Oh goodness, we got .46″ rain last night! Perhaps “not carrying the umbrella” trick yesterday helped? LOL
We got just a couple of sprinkles this morning from another small isolated storm cloud. However it was not enough to move the rain gauge. 🤷🏻♀️
Isn’t this just the cutest? Diagnostic of a male Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica), a pale face means it no worries for getting stung.
He was a bit sluggish from the dampness and cool morning.
Here was my opportunity to get some closeups. The wing veination is an important feature to take note of for many insect species.
A leg shot. So you never know if this might be the key to an ID. However in this case I already knew the species.
Indeed its hairs were a bit disheveled!
Knowing that it was a male and not going to sting me, I gave it nudge. Notice we both jump a bit. LOL
He seemed to BEE pretty friendly. So I decided to give him a finger up. Oh and it was kinda of funny that our neighbor was taking off in his airplane at the same time I was recording. Hopefully you can hear that too.
After getting the closeup of the veination of the Carpenter Bee I tried do the same for an American Bumble Bee (Bombus pensylvanicus) on the Leavenworth’s Eryngo (Eryngium leavenworthii) later. Certainly was much harder since it was getting its meal and moving.
Kathy shared this with me. “Last night I captured an adult ant lion in the cabin then forgot about it until this morning. I remembered it and asked Gary to take the carton outside to release it. Well he did. And it was still alive but it fell to the porch. THEN a huge TX spiny lizard that lives around our cabin came out of hiding and grabbed it. BUT she won’t eat it. Keeps standing over it like this and tastes it once in awhile. Do they taste bad?” Kathy, maybe it wasn’t as hungry as it thought? And just thought it was too good of an opportunity to pass up? Let us know if it finally eats it.
The more you know, the more you see and the more you see, the more you know
4 Comments
The bee looks like it’s recovering from a wild night out. Disheveled. Now I’m really curious if the lizard eats the ant lion so be sure and let us know Kathy.
I giggled a little when you and the bee both jumped. And you’d even warned us! I’m also curious about why the lizard didn’t eat the ant lion – hope you’ll have the final resolution, Kathy.
It was funny watching the lizard stick out its tongue and taste it. The lizard left after a bit. I thought the high stance was interesting too.
The sun rays and clouds were majestic! We are back to hot and dry down here. But plants sure responded to that 1.7″ total last week. Tiny sprouts of things coming up everywhere and the rain lilies are just crazy.
The bee looks like it’s recovering from a wild night out. Disheveled. Now I’m really curious if the lizard eats the ant lion so be sure and let us know Kathy.
Lots of great shots – clouds and sky, close up of the bee face. And that take off buzz in the video – priceless.
I giggled a little when you and the bee both jumped. And you’d even warned us! I’m also curious about why the lizard didn’t eat the ant lion – hope you’ll have the final resolution, Kathy.
It was funny watching the lizard stick out its tongue and taste it. The lizard left after a bit. I thought the high stance was interesting too.
The sun rays and clouds were majestic! We are back to hot and dry down here. But plants sure responded to that 1.7″ total last week. Tiny sprouts of things coming up everywhere and the rain lilies are just crazy.