Ah the beautiful LBJ National Grasslands. Indeed I feel so lucky to live near this treasure!
Goodness it was so beautiful that day! The Narrow-leaf Gayfeather (Liatris punctata var mucronata) and the False Gaura (Oenothera glaucifolia) covered the field! And don’t forget the Monarch. đŸ™‚
A close look at the False Gaura (Oenothera glaucifolia).
The False Gaura (Oenothera glaucifolia) is host to many creatures like this Clouded Crimson Moth (Schinia gaurae) caterpillar!
But not just the Crimson Cloud. Here were some barrel shaped eggs that had hatched. These were True Bugs nymphs (Heteroptera), possibly stink bugs.
So here was a Common Tree Cricket (Oecanthus). To get an ID for the tree crickets, you need to see the front of the antenna at the base which was on the underside in this case. They would not raise them so a photo was not possible.
Two more Clouded Crimson Moth (Schinia gaurae) caterpillars!
The Stilt Bugs (Berytidae) can reliable be found on many of the Oenothera and other plants. A nice bonus was the exuvia of a Stilt Bug!
A tiny Bold Jumping spider (Phidippus audax) had success catching a larva!
A Red-shouldered Stink Bug (Thyanta custator) larva was a meal for the Red-lipped Green Lacewing (Chrysoperla rufilabris) larva! We watched as the stink bug tried to escape the lacewing.
The drama unfolded on the False Gaura with an abundance of life!
My father-in-law owned a farm in Iowa (and so did we for a year after he died). He was a student of better methods of farming and improving the land. He would have loved the prairie strips. Adjoining his land, there is a conservation farm that grows corn and soybeans, but it also has acres of prairie, including on the edges of its cornfields. I wonder if it’s part of a study group.
What a great day!! Love the article about adding back in little prairie strips to corn fields.
This is sure a fun peek at a day in Gaura Nation!
I love the little prairie idea.
My father-in-law owned a farm in Iowa (and so did we for a year after he died). He was a student of better methods of farming and improving the land. He would have loved the prairie strips. Adjoining his land, there is a conservation farm that grows corn and soybeans, but it also has acres of prairie, including on the edges of its cornfields. I wonder if it’s part of a study group.
It’s a great idea for farming – hope it catches on more places.