Saturday 7 September 2019

Success in various forms!

Gardening isn't done, but it's getting close. We've been really dry. Sept. 2nd we had 28 mm of rain, just for a surprise.  There are hurricanes approaching Canada, having wreaked havoc in the Caribbean, and the Maritimes are on notice. 

JB has been doing walks around the property. I've been doing lawns.



These are the little plants I brought home from a locavore plant sale in the summer [We drove to Playfairville!]. These are local plants and I have to figure out their names, or not! 

First planted


Thriving!


The wild grapes are amazing.


The huge hibiscus managed to bloom. My pinks have all died.


The hops vine managed to host a huge number of polygonia interregationis. Question Mark butterflies. I'm having trouble finding out how long they are in the chrysalis. It's been over two weeks.

The one on the right eclosed yesterday. Just as I came up on the deck, it landed on the rain gauge. I wished it well. The one in the corner may not be viable. There are studies by Monarch Watch that show had raised monarch do not do as well as those left wild. I'm not sure if conditions weren't right, or something is wrong with it. I have another monarch that's been turning black for 3 days. I don't think that one is viable, either.

Some are emerging.


The last of the monarchs are eclosing. I have one late caterpillar in the front. I hope it will make it south.


Suzy snake was back.


The fall web worm moth found a 'friend!'


I love this black and yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia). I was about to lower the flag pole, to fix it up, and had to convince her to move.


So many spiders.


Lots of moths


Several tree frogs! Can you see him?


I don't know if you remember, but I repaired the old bird feeder last year and found wasps hiding underneath. Sure enough, they were here, again. I left them alone. The patterns are lovely!
wasps from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.


Bird feeders are up. With the colder nights they've been busy in the day. Hubby grabbed a photo as I was out hunting another monarch. No luck!


Also, Hooper had a bit of an incident. He broke my bird bath. I know it was him, as he roared into the house at 2 a.m., dripping wet, to snuggle with JB. We'll have to go buy another before they close for the season. I loved that bird bath. I'd repaired it so often. I'm not sure what to do with the cracked pieces.



It was my fault, as it wasn't secure where I'd set it. I knew they loved drinking from it.
Once I get my wood stacked, we'll have to go and replace it.

Hooper has been a pain. He brought another chipmunk into the bathroom Saturday morning. I kicked him out of the room, grabbed a net and a towel, and snagged chippie. Outside it went. He's currently howling in the bathroom looking for his toy. They are cute, just not all that gifted!


In the meantime, the colours are beginning to show.

11 comments:

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
What a wonderful array still out to play on this September's day... YAM xx

Anvilcloud said...

I like to think that greater numbers of Monarchs (if cocooned indoors) would be helpful for the species, but who knows?

Powell River Books said...

You have a lot of outside chores right now. Our yellowjacket wasps are having a population explosions right now. We can't even eat outdoors any more. I've searched for a nest so they must be flying over from shore. The other day I was reading outside with no shoes on and one was nibbling on my the underside of my toes. That was too much for me. Now I go out with shoes on. - Margy

Nancy J said...

Looks like Autumn has arrived with the start of red leaves. A chipmunk, how did Hooper ever manage that? The bird bath, maybe put the pieces together on the ground, prop the parts up with dirt and stones, and have plants around it and more rocks, and call it " Hooper's mistake garden"!!!

Jenn Jilks said...

Well, AC, Monarch Watch knows! More of the wild monarch survive than the ones raised indoors. They don't even use the data from tagged home-raised ones at the U of K.

Jenn Jilks said...

I like that idea, Jean!!!!

RedPat said...

So many creatures at your place!

William Kendall said...

You wonder what Hooper would say if he could speak English and tell you about the birdbath incident.

Though as a cat, of course he can speak English- he just wouldn't lower himself to do so. :)

Red said...

It takes a lot of time and effort to get good butterfly and moth photos. You did it!

Karen said...

Never a dull moment!!!
One of our monarchs, which we thought was a write off, popped out today! The chrysalis was black for a very long time.

Kay said...

There used to be a time that we had a lot of monarchs in Hawaii. I see so very few these past few years. It's really sad.