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| It was lovely when it was blooming. |
It grew and grew. What better success in a drought than to have a plant like this. Originally found in the US, we seem to have several plants, as well as this spot. The flowers are delightful, it bloomed towards the end of June. The smell was amazing.
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| seed pods |
The blooms were fertilized by birds, butterflies and moths. The seed pods are rather interesting. With three plants they were in bloom for a long time.
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| A perfect little food package |
The seed pods, before they ripened and turned brown, were further food for numerous little ants. They nipped at the buds, and now eat away at the seed pods. There must be much sap in them!
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| They've dried up and the seeds are good to go |
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| Ready to go food packages |
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| seed pods rattle with seed |
Each ripe pod had a hole. I think a moth, or other bug, dug in for either sap or to lay an egg. But there was another issues. Usually, the woodpeckers have a grand time eating the seeds, or so I thought. It turns out, on closer inspection, the ants have tunnelled up into the stems. The woodpeckers, being good little ant hunters, have been pecking away. She knocked off the first stem of the three and I knew I was doomed. Sure enough, she took off all three.
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| Here is the wee culprit |
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Caught in the act!
She knocked off all of the twine used to keep them vertical! |
Living in a house finished with wood, the woodpeckers are here all the time. I have to fill the holes all the time. Here is a male after the bugs.
The blooms were fertilized by birds, butterflies and moths. The seed pods are rather interesting. With three plants they were in bloom for a long time.
9 comments:
Good thing my house is brick! We do have downy woodpeckers and flickers.
Your yucca is gorgeous. I recently got 3 plants from a friend. I sure hope they transplant well and grow next spring.
Well, at least you got some good photos out of it!
They sure are determined little birds. Nice progression of pictures of your yucca plant. - Margy
Hi, I love your woodpecker pictures! We have one who goes through the trees in my yard every few days or so. Mostly we have robins, chickadees, squirrels and chipmunks here in my suburb. The rabbits disappeared last year.
Hope you have had a chance to start drawing like you were hoping to. From your photos, you have lots of gorgeous material to work with.
I have been doing a few things for the granddaughters to colour, Lia! I send them in the mail as a special surprise! I suppose it is a start. I have several people who started in their 70s. I guess I have time!!!
That is such a beautiful woodpecker. The yucca plant is gorgeous. I used to have one in the house in Illinois. It never bloomed though.
Those seed pods are such an interesting shape!!
I had a yucca plant at my very first house. It sure hurt to bump into it!
Your woodpecker is beautiful!
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