Benign weather pattern

Benign weather pattern

 Benign weather pattern is how NOAA called this weather we are having today and through Friday afternoon. Interesting way to put it I think. Well, since we have a benign weather pattern day today, it was perfect for visiting the grasslands. Which I did!  Today’s post will be short because…well I have a lot photos to…

A community

A community

 As I stepped out the back door to take Gracie on her walk, I stopped to look at a thistle next to the sidewalk. Thistle (Cirsium)! Mine are not blooming yet, but I have seen them blooming along the roadside. There was at the end of a leaf  something brown which I figured was a…

All critters welcome

All critters welcome

We have gotten .39″ since yesterday. It was a nice rainy day eh! And I can’t believe I still need my knitted chicken hat! Thanks Claire! I wondered if this might be a tarantula burrow? It was fairly big. Let me know what you think. The Bewick’s Wren family is growing! A top view of…

Styrofoam peanuts!

Styrofoam peanuts!

Bewick’s wren nest with 4 eggs. After the size and color of the eggs, the twigs seal the deal for a Bewick’s. The Bold Jumping spider! Don’t the white spots look like eyes and a mouth. I think the “eyes” look like they have eyelashes. I saw this grass blade folded and wondered what did…

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…

Dive!

Dive!

Back to the Garnett Preserve! The Ambush Bug and the Crab Spider on the Green Milkweed. I could not tell if one of them had nabbed the other. New orange growth on the Prickly Pear cactus! I love this look on the Prickly Pear too! Ratany (Krameria lanceolata) is a beauty, but the seed heads…

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…