Critter sightings...

This plant has friends. I forget the name of the plant. Soon it will bloom and I'll either remember, or be able to re-research it! (That's the way I roll in the garden!) The leafhopper/aphid (Cicadellidae) was such a lovely colour.


Everything has bugs on it! This is a little milkweed, with aphids and ants!


Forest walkies, at a brisk pace, due to the bugs. I took this to be able to remember where I placed trailcam #1! :-)


A lovely little garter snake was basking in a spot of sun.
Tent caterpillar moth, the caterpillars have mostly morphed.


The deerflies are horrid. I slather on baby oil. It keeps them off my skin, for the most part. I've harvested 33, 39, and 24 yesterday.



The goldfish are happy. I wrap the deerfly sticky on the stick and feed the deerflies to them.



I was on the back deck, reading, trying not to cough. In the forest, I could hear the jays screaming (as when there is a predator) and another bird sort of whistling.
It was a hawk of some sort. I've seen it whip out of there, pedal to the metal, and do this before. I don't think it had anything. This is the second time I've seen this! I just happened to have the zoom lens on, with auto focus.

red-tailed hawk

This is our sharp-shinned hawk.

Monarch butterfly progress north to breeding sites

Monarch butterfly progress
The dots reflect sightings!

Monarch butterfly watchers have been upset. We lost something like 80% of the butterflies in the drought of 2012. At least, they didn't turn up at the fabulous overwintering sites discovered in Mexico.

I haven't seen any yet this year, but the milkweed are ready. They smell amazing. All of the bugs adore the milkweed, I adore the smell. Many critters feed from them, and they provide food for all.

A few plants have aphids, which delights the ants! Then there is the milkweed tussock moth. There are some who suggest we plant milkweed, but there is a ton of milkweed about. The milkweed is where the Monarch lays its eggs, and the caterpillar larvae feeds. Eventually, the butterflies feed on many different flowers in preparation for their migration south, but first they need the milkweed.

Normally, there are 350 million and they found a mere 60 million monarchs in 2013.
Some are blaming pesticides and logging in Mexico, and the lack of milkweed in breeding territory, but it is much more complex than that. Habitat loss, pesticides, the 2012 drought all contributed. 
It is my belief that the Monarchs will rebound. I will post archival photos of them, in anticipation!

 In 2000, the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve was created. The reserve is comprised of 56,000 hectares with complete or partial legal protection from logging, which includes cluster sites of monarch colonies. It is about 100 km north west of Mexico City. 

We need Smellovision!

MMMMmmmmm, yummy aphids!

"That you Mummy?"

Ants on aphids

I let them grow in my gardens, too!

Milkweed tussock moth

Monarch caterpillar larvae

Like ants on aphids

I do love close-ups.
These aphids were being attacked by ants. Busy little ants in my garden. This was last week.

This week the flowers have had it. The impatience are frosted beyond their ability to cope.

Pretty little moth came indoors.
Then I found another smallish praying mantis in the garage. Don't let those prayerful arms fool you. The other big one I found last month pinched me and it hurts!