Fingers and toes crossing last night helped! We got 1.6″ in our bucket! YIPPEE! That was like raining cats and dogs. Certainly the rain god should be thanked. 🙂 Now back to yesterday’s outing.
The pod of the Trailing Wild Bean (Strophostyles helvola). The beans left in the pod were curiously distributed.
Another cat (Owlet Moths and kin – Noctuoidea) on the Wooly Croton (Croton capitatus)!
The Daddy Longlegs was going about its business! The Harvestmen (Opiliones) as group eat a variety of foods. Some species eat insects. While others are scavengers. Watch for the occasional mites that will hitch a ride on them.
A beautiful reticulated insect egg was on the Wooly Croton (Croton capitatus). No clue to its identity.
The American Beatyberries were looking fairly good. A month ago when I had been here they were drooping badly. I bet they look even better today after last night’s rain.
The Twig Girdling Beetles (Oncideres) really did a job on the cedar!
Jerry took this beautiful photo of a female Velvet Ant (Mutillidae)!
Another Jerry photo! Nice artistic shot of the doodlebug or if you prefer the Antlion (Myrmeleontidae) holes in the sandy drainage area.
So I don’t know what we were examining but it looks intent, eh. Thanks Jerry for your photos!
Finally I mentioned cats and a dog. And this lady was Lady, the dog! A real sweetie. 🙂 She was most interested in what the humans were examining. Heck as she should because it was. 🙂
Indeed a beautiful First Wednesday outing which included cats (larvae), 3 birds (Pileated Woodpecker, Carolina Wren, and crows calling), snake, skink, other stuff and Lady, the dog. 😉
The more you know, the more you see and the more you see, the more you know
9 Comments
My first thought was our weather station. I think it is hilarious that it will state “raining cats and dogs” when it is pouring down rain.
That is a really cool egg on the croton. And love seeing all the folks on the outing, reminding me of old times!
The pea seeds are arranged based on where their “umbilical cords” attach to the placenta. In this case it looks like the placenta is located along the seam. I think a lot of legumes have this arrangement. I know that coral bean does the same thing.
My first thought was our weather station. I think it is hilarious that it will state “raining cats and dogs” when it is pouring down rain.
That is a really cool egg on the croton. And love seeing all the folks on the outing, reminding me of old times!
Maybe some day you will join us again . 😊
I have noticed other legumes open alternately like that too. Looks like a great day!
Suzanne gives a nice explanation in her comment below. You gardeners watch that sort of stuff. 😊
Love velvet ants and doodlebugs. If you come Kathy i will meet you for lunch.
The pea seeds are arranged based on where their “umbilical cords” attach to the placenta. In this case it looks like the placenta is located along the seam. I think a lot of legumes have this arrangement. I know that coral bean does the same thing.
Thank you again for the explanation. It helps to helps to hear from your expertise to learn about the plants! Love it!
Someone on iNaturalist identified the velvet ant as Dasymutilla occidentalis.
Thanks again for leading the hike.
Thanks Jerry for the update!