.

Some of the larger, more dramatic butterflies regularly gracing the garden include Giant Swallowtails, Papilio cresphontes,

Working the blooms of the Mexican orchid.

…Tiger Swallowtails, Papilio glaucus,

Nectaring on a Purple coneflower.

…and Pipevine Swallowtails, Battus philenor.

Proboscis-deep in a Yellow Bells bloom.

Flowers are pretty enough, but much more beautiful when these decorative and vital-for plant-reproduction winged jewels are pollinating the blooms.

Southern pink moths, Pyrausta inornatalis are sprinkling their pink selves on a variety of flowers this year, but I love this convocation of four on a Rock rose bloom. The bloom is about an inch in diameter.

There were five moths all in a circle, but one flew off as I approached to snap the pic; the others maintained their positions.

I wonder what they were talking about? Or were they knitting? Or, perhaps working on dance moves?

It wasn’t all butterflies and moths in the garden this past month, though. Many individuals of my favorite native bee, the Horsefly-like Carpenter bee, Xylocopa tabaniformis, are still active and stealing nectar.

Love those snazzy stripes,

…and dreamy blue eyes!

I’m thrilled that American Bumble Bees, Bombus pensylvanicus, are in the garden this fall. I couldn’t get a good shot, but at least one bumble is in the garden on a daily basis and working hard.

Yellow Bells, Tacoma stans, is a perennial shrub which has attracted multitudes of pollinators this month, including several native bee species, honeybees, a variety of smaller skippers and moths, all of the large swallowtail butterfly species, and hummingbirds. It’s a pollinator plant for the win!!

Other charming critters honoring my garden are the ubiquitous Green Anole lizards, Anolis carolinensis.

This one had just caught and gobbled down something–I wasn’t quick enough to see what the prey was or to configure my camera into action, but I suspect the snack was a small bee or moth. Mr. or Ms. Anole was smacking its pleasure after the treat and looking smug.

Most of the Anoles I see in the garden now are juveniles and darn cute for teenagers. They’re dormant once our chilly weather arrives and I miss them during the winter months.

This Leaf-footed bug, Leptoglossus phyllopus, owns this space atop a Red Yucca seed pod (which they like to munch), and is serving as a mentor to some offspring.

Perhaps not as pretty as some insects, these have a certain panache and I don’t mind seeing them occasionally in the garden. They can be destructive (they’re sucking insects and damage foliage), but they’ve never proved a problem for my plants.

Pretty–or not, did wildlife visit your garden this past month? Please post for October 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 readers can enjoy a variety of garden wildlife observations.