My pretty zinnias just got more majestic.
A royal visit has that effect sometimes, especially when it's from a monarch like the one Will pointed out to me the other day. He noticed it fluttering around the zinnia patch despite the crazy winds one afternoon, and he knew exactly what it meant...
A royal visit has that effect sometimes, especially when it's from a monarch like the one Will pointed out to me the other day. He noticed it fluttering around the zinnia patch despite the crazy winds one afternoon, and he knew exactly what it meant...
The Monarch caterpillars had morphed!
We spotted this fella several days before in the most unexpected place--on the Bronze Fennel plant.
I didn't know they liked to eat Bronze Fennel. Or maybe he was just after that fly perched on top of the flower head...
Nah, I'm pretty sure monarchs are vegetarians.
Anyway, we were surprised to see him there because just across the yard is a patch of milkweed, which from what we understood, is their favorite plant to munch on. Yet there were no caterpillars at all on the milkweed.
We spotted this fella several days before in the most unexpected place--on the Bronze Fennel plant.
I didn't know they liked to eat Bronze Fennel. Or maybe he was just after that fly perched on top of the flower head...
Nah, I'm pretty sure monarchs are vegetarians.
Anyway, we were surprised to see him there because just across the yard is a patch of milkweed, which from what we understood, is their favorite plant to munch on. Yet there were no caterpillars at all on the milkweed.
But they were all over the fennel.
In fact, they weren't the only ones on the fennel. It was a hot spot of activity that day...
In fact, they weren't the only ones on the fennel. It was a hot spot of activity that day...
There were Mud Daubers...
Honeybees...
A spider eating a fly...
Hey, I wonder if that was the same fly I saw earlier...
Okay, let's not dwell on him. Here's somebody else to dwell on...
Hey, I wonder if that was the same fly I saw earlier...
Okay, let's not dwell on him. Here's somebody else to dwell on...
Or at least keep an eye on--a red wasp. Eek! This fella might even merit a few prayers for safety.
Looks like somebody else had the same thought.
Praying mantises are so devout. They pray constantly!
And also, they creep me out. But I do like that shade of green he's wearing.
Praying mantises are so devout. They pray constantly!
And also, they creep me out. But I do like that shade of green he's wearing.
His friend could use a little sprucing up, though. That brown is kind of drab.
Although, I can spot this guy better than the first one, so maybe the boring color is better.
Although, I can spot this guy better than the first one, so maybe the boring color is better.
Either way, I'm glad I could provide a habitat for all these creatures, from the mundane to the majestic.
It's nice to know that as my zinnias are putting on their final display for the year, they are also fueling the monarchs for their long journey to Mexico, which by the way, is where zinnias originally hail from.
I love that! Sometimes the world just makes too much sense.
Hmm. Maybe nature isn't as random as we've been told...now there's a thought!
It's nice to know that as my zinnias are putting on their final display for the year, they are also fueling the monarchs for their long journey to Mexico, which by the way, is where zinnias originally hail from.
I love that! Sometimes the world just makes too much sense.
Hmm. Maybe nature isn't as random as we've been told...now there's a thought!
RSS Feed
