Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.
With all of the rain we have been having, the Trolls are happy because mushrooms are starting to pop-up.
Individual images from theses slide shows can be viewed here.
Tag: summer
Friday (27-July-2018) — New Jersey
Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.
I am glad that I protected one section of my wildflowers from the deer. The main flowers in bloom right now are a variety of different colored Zinnia and Cosmos. These, especially the Zinnia are attracting Monarch Butterflies, Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies, and Clearwing Hummingbird Moths. Plus there are several other smaller butterflies, bumble bees, honey bees, and wasps that are also being attracted to the flowers.
Individual images in the slide shows can be viewed here.
Thursday (26-July-2018) — New Jersey
Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.
Afternoon walkabout in my garden with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens. Flowers & Bugs.
Individual images in the slide shows can be viewed here.
Wednesday (25-July-2018) — New Jersey
Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.
After the morning rain, a Monarch Butterfly and a Clearwing Hummingbird Moth showed up in my wildflower bed next to the house. There also were a lot of Bumble Bees working the flowers. Up on the patio, the Caterpillar was still eating my Dill herb. The Tomato Hornworm covered with the predatory wasp cocoons was still hanging on. A Stink Bug was feasting on a green tomato — I knew they were vegetarian, but don’t want them eating my vegetables. Finally, a weird-looking spider (Darth Vader, or out of Aliens) was guarding its web.
Individual images from the slide shows can be viewed here.
Tuesday (24-July-2018) — New Jersey.
Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.
For the last several days it has been raining. Rain is good as it is keeping me busy trying to restore some of my wildflower meadows that had been taken over by the invasive “mile-a-minute” vine. I tried many methods to get rid of the vine. Ultimately, I ended up having to use a herbicide. Now I am re-seeding with various wildflower seeds. I hope some take.
Today, I noticed a Clearwing Moth on my Zinnia flowers (Hemaris diffinis, snowberry clearwing,”hummingbird moth”). Later on I saw a caterpillar chowing down on one of my Dill plants that I was letting bolt and go to seed. I am not sure what butterfly it will become (thinking a Black Swallowtail?). Later on I noticed a yellow (tiger) swallowtail butterfly on the Zinnia flowers. While checking the tomato plants in the Garden Tower I saw a giant Tomato Hornworm — covered with hundreds of the parasitic wasp cocoons. These tiny wasps are a good thing as a natural pest control for the Tomato Hornworms.
Individual images in the slide shows can be viewed here.