It is always fun to observe new things in nature. And hardly a day goes by that I don’t see something I have not seen or known about. So wonderful!
Slime mold branches out!
The Western Horse Nettle (Solanum dimidiatum) is a one of the native host plants for the Colorado Potato Beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) Its eggs are a bright orange.
Spider eats spider!
The Greeneyes (Berlandiera betonicifolia) have started to bloom! Yippee!
Additionally, I got a bonus of not one but two cats! All I can say is that one was a Geometer caterpillar. The hairy one will remain anonymous. LOL Plus I don’t recall seeing larvae on the flower before!
A tiny 3mm Citrus Flatid Planthopper (Metcalfa pruinosa) nymph on Texas Thistle (Cirsium texanum).
The Black Swallowtail caterpillars were out in full force today on the Prairie Parsley (Polytaenia nuttallii)!
At first I didn’t think the younger instars had developed the osmeterium. I had always just petted their heads of the older larvae for the osmeteria to show. A gentle squeeze got all the instars to put out their osmeteria.
I just stroke my baby cats to get them to show off. Black swallowtails also love my dill. Its covered with them now.
Stroking did not work for me on the cats that were younger and dark colored. 🤷🏻♀️
I haven’t seen a climbing slime mold like that yet – will have to keep an eye out! Such a good year for slimes!
I think I see more of the climbers slimes than others.