False Indigo!

False Indigo!

This is the second half of the Thursday’s outing.  American Lady! I was pleased I could get this close. Most of the butterflies lately have not been so cooperative.  Square-bud Primrose (Calylophus berlandieri) is the typical one we see in North Texas with the yellow center. Square-bud Primrose (Calylophus berlandieri ssp pinifolius) is the special…

A Shirley Tour

A Shirley Tour

Today’s route was one that I often took with Shirley. So I affectionally call it the Shirley Tour. There were five of us who all knew Shirley well. It was a great day! How could it not be, following Shirley’s path! First stop was the Garnett Preserve. This larva was the first critter of the…

Oak Leaftier Moth

Oak Leaftier Moth

This is the Oak Leaftier Moth (Acleris semipurpurana). It is rather small at less than 10mm. Judy found one in her yard; then I found one in my yard. LOL This is the Pale Metanema (Metanema inatomaria). It belongs in the Family Geometridae (Geometrid Moths). I finally looked up to see what makes it a geometer moth….

Cream Wild Indigo

Cream Wild Indigo

More Beavers Bend State Park… This is Cream Wild Indigo (Baptisia bracteata). We took locations of the plants we found for a researcher friend of Claire’s that is looking for Frosted Elfin caterpillars.  For a moment, we thought oh boy! But it was not. The caterpillar is a yellow caterpillar, the size of a grain of…

Feet in the air!

Feet in the air!

The leaves on a thistle tied together with silk. It is the Painted Lady caterpillar! Thistles are its host plant. Frass of the Painted Lady caterpillar! Buprestid beetle on Prairie Verbena! Thin-lined Owlet (Isogona tenuis) is a common moth in our Post Oak woods. Baby Bluebirds growing fast! Found this pretty green cat on an…

Pollinating

Pollinating

This girl was into something with an orangey pollen! Really tiny on a Post Oak leaf. I believe it may be a type of Crambine Snout Moth (Subfamily Crambinae). This is the Green Soldier Fly (Hedriodiscus binotatus). Close up the wings. It is a beautiful critter! And it looks like it has been doing some pollinating…

Ladybugs

Ladybugs

 We got a total of .72 inches yesterday. I’m sure the plants are happy!  We had about 60-70 Pine Siskins outside the window while we ate dinner! It is the most I have seen this year. Eastern Tent caterpillar was covered in dew this morning! Pink Evening Primrose! The Forest Tent caterpillar! The Eastern Tent…

Rainbow

Rainbow

Yeah for the rain! So far .68 inches and some pea sized hail at 6pm. We could do without the hail, eh. Hagen’s Sphinx (Ceratomia hageni) has very good camouflage!  A close up of its hairs! Looks like a bristle brush doesn’t it. Its host plant is the Bois D’arc.  Remember the frozen spittlebug frothy…

Blackberry

Blackberry

 By the time many of you will read this, it will be Wednesday morning and hopefully the last frost. Today (Tuesday) the low was 45 and high was 58. I worn my heavy coat with that wind blowing today.  Engelmann’s Daisy (Engelmannia peristenia) is looking pretty across the road from our mailbox! Close up. It…

Rabbit ears!

Rabbit ears!

 It got down to 37 again this morning! High was a wonderful 75 degrees! I found what the green caterpillar from yesterday was…Figure-Eight Sallow (Psaphida resumens) caterpillar. Small Phigalia (Phigalia strigataria) has multiple shades from this brown to a yellow and white colors. Ladybug larva! Square-bud Primrose (Calylophus berlandireri) has started to bloom! There are…