After going to visit in Oregon, I am always ready to get home. There is certainly no shortage of treasures here. November 10th was the last warmish day before the cold front came through. And Jeanne and I took advantage of the day! We headed out to the LBJ grasslands.
Our first flower spotted, Skullcap (Scutellaria)!
Closer view.
The Golden Dalea (Dalea aurea) was topped off!
We were up on the barrens, and a few Dalea tenuis were still blooming!
There was a chill in the air, so this Reakirt’s Blue wasn’t moving.
We were searching for the parasitic plant Thurber’s Pilostyles (Pilostyles thurberii) on the Black Dalea (Dalea frutescens) again. Very few of the Black Daleas had any blooms. But this was not needed for the search.
Another chilled butterfly, the Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)!
Whitlow Wort (Paronychia virginica) was a splash of color on the barrens!
Multiple of the Sleepy Oranges were flitting around despite the chilly morning This one may have been just emerging from its chrysalis!
The Sleepy Orange’s host plant is Two-leaf Senna (Senna roemeriana). There was plenty of the Senna on the barrens. However, you will not usually find the pupa on its host plant. They like to move away from the host to find a more security location to pupate. In this case, a Black Dalea fit the bill. More tomorrow from the grasslands!
Today, November 13th, my Frostweed (Verbesina virginica) frosted! It was 26 degrees at our house. Frostweed is a plant that delights me from early spring until the first hard frost. When the flowers bloom, it is the proverbial insect magnet!
Everyone try to stay warm tomorrow (Monday)!
Keep looking!
The more you know, the more you see and the more you see, the more you know
The frostweeed is really cool!
I agree with Jeanne – great effort by that frostweed!
I’m still hoping for my frostweed!!