Busy as a …

Tis the season to be working hard on finding food and growing!

This young Banana Spider (Argiope aurantia) does not look busy. However, I think it probably deserved a rest after web building.

You probably don’t think much of a plant as being busy. But you know this White Compass Plant (Silphium albiflorum) is hard at work behind the scenes getting ready for the flower production.

A Mexican Plum has done a lot of work already.

Production was in high gear for the Greeneyes (Berlandiera betonicifolia) and Arkansas Yucca (Yucca arkansana)!

A little closer look at this Greeneyes! Seven-spotted Lady Beetles (Coccinella septempunctata) and red aphids were certainly in the thick of it.

A gardener’s friend, the ladybug!

While looking closely at the aphids, I noticed the spiked white bug!

So what was this little critter? At first, I considered the spikes might be eggs or cocoons, but quickly ruled that out. A quick search, lead me to believe that it is the larva of a Lady Beetle (Coccinellidae), subfamily Scymninae with white waxy substance. They also dine on aphids!

Indeed, everyone is as busy as a bee, ah well as a bumblebee (Bombus pensylvanicus)!

Keep looking!

The more you know, the more you see and the more you see, the more you know.

5 Comments

  1. I did not know that was a lady bug larva. Nice to know. I have aphids here but seen only a few lady bugs. Love the bumble video.

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