tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74001118232451698272024-03-19T11:49:59.877-07:00prairiecommunityMargy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.comBlogger220125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-27019696146646810732023-05-15T16:39:00.004-07:002023-05-25T23:05:53.724-07:00Spring 2023: Plums Provide! <p><span style="font-size: medium;">In early spring, when creatures emerge that need pollen and nectar at the same time that early shrubs start to blossom--all seems right with the world! If humans pay attention, they can feel the rush of energy and a surge of well-being as the prairie ecosystem comes visibly and audibly alive. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Wild Plums--<i>Prunus americana</i>--flourish in the seeps and on the edges of the tallgrass prairie. They are among the first to bloom in the spring and are there to welcome butterflies migrating north from overwintering grounds further south. Two of those migrant species are the Red Admiral (<i>Vanessa atalanta</i>) and the American Lady (<i>Vanessa virginiensis</i>).</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5UHFU7JDnEw" width="320" youtube-src-id="5UHFU7JDnEw"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Red Admirals enjoy the abundant nectar in the blossoms of American Plums. April 14, 2023. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DTx1o8PxXoE" width="320" youtube-src-id="DTx1o8PxXoE"></iframe></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">American Ladies take in the rich nectar of wild plums. April 17, 2023.</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Tiny light-colored butterflies that overwinter here, as pupae, are among the first to emerge in the spring--and nectar-rich native shrubs can help them thrive. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The Spring Azure (<i>Celastrina ladon</i>) may metamorphose as early as mid-March. This one came to plums along the Creek Field on April 11, 2023:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgnaU4BBWqqi_GLBNuaCtVQXZmN6tC2Vm_2nSpil_c92xctq_LzxvcUPs7gY0_Nx40PATflgqQBFs6CFMNkCDxhQwgfybd-rxKR-lJCBUBabx5SK8-8BjVIFA6SsPs-SGHW5y3DIQ2noLIrRMOnBBPAYrSEPU9MZdGEc_Q6euNGz07BxZTC_D3Z4a/s701/Spring%20Azure%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="701" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgnaU4BBWqqi_GLBNuaCtVQXZmN6tC2Vm_2nSpil_c92xctq_LzxvcUPs7gY0_Nx40PATflgqQBFs6CFMNkCDxhQwgfybd-rxKR-lJCBUBabx5SK8-8BjVIFA6SsPs-SGHW5y3DIQ2noLIrRMOnBBPAYrSEPU9MZdGEc_Q6euNGz07BxZTC_D3Z4a/s320/Spring%20Azure%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Spring Azure.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I thought the next tiny butterfly to arrive on the plums, also on April 11, 2023, was also a Spring Azure until I magnified the photos. It was a Gray Hairstreak (<i>Strymon melinus</i>)! The two species look similar from afar. But Spring Azures have a different underwing pattern, and they have no "tails" or orange spots. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGo_SPF24sIVqWTGvxC1LeCZlSa240wnQBsqLilPftkeKSHFk0luNo4zWu_LpQuFZdKnudk6b9S_z50vl1uquA-Xjta3xAnUSd3-lVsuX3fBHPD7F7-rMYmYBWaGj_2BuFRIwDH9Y7uP6TRo5t6RJC6FEc4WiPiJj3GEBFcpgU_xahGAoz_0SkFPuJ/s1048/Hairstreak%20Flared%20Out%20Tails%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="1048" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGo_SPF24sIVqWTGvxC1LeCZlSa240wnQBsqLilPftkeKSHFk0luNo4zWu_LpQuFZdKnudk6b9S_z50vl1uquA-Xjta3xAnUSd3-lVsuX3fBHPD7F7-rMYmYBWaGj_2BuFRIwDH9Y7uP6TRo5t6RJC6FEc4WiPiJj3GEBFcpgU_xahGAoz_0SkFPuJ/s320/Hairstreak%20Flared%20Out%20Tails%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Possibly threatened by my presence, this Gray Hairstreak </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">flared out hind wing tips, perhaps </span><span style="font-size: small;">in an effort to intimidate me. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>Combined with the </span><span>"tails," the flaring creates the appearance </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">of a formidable second "face."</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPG6J2ZYX_nFuYlw7rVDJnhV4MR8ygHFZJGrMvAcO9mBjo_2YxvWvaDRUF30N9ZXNtVIFGfJEa11rOQkD3PxEGIqkj23m-UAl7Xdx4MeYixlrX_LYsUQQIu4jsGNYe0neNSoYU9cQ6byXSYMQacCE7rkC56kvsjE4gvDMDEj9ojQ3Qn-7tNKff_Eip/s1323/Hairstreak%20on%20Wild%20Plums%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="1323" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPG6J2ZYX_nFuYlw7rVDJnhV4MR8ygHFZJGrMvAcO9mBjo_2YxvWvaDRUF30N9ZXNtVIFGfJEa11rOQkD3PxEGIqkj23m-UAl7Xdx4MeYixlrX_LYsUQQIu4jsGNYe0neNSoYU9cQ6byXSYMQacCE7rkC56kvsjE4gvDMDEj9ojQ3Qn-7tNKff_Eip/s320/Hairstreak%20on%20Wild%20Plums%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Here the "tails" are visible.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSYbOVwSLXBturxou9VXmyVsYMdKQn1G78T1EdXnQkQmMqLhNaiP64X_z23SzEkEHVBQnfY9i-1x0BkIyEIj_b7lyKKIYGRlSbP0EegpqH2Arq2auCB5ZGBIF2pKlEi9xJkR5adR10gtJJQ8ozoggnhafjbO_WTpcOJZGpWuQMF12CnV-DtR1bL-J/s1359/Hairstreak%20Upperside%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="1359" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSYbOVwSLXBturxou9VXmyVsYMdKQn1G78T1EdXnQkQmMqLhNaiP64X_z23SzEkEHVBQnfY9i-1x0BkIyEIj_b7lyKKIYGRlSbP0EegpqH2Arq2auCB5ZGBIF2pKlEi9xJkR5adR10gtJJQ8ozoggnhafjbO_WTpcOJZGpWuQMF12CnV-DtR1bL-J/s320/Hairstreak%20Upperside%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In this rare glimpse of the Hairstreak's upperside, the red spot is visible. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Here are the two species in action. The video shows what the photos do not--early spring butterflies have to cope with high winds!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jpw7a6ybU54" width="320" youtube-src-id="jpw7a6ybU54"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-68373258129612846232023-02-01T16:59:00.346-08:002023-05-15T17:02:38.440-07:00Gaillardia World: Welcome!<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Greetings, everyone! Welcome to Gaillardia World--at least the glimpses I had of it by "noticing" <i>Gaillardia pulchella, </i>aka "Blanket Flower," for several hours a day this past summer. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZWod-gz9x1TE5Q-o0ks_kAYtgVRRrKTvkIBB4xA9wjcjzbg6dsqu1OezoXq1CsTDoE9m82NssN7AJPYFUQcP4Ql6rkWmFKYBD3Uh8lvzRxJl9eoynnFIdINbJCo_Vj7rgPbrmssMagsxf043xxoXkDO5n1NqeEINNo8QPADujaTtr2_OTAPB1Sap/s2192/Blossom2.JPG" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1462" data-original-width="2192" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZWod-gz9x1TE5Q-o0ks_kAYtgVRRrKTvkIBB4xA9wjcjzbg6dsqu1OezoXq1CsTDoE9m82NssN7AJPYFUQcP4Ql6rkWmFKYBD3Uh8lvzRxJl9eoynnFIdINbJCo_Vj7rgPbrmssMagsxf043xxoXkDO5n1NqeEINNo8QPADujaTtr2_OTAPB1Sap/s320/Blossom2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-size: small;">Gaillardia pulchella</i><span style="font-size: small;">, Bird Runner Wildlife Refuge, October 15, 2022</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some temporary ailments were keeping me from long hikes here at Bird Runner Wildlife Refuge (a native-prairie preserve in the Flint Hills of Kansas, where I live with my husband). </span><span style="font-size: medium;">I opted to see what I could learn closer to home. (In the 17 "Gaillardia World" entries that follow, I document the wild creatures that came to Gaillardia, while in a Substack essay, I muse about what I learned and what it might say about us humans and our relationship to nature. That essay is at https://margystewart.substack.com/p/at-home-in-the-land-welcome-to-gaillardia .) </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Patches of <i>Gaillardia pulchella, </i>a native annual, had sprung up nearby, thanks to my having thrown out some seeds left over from a prairie restoration. "Paying attention" is a long-standing spiritual practice in various traditions. I decided to "pay attention" to those patches--one in our front yard, one by the barn. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Here is the Gaillardia in our front yard in June:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDC1H67NMRYxGNkv4k-Ou9o6cF0JGSTgr0MYgm_LwLU2k2GKrZeGJLPRFiMfMj4-V1S4VIDCVc87kiBsGThd1Uueu0bShTFh6x1NFFxUxhetUiaIPIvd2hwVlj80k0mDiZPwaEK_fM-4znZBCeO0nRV_9V01z-ZkStkNT1zW2wwLmMKlEorm31wTR/s4000/Landscape%20with%20Gaillardia%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDC1H67NMRYxGNkv4k-Ou9o6cF0JGSTgr0MYgm_LwLU2k2GKrZeGJLPRFiMfMj4-V1S4VIDCVc87kiBsGThd1Uueu0bShTFh6x1NFFxUxhetUiaIPIvd2hwVlj80k0mDiZPwaEK_fM-4znZBCeO0nRV_9V01z-ZkStkNT1zW2wwLmMKlEorm31wTR/s320/Landscape%20with%20Gaillardia%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>The Gaillardia has grabbed some bare spots in an existing garden, </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>planted over 50 years </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>ago by the farm wife </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">who lived here before me. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOT6V-EpHr1xhVt1kwxlXSiq_LQ6Ip6JHFADReB-r8PsoV-0rHpw5rmyWuqrkqURcFarEHOT8G-cDhkn8iLg7U0GaA8afk2vokrVgyq6JcBZvTNytOrqeXbdTopnIOy86OlC8FMpz7HgYIbXtBnV9UzgG_SoIrBUtNSPTeEfBVqWoQB07kexpRwptH/s4000/Landscape%20with%20Gaillardia%20(3).jpg" style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOT6V-EpHr1xhVt1kwxlXSiq_LQ6Ip6JHFADReB-r8PsoV-0rHpw5rmyWuqrkqURcFarEHOT8G-cDhkn8iLg7U0GaA8afk2vokrVgyq6JcBZvTNytOrqeXbdTopnIOy86OlC8FMpz7HgYIbXtBnV9UzgG_SoIrBUtNSPTeEfBVqWoQB07kexpRwptH/s320/Landscape%20with%20Gaillardia%20(3).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The green above the limestone is some rock cress,<br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">also planted a half-century ago by that </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">same </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">skillful gardener.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And here is Gaillardia by our barn in September:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPqTz9NDYxURcub_OnwDNKvlrn55cl4eEPy2RXG4dEKHafuYb8_Nm30iDUFo95TYvALGSZ4G0RzLQyW5_O79lRxkLBqOfY--m81w-nckOOotK92oN18tVyLPOvoyiV2euiKjjugk5mb9CKJgzXgDNzJXByQMOnHAAzVthqTWEKyUzB49GtcIwZT_4/s4000/20220928_191240.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPqTz9NDYxURcub_OnwDNKvlrn55cl4eEPy2RXG4dEKHafuYb8_Nm30iDUFo95TYvALGSZ4G0RzLQyW5_O79lRxkLBqOfY--m81w-nckOOotK92oN18tVyLPOvoyiV2euiKjjugk5mb9CKJgzXgDNzJXByQMOnHAAzVthqTWEKyUzB49GtcIwZT_4/s320/20220928_191240.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Gaillardia by our barn, with volunteer Maximillian Sunflowers</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">and Gray-headed Coneflowers. September 2022.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjL8SXT3d1SuIIT4EJhoHEibYrlFlj1HxnHQ7UCnC027-8zqj--lzw_7gTFXcEoxrRlkujcJyz9_Q-YW7TzVdDn8sNBTlQC90-4NYu9rBso3zhX-ZKy26VFSnzlAdRXPafyktUVnu7mIa16PtzzBD-rbF3Pn6igcjz8D7lkIPp1e3v8Fzi8ka1pkub/s4000/20220928_191459.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjL8SXT3d1SuIIT4EJhoHEibYrlFlj1HxnHQ7UCnC027-8zqj--lzw_7gTFXcEoxrRlkujcJyz9_Q-YW7TzVdDn8sNBTlQC90-4NYu9rBso3zhX-ZKy26VFSnzlAdRXPafyktUVnu7mIa16PtzzBD-rbF3Pn6igcjz8D7lkIPp1e3v8Fzi8ka1pkub/s320/20220928_191459.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">While some blooms are going to seed, forming</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">puffy white balls, others are just opening. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIDJw424ie9OK0Cj8fwj1gIQtUxgiCz0XeKQh4hiw5hAb0DqpuOL_rm6KJlMl0DyXLR36ue1s-m_8E507FYxdztSFwhCt4EAH-ZJk0kLOPQ0Ys4anH0AU7lsKBo0drm21ztvjKM0Li6FNcQ1lEFfaehcksF0sOAaXRPoz2DIRbXIgNalSv5orKBmk/s4000/20220928_191556.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIDJw424ie9OK0Cj8fwj1gIQtUxgiCz0XeKQh4hiw5hAb0DqpuOL_rm6KJlMl0DyXLR36ue1s-m_8E507FYxdztSFwhCt4EAH-ZJk0kLOPQ0Ys4anH0AU7lsKBo0drm21ztvjKM0Li6FNcQ1lEFfaehcksF0sOAaXRPoz2DIRbXIgNalSv5orKBmk/s320/20220928_191556.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span>Blanket Flower is native to the Lower 48, but </span></span><span>most </span><span>common </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>in hot, dry areas. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>It is the state flower </span><span>of Oklahoma.</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The "a-r-d-i" in the middle of "Gaillardia" must stand for "hardy!" Gaillardia bloomed month after month, through dry spells and rain, hot winds and early frosts.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div>But Gaillardia impressed me even more with the force-field around it, the dynamism of its interactions. Gaillardia-world was alive with creatures flying, buzzing, crawling, feeding, dying, hiding, searching, mating, resting, growing, and other activities that were part of their lives.</div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The posts that follow this one (under the heading "Gaillardia World") show glimpses of this co-flourishing--Blanket Flower's inter-being with butterflies, bees, flies, spiders, dragonflies, wasps, grasshoppers, moths, damselflies, and bugs. For me, these "noticings" were openings to growth, as they allowed me to learn more about the many invertebrate species with whom I share the prairie world. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>I was an English major with no scientific background so my method of ecological learning may be of use to others. </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;">This was my routine: I would sit in a lawn chair near the Gaillardia and watch for shapes or movements on the blossoms, stems, and leaves. I had my Samsung phone-camera in hand and an inexpensive Sony on a tripod nearby, ready to record. If I didn't recognize the subjects, I would send their photos to bugguide.net or iNaturalist.org--both sites where experts generously help amateurs identify their finds. Once the experts steered me in the right direction, I could delve into field guides and follow Google trails to learn more about these creatures' lifeways. In addition, I could post questions to Kansas Arthropods, a Facebook group where experts also counsel amateurs. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">These conversations, albeit virtual, were deeply rewarding, as all participants shared the recognition that "noticing" something small can connect us with something large--indeed, the larg<i>est--</i>Creation at work, alive in our world. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The posts that follow are each named for a kind of creature, such as "Gaillardia World: Bee Flies" or "Gaillardia World: Moths"; or for a scenario, such as "Gaillardia World: A Doomed Love Affair" or "Gaillardia World: A Promising Love Affair." </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Every name I was able to put to Gaillardia's residents and visitors opened the door to more questions. Similar explorations are available to anyone who pays attention to local wildflowers. </span><span style="font-size: large;">It is thrilling to grow in knowledge while encountering the mysteries of the world. </span><span style="font-size: large;">As more spaces, tiny or huge, are devoted to native plants, exhilarating discoveries and humbling wonder become accessible to all. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-57292899731370139192023-02-01T13:43:00.003-08:002023-03-04T13:56:05.407-08:00Gaillardia World: Moth Caterpillars (Including Con Artists)<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmXsJMkOeXCYNAgPJmdNv7fAGQknJbMIhx60ebwKAC9tyUTYuTG5YYy-kOl7cVMQmfToXQqzuWsM804NYnfpjEalI4oqOPd9kFD9yoT3gTEtMs43m8JGRgZIJDuBVex7h8j2OdCpR1bLMnvOvmhKgchXBlPQoqj9wIUHGbSpPebNYFJ-LMou02oxXZ/s2335/Camo%20Looper%20Blending.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1557" data-original-width="2335" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmXsJMkOeXCYNAgPJmdNv7fAGQknJbMIhx60ebwKAC9tyUTYuTG5YYy-kOl7cVMQmfToXQqzuWsM804NYnfpjEalI4oqOPd9kFD9yoT3gTEtMs43m8JGRgZIJDuBVex7h8j2OdCpR1bLMnvOvmhKgchXBlPQoqj9wIUHGbSpPebNYFJ-LMou02oxXZ/w400-h266/Camo%20Looper%20Blending.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span> A "Camouflaged Looper." Can you tell what's flower and<br /></span><span> what's bug?</span></span></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Camouflaged Loopers</b> are ingenious caterpillars that lived on <i>Gaillardia pulchella</i> all summer long. They are the larvae of the <b>Wavy-Lined Emerald Moth, </b><b style="font-style: italic;">Synchlora aerata, </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I first noticed these caterpillars while watching some beetles. Suddenly, I was distracted by the disk flowers rising up and waving around. I watched, astonished, as the flowers moved across the disk. </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Birnam Wood was going to Dunsinane! But unlike MacBeth,</span><span> I looked more closely and saw that some nebulous creature, her outlines hidden under pasted-on flower-parts, was the prime mover. Other Gaillardia plants also boasted such costumed beings! </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">A few Google searches later, I learned their</span><span> identity--</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Camouflaged Loopers</b>. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Indeed, they are masters of disguise.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">While some insects have evolved to resemble their host plants, Camouflaged Loopers have a more flexible strategy to hide from predators. They choose a plant to feed on and then adorn themselves with parts of that plant in order to blend in with those particular flowers. Thus, they can feed right out in the open, hopefully unnoticed.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Unless they move, they look just like a bit of flower detritus: </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAhnptE5KWUXVjxkZ7LO8VB3SuAszX5TRe24dLahRJFpLRIj0j3q9pUNSg2gk2rALwH3XOd25PTCxyH0-6CZHVKnHdNqhh3H3NkiP5drgPf0tS6-fcRdQBmYgXEA5VkKg8pDXLaNNgk6OmMUi78umATKNwf0Lxs6JDNWB1TER-temAnGedbpPaSPA/s1556/Good%20Camo%20Closeups%20(1).JPG" style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="1556" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAhnptE5KWUXVjxkZ7LO8VB3SuAszX5TRe24dLahRJFpLRIj0j3q9pUNSg2gk2rALwH3XOd25PTCxyH0-6CZHVKnHdNqhh3H3NkiP5drgPf0tS6-fcRdQBmYgXEA5VkKg8pDXLaNNgk6OmMUi78umATKNwf0Lxs6JDNWB1TER-temAnGedbpPaSPA/w400-h266/Good%20Camo%20Closeups%20(1).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">Here they are in action:</span></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V7p28jGX_Tk" width="320" youtube-src-id="V7p28jGX_Tk"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505;">How do they create their costumes? Mineralized "spikes" grow along their backs, sort of like horses' teeth or our own fingernails. The Loopers chew flower parts and inject them with a glue-like liquid from a special gland. Then they fasten the sticky mass to the spikes. And there they are--all dolled up! </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>The caterpillars were in no hurry to metamorphose. We had them with us from the heat of June to the freezes of October. Camouflaged Loopers overwinter in the ground and don't metamorphose to moths until warm weather returns. So as frost killed the flowers, these little guys went down into the soil to await further transformation in the spring.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Synchlora aerata</i> is part of a moth family called <b>Geometridae, </b>Greek for "Earth Measurers." Following this theme, the caterpillars are called "Inchworms," "Measuringworms" or "Spanworms." They are also called "Loopers" because of their anatomy and peculiar locomotion. Loopers have legs on their thorax, but no legs on the abdomen--just two pairs of prolegs at the rear. To move, they raise up their legless middle to form a U and then bring their hind end up to meet the thorax. Once the "loop" is formed, the front end stretches out into new territory, measuring the earth by "inching" forward. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Here are some more Loopers from the family <b>Geometridae,</b> difficult to identify further, as the caterpillars of numerous species resemble each other. The green ones were especially common on Gaillardia, throughout the summer. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxf-fDRHpfWLis3lJDBQJeHJvlryhlIoPHsv_YDd8zd7FDRJYLyWi2wyOl4dikMnL_b29M9NlaupWHPJSkF1_TNwxGpw2-ADZKOYrwY3WFgwnlZPIjlPVRg5F_gRrQzmvMHYFAdASB4OjkzOwMkgDoGoexx09HQD_SjjfszvPcDI4CD-Ndc5M_3aQ/s560/Green%20Inchworm%20Also.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="420" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxf-fDRHpfWLis3lJDBQJeHJvlryhlIoPHsv_YDd8zd7FDRJYLyWi2wyOl4dikMnL_b29M9NlaupWHPJSkF1_TNwxGpw2-ADZKOYrwY3WFgwnlZPIjlPVRg5F_gRrQzmvMHYFAdASB4OjkzOwMkgDoGoexx09HQD_SjjfszvPcDI4CD-Ndc5M_3aQ/s320/Green%20Inchworm%20Also.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRM6P9JcwDHqznvkQseNVT4Rg6EMRjDE_4TaTvQgzZDqF_JN_8BU4j0_D6QFn2nICaMPPKB-8SXTMijKSpVX-4gnDTzqM7z9w_-P_-9ebW7praDqdLwRE0UpiQfaW3dYgXs4ebHMJq97bc1WFXU0OPTbruO95shdRj68uzleaHUX_0tiUoDw1eggK/s560/Green%20Inchworm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="560" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRM6P9JcwDHqznvkQseNVT4Rg6EMRjDE_4TaTvQgzZDqF_JN_8BU4j0_D6QFn2nICaMPPKB-8SXTMijKSpVX-4gnDTzqM7z9w_-P_-9ebW7praDqdLwRE0UpiQfaW3dYgXs4ebHMJq97bc1WFXU0OPTbruO95shdRj68uzleaHUX_0tiUoDw1eggK/s320/Green%20Inchworm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A green Inchworm, July 31, 2022</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2yLKAElhrLLq0eLHBiOqfvvdsvYAlmyBQ09GZl1n5ZIuPj76T8lZkKDvXdh2hZhMGuxn5cZ3VaSajYSGLu6M7AvL6F9i9HYOAkr4StqbbtS_V1JQP_n6R_tHZkC-7trM__F0n_jQ8CVX03EL3SsHjJ1cQO84LstNCs5QgqaloieQPbyYRCs7SXOZ/s1158/mauve%20earth%20inchworm%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="868" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2yLKAElhrLLq0eLHBiOqfvvdsvYAlmyBQ09GZl1n5ZIuPj76T8lZkKDvXdh2hZhMGuxn5cZ3VaSajYSGLu6M7AvL6F9i9HYOAkr4StqbbtS_V1JQP_n6R_tHZkC-7trM__F0n_jQ8CVX03EL3SsHjJ1cQO84LstNCs5QgqaloieQPbyYRCs7SXOZ/w300-h400/mauve%20earth%20inchworm%20(3).jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirD8aQUGBblRI0ms4_EXPEV7pEWAlILuBy6BErGKDdxZboLjHjQ0MOFX6hH4_RC7P63SVnKJ7RGh-k8HRAYDxYV9q9IwI-WI-AqRlCY1GMIyT55-fliAPWPgvBZWq5EoDU-CO-Cb7MEbFMT9BloHBp5uvrieUYNb7hTgn00KJtRR03Ed6c-pa06_ci/s2144/mauve%20earth%20inchworm%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1608" data-original-width="2144" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirD8aQUGBblRI0ms4_EXPEV7pEWAlILuBy6BErGKDdxZboLjHjQ0MOFX6hH4_RC7P63SVnKJ7RGh-k8HRAYDxYV9q9IwI-WI-AqRlCY1GMIyT55-fliAPWPgvBZWq5EoDU-CO-Cb7MEbFMT9BloHBp5uvrieUYNb7hTgn00KJtRR03Ed6c-pa06_ci/s320/mauve%20earth%20inchworm%20(4).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A mauve Inchworm, July 29, 2022</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(These caterpillars are all from the family Geometridae, but not all inchworms are Geometrids. Caterpillars of Noctuidae can also be "loopers.")</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-33749479600509815112023-01-31T15:41:00.002-08:002023-04-03T15:07:32.283-07:00Gaillardia World: Spiders<div class="separator"><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p> <span style="font-size: medium;">It seemed to me that spider numbers were down this year. I saw only a few spiders on <i>Gaillardia pulchella</i>, June-October, despite the constant presence of visiting insects. A caveat: Spiders are good at camouflage, so I certainly missed seeing some spiders.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Among the spiders I did see were <b>Crab Spiders (Family Thomisidae):</b> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBecPb-GUcE3EvOZmzirmKm3z7wcZ5_IJRII6BR7hnufxagMSI-5NSJVy1OZ3d8I8NsnN4pWtH10f3eFTruc8zjiZvYu5gZrBK4iX0KHXDkvAvDfDljILWd8OJcr6-SI0YHVeo2aJkVZLSdyu4GUYw5GHD-IGAxj9dQ8sqEzQhOcA9ePx8TJz9UmY-/s1624/Crab%20spider%20with%20Megachile%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBecPb-GUcE3EvOZmzirmKm3z7wcZ5_IJRII6BR7hnufxagMSI-5NSJVy1OZ3d8I8NsnN4pWtH10f3eFTruc8zjiZvYu5gZrBK4iX0KHXDkvAvDfDljILWd8OJcr6-SI0YHVeo2aJkVZLSdyu4GUYw5GHD-IGAxj9dQ8sqEzQhOcA9ePx8TJz9UmY-/s1624/Crab%20spider%20with%20Megachile%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztvU5y_Nqqijo_Tf1OGZYyJa_I2bC3jSFyZcjLmmeh4cvhJWaMBBS-o_2CjwTRpJHKkoFa19GGgM4k_4V3EJJbZHWFA6fB05JN-DDUU8Fbwn3U-AkLfVnFpH-f3xM_OLE8wvL_HMQdIj58AoA2OSChEs6xugxxTTFxEZkQ6tIAOrZJe-Oa7TZYxRD/s1413/Crab%20spider%20with%20Megachile%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1413" data-original-width="1060" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztvU5y_Nqqijo_Tf1OGZYyJa_I2bC3jSFyZcjLmmeh4cvhJWaMBBS-o_2CjwTRpJHKkoFa19GGgM4k_4V3EJJbZHWFA6fB05JN-DDUU8Fbwn3U-AkLfVnFpH-f3xM_OLE8wvL_HMQdIj58AoA2OSChEs6xugxxTTFxEZkQ6tIAOrZJe-Oa7TZYxRD/s320/Crab%20spider%20with%20Megachile%20(5).jpg" width="240" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A crab spider (<b><i>Misumenoides formosipes)</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">stages on Gaillardia, July 4, 2022. Many thanks to</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">entomologist Dick Beeman for the ID.</span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1217" data-original-width="1624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBecPb-GUcE3EvOZmzirmKm3z7wcZ5_IJRII6BR7hnufxagMSI-5NSJVy1OZ3d8I8NsnN4pWtH10f3eFTruc8zjiZvYu5gZrBK4iX0KHXDkvAvDfDljILWd8OJcr6-SI0YHVeo2aJkVZLSdyu4GUYw5GHD-IGAxj9dQ8sqEzQhOcA9ePx8TJz9UmY-/s320/Crab%20spider%20with%20Megachile%20(4).jpg" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Here she holds a leaf-cutter bee </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">in the genus </span><i style="font-size: small;">Megachile. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>Note that the bee's abdomen is yellow with pollen, </span><span>transported by </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>this genus on the underbelly, </span><span>rather than on the hind legs. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>However, this pollen's trip </span><span>to the bee's nest </span><span> has turned </span><span>into </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>a dead-end. </span><span>July 4, 2022.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNs8WA9oHMe9CuMPVmJF_JQOJ9s4Fpc5pUQIMQr9ow3WvwKCL6R211mOZTnUwTbalJkNddBmYLMAt480Jf9Skg9RcoYFEoyN_A85slVqkRPm2PkOrNqcP_KzuwLmoK4hwx3tG1NZax7hYKKLyg6-vF77HXvZqEfKJeqVwcbVPpum7VK_0qP4TFDD5/s1697/Crab%20spider%20with%20Megachile%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1697" data-original-width="1273" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNs8WA9oHMe9CuMPVmJF_JQOJ9s4Fpc5pUQIMQr9ow3WvwKCL6R211mOZTnUwTbalJkNddBmYLMAt480Jf9Skg9RcoYFEoyN_A85slVqkRPm2PkOrNqcP_KzuwLmoK4hwx3tG1NZax7hYKKLyg6-vF77HXvZqEfKJeqVwcbVPpum7VK_0qP4TFDD5/s320/Crab%20spider%20with%20Megachile%20(6).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Perhaps the Megachile was a filling meal and now </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>the spider feels it's time for a nap. </span><span>Here she is, on</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>Gaillardia in our front yard,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>relaxing upside down in </span><span>the sun. </span><span>July 4, 2022</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A similar spider appeared on Gaillardia by the barn, also on July 4, 2022. She had to hang on in the wind: </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CP50fS5Y1XY" width="320" youtube-src-id="CP50fS5Y1XY"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Later in July, a smaller spider appeared:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ39XRBHTFISOss_VLaudyTBLhyUogdfkzPqdDBH_3SWEyFtgnUbIWlOpGv6SkfEgMxd3yiv3l-Kgvze3wRe5lJQnCTpAR7dBQEL3LNQ5IZej7aAjIKbKbpAWSm9WWDH2yZP3Ve4WblfMBv4VNHjP4wkgoEphqP0pnkVrWJ4NVQN6ZyRASlQs0vbbK/s1926/tiny%20crab%20spider%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1444" data-original-width="1926" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ39XRBHTFISOss_VLaudyTBLhyUogdfkzPqdDBH_3SWEyFtgnUbIWlOpGv6SkfEgMxd3yiv3l-Kgvze3wRe5lJQnCTpAR7dBQEL3LNQ5IZej7aAjIKbKbpAWSm9WWDH2yZP3Ve4WblfMBv4VNHjP4wkgoEphqP0pnkVrWJ4NVQN6ZyRASlQs0vbbK/s320/tiny%20crab%20spider%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">A small crab spider on Gaillardia by the barn, </div><div style="text-align: center;">July 20, 2022. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">And on July 22, a crab spider put in a cameo appearance as I was videorecording Fungus Weevils: </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EsguNgygWMo" width="320" youtube-src-id="EsguNgygWMo"></iframe></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Here a crab spider reaches lazily toward the fungus weevils</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">that are busily foraging for pollen, while ants zip about, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">around and over the others. July 22, 2022</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It wasn't until October 7, 2022 that I saw another crab spider on Gaillardia, in fact two of them. One was shy about having her picture taken. Luckily, with an 8-legged creature it is hard to hide <i>all </i>the body parts:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Well camouflaged:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0-dpFFZicAMvu_XaxAHhIUklfQi2JBXkMsBuL4m3_nrJ-3ZwvV8BF9gQv9Zr2FTRw7VoDvjEZf7TSIaphyDhQrd7_GMMqsrsUsoFiCP64R6bHIE4_FKRZEx0oFFHYAkselarx2PZbJt69L1qWXtuxfWjTPSweKrQ84LtFhF3_pvE6n9GqHAAHPZN/s3308/Crab%20spider%20in%20Gaillardia%20Oct%207%202022%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3308" data-original-width="2482" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0-dpFFZicAMvu_XaxAHhIUklfQi2JBXkMsBuL4m3_nrJ-3ZwvV8BF9gQv9Zr2FTRw7VoDvjEZf7TSIaphyDhQrd7_GMMqsrsUsoFiCP64R6bHIE4_FKRZEx0oFFHYAkselarx2PZbJt69L1qWXtuxfWjTPSweKrQ84LtFhF3_pvE6n9GqHAAHPZN/s320/Crab%20spider%20in%20Gaillardia%20Oct%207%202022%20(5).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A closer view:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWEYfVlDIKNq3vNJRdnan3AmC8BC_qbMLmpLKqcRhKPntSr8Ducxy8ZOlRKMyD_V4CCTnKcvYKjaLo6jljzg6yAJPASfGj3ksQ3vfwfRtltI1uRNdH-5wARV4hxGH5LfN5AounKOsGD3nuakm5jlaehTuzlK7RaiSeLuKxNhIfNaVXJRSEUqcLsKb/s724/Crab%20spider%20in%20Gaillardia%20Oct%207%202022%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="543" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWEYfVlDIKNq3vNJRdnan3AmC8BC_qbMLmpLKqcRhKPntSr8Ducxy8ZOlRKMyD_V4CCTnKcvYKjaLo6jljzg6yAJPASfGj3ksQ3vfwfRtltI1uRNdH-5wARV4hxGH5LfN5AounKOsGD3nuakm5jlaehTuzlK7RaiSeLuKxNhIfNaVXJRSEUqcLsKb/s320/Crab%20spider%20in%20Gaillardia%20Oct%207%202022%20(6).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Hard to spot:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT82g1oU_N4NvcNBsgbpU29RImuCk7HFAKBPUcQR0iKETl1WejAYsl_L-NcX256CJBs28sNlmyQwiipfStAQOWL45IKg59dLDsAPfY5DaxBJq0qNQISKmNQHzQScFTFrEPhpBFhgEGiFwM3dvdBdMxEdmCco-AC5FQqLWFWKPC433tFOeR66chf2oX/s4000/Crab%20spider%20in%20Gaillardia%20Oct%207%202022%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT82g1oU_N4NvcNBsgbpU29RImuCk7HFAKBPUcQR0iKETl1WejAYsl_L-NcX256CJBs28sNlmyQwiipfStAQOWL45IKg59dLDsAPfY5DaxBJq0qNQISKmNQHzQScFTFrEPhpBFhgEGiFwM3dvdBdMxEdmCco-AC5FQqLWFWKPC433tFOeR66chf2oX/s320/Crab%20spider%20in%20Gaillardia%20Oct%207%202022%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There she is!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEcTd-XhQJLak0kxCUkkLmxP7NMicUIRBsNgfb1B9IiNt8As-XPZvdUEoA72witSFXKGn7tVC0hpq2dKTbSUqUaQWoZr3KNEMDo_SdKl6etimtgwVlMXX1apSCoS56noHu6OebgHtb2UsUfD9NUeVHzB8HG2c2CqkbVGM1nYyTGxma8AZ7oyKogzCv/s997/Crab%20spider%20in%20Gaillardia%20Oct%207%202022%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="997" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEcTd-XhQJLak0kxCUkkLmxP7NMicUIRBsNgfb1B9IiNt8As-XPZvdUEoA72witSFXKGn7tVC0hpq2dKTbSUqUaQWoZr3KNEMDo_SdKl6etimtgwVlMXX1apSCoS56noHu6OebgHtb2UsUfD9NUeVHzB8HG2c2CqkbVGM1nYyTGxma8AZ7oyKogzCv/s320/Crab%20spider%20in%20Gaillardia%20Oct%207%202022%20(7).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Where is she now?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrp34tQ19xIHnVyQjD8DknlBy41N7EVzQcgVo4dISCTSq-EWmby9HqKnwvsQ6FFogIbb7jKRYe4JMthwF51o_txFziT4b7tBLd99nQHLswHc_o3lziPjn1HQqvptPrWkq5_ziG06ge1nG46iCfEMt3vefbafySsVgcYHjyVSkaqLSGel_4h0eYoyX/s4000/Crab%20spider%20in%20Gaillardia%20Oct%207%202022%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrp34tQ19xIHnVyQjD8DknlBy41N7EVzQcgVo4dISCTSq-EWmby9HqKnwvsQ6FFogIbb7jKRYe4JMthwF51o_txFziT4b7tBLd99nQHLswHc_o3lziPjn1HQqvptPrWkq5_ziG06ge1nG46iCfEMt3vefbafySsVgcYHjyVSkaqLSGel_4h0eYoyX/s320/Crab%20spider%20in%20Gaillardia%20Oct%207%202022%20(3).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I see her!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXz24kmKcM65yaB6NG3ylt_raahJL5RJRhWXsS5VvDHi09d6nSYYVeB-lWZVgK7oSUBHAh4sHh96ce9JBFs_5UwXV6_LIjKfpsp7UfujZjJybwDKeZlnoO6n3NWLHZRwVc289NremAM18vFfYtW_m2Q2Ha0MqKhWxgSgZ46EooljtGRNFpBsluwkD2/s1245/Crab%20spider%20in%20Gaillardia%20Oct%207%202022%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1245" data-original-width="934" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXz24kmKcM65yaB6NG3ylt_raahJL5RJRhWXsS5VvDHi09d6nSYYVeB-lWZVgK7oSUBHAh4sHh96ce9JBFs_5UwXV6_LIjKfpsp7UfujZjJybwDKeZlnoO6n3NWLHZRwVc289NremAM18vFfYtW_m2Q2Ha0MqKhWxgSgZ46EooljtGRNFpBsluwkD2/s320/Crab%20spider%20in%20Gaillardia%20Oct%207%202022%20(8).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A crab spider on <i>Gaillardia pulchella, </i>Oct. 7, 2022. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The second crab spider sought a protected place to spend the night, as temperatures fell toward freezing at night. </span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This series of photos shows her withdrawing into a nighttime retreat formed from ray flowers stuck together: </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvIr-VTk9iCY11KmO00U1cEZoHbsZHfyr16NJ7aY0dL8Kl8BEtqBaIeN8_OAaLOpglZJLsR_JD48xBReaaqr_pZ2DnrRVw619uOiCCeytdZI0L-_Ho8dIukJSHVXxF34JXkqTOhD3zYjO5bfE-NMNFc4ZD5ksgTb4txs_GCWwI3OWxC4tEaS9Spxg/s2386/Spider%20sequence%20(10).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1591" data-original-width="2386" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvIr-VTk9iCY11KmO00U1cEZoHbsZHfyr16NJ7aY0dL8Kl8BEtqBaIeN8_OAaLOpglZJLsR_JD48xBReaaqr_pZ2DnrRVw619uOiCCeytdZI0L-_Ho8dIukJSHVXxF34JXkqTOhD3zYjO5bfE-NMNFc4ZD5ksgTb4txs_GCWwI3OWxC4tEaS9Spxg/s320/Spider%20sequence%20(10).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL46ZPdBcMMyG-5E-SDSwFrhNWZwx0hmC4CcFgzrzauAxNiWbS9DeMTLzNU0YYQECMGvHMHSr_DM3wUfWgGKMJOjHtELhzdr5u5rlOSZbrDL8v4f-FoHY_WmV9CO9ct6jr7llKJbOw7pVinF7mlkwl5uj_dWmxpG9uG3Jk3pn3gPbGiRkVU7_mP88a/s3131/Spider%20sequence%20(11).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2087" data-original-width="3131" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL46ZPdBcMMyG-5E-SDSwFrhNWZwx0hmC4CcFgzrzauAxNiWbS9DeMTLzNU0YYQECMGvHMHSr_DM3wUfWgGKMJOjHtELhzdr5u5rlOSZbrDL8v4f-FoHY_WmV9CO9ct6jr7llKJbOw7pVinF7mlkwl5uj_dWmxpG9uG3Jk3pn3gPbGiRkVU7_mP88a/s320/Spider%20sequence%20(11).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6IZdmpIVtt_bFSIoQL9HgTm_CWwlCxw2PdjVarqu6XJ5Vf7EFjGHz4wz_wTLwiJOUBj-_9Yk5sEVTj5at9-mF85mso0DxwIpbbyFaD37KVCwuiB1H8UYPG_I2oX9TR8hE8Y9NJtXBKmc-GP0ZDYkFybFtAvOuv2sGkbYhnra4mbZ5IufLYC83C7D/s2527/Spider%20sequence%20(12).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1684" data-original-width="2527" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6IZdmpIVtt_bFSIoQL9HgTm_CWwlCxw2PdjVarqu6XJ5Vf7EFjGHz4wz_wTLwiJOUBj-_9Yk5sEVTj5at9-mF85mso0DxwIpbbyFaD37KVCwuiB1H8UYPG_I2oX9TR8hE8Y9NJtXBKmc-GP0ZDYkFybFtAvOuv2sGkbYhnra4mbZ5IufLYC83C7D/s320/Spider%20sequence%20(12).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Bd-B6ZYeIq4a29ItqIdc4vPnOUicCsjtdTk96zajYmm8QgZFuO8LdSyXJFtBDMAw0gDBZEWRHLtBNirGe6PXZj5FlEx1OusaP4bVvRBWHKI_CYAXoJ9VIVWlv9xR9Mlrji7qzNNnJX6hWp2cNHf5a6jjeslb9nJKnhVv3e5V-zCkUCIf8L8KZqNo/s2246/Spider%20sequence%20(13).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1497" data-original-width="2246" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Bd-B6ZYeIq4a29ItqIdc4vPnOUicCsjtdTk96zajYmm8QgZFuO8LdSyXJFtBDMAw0gDBZEWRHLtBNirGe6PXZj5FlEx1OusaP4bVvRBWHKI_CYAXoJ9VIVWlv9xR9Mlrji7qzNNnJX6hWp2cNHf5a6jjeslb9nJKnhVv3e5V-zCkUCIf8L8KZqNo/s320/Spider%20sequence%20(13).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGeiex1vjyftfrCLkn1ekxGrn_FolzisINxYbq89K1146pJPPmaD993VYZVGNp-85u2_hjs-Tyb_zYGdwx9nwSmJZORDxViWKBtBcQPSaLwRI_mHrEfA-cK_F2r7c4l5EiS22NVQyVv3RdUsqFTQHn5k41x6WsCuIb00IS_LWPedoVQtB99g3kh4I/s2150/Spider%20sequence%20(14).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1433" data-original-width="2150" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGeiex1vjyftfrCLkn1ekxGrn_FolzisINxYbq89K1146pJPPmaD993VYZVGNp-85u2_hjs-Tyb_zYGdwx9nwSmJZORDxViWKBtBcQPSaLwRI_mHrEfA-cK_F2r7c4l5EiS22NVQyVv3RdUsqFTQHn5k41x6WsCuIb00IS_LWPedoVQtB99g3kh4I/s320/Spider%20sequence%20(14).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO23oXl9RN8xBTl5G0UH0jmUtQmpvpPxWO66SlGXoTFbu7Q3Rnv2xfJSwJ9KEXzDKcpl3kWfp6P9SEXlLS7Y9TiMWjaCld2WgBjUXplzHv0Q7BEweodXxTrNDiHD_x4r_X9Y3y0v1BYxirx4vH4tJj5dT8NOQr6NpICfwglBbK7M6C6miXSm4mRlLq/s1869/Spider%20sequence%20(15).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1247" data-original-width="1869" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO23oXl9RN8xBTl5G0UH0jmUtQmpvpPxWO66SlGXoTFbu7Q3Rnv2xfJSwJ9KEXzDKcpl3kWfp6P9SEXlLS7Y9TiMWjaCld2WgBjUXplzHv0Q7BEweodXxTrNDiHD_x4r_X9Y3y0v1BYxirx4vH4tJj5dT8NOQr6NpICfwglBbK7M6C6miXSm4mRlLq/s320/Spider%20sequence%20(15).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBbCKcICuvkdkNiCfxI52dVnabm3ga-F_kQSexwtZWnaXfn95mJ_ABHvwox70wFtRi5mlXNx83LqEs7psGZGDJFuMFjnKwVzWipJ7c20AYVoD7J3XEbS3Fq6ln7dnGw6FcGn2y1VWWQAkro2T4G7uglr8X8Gy1YEIHSDYQsT6VJE-hq1gQQQzI8wC/s431/Spider%20sequence%20(16).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="431" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBbCKcICuvkdkNiCfxI52dVnabm3ga-F_kQSexwtZWnaXfn95mJ_ABHvwox70wFtRi5mlXNx83LqEs7psGZGDJFuMFjnKwVzWipJ7c20AYVoD7J3XEbS3Fq6ln7dnGw6FcGn2y1VWWQAkro2T4G7uglr8X8Gy1YEIHSDYQsT6VJE-hq1gQQQzI8wC/s320/Spider%20sequence%20(16).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><i style="font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>October 7, 2022.</i></div></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Good night, Spider!</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The season closer, however, was not a crab spider, but a <b>Spotted</b> </span><b>Orb Weaver. </b><span>This spider in the genus </span><span><b style="font-style: italic;">Neoscona </b><span>(thank you, bugguide.net, for the ID) </span></span><span>settled into the Gaillardia patch by the barn for several nights of web spinning. </span><span><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Here she is in her web:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYN_eBXm1hci9Y-EE_jVEuvi7Y53K9r1z1jVi0sEpIfddG74hkqWkdjyG-bifkrnjFR3J6U-Kqah_ROmDGd9MBqQG2Z6cgFKyFmTH4_PmhbA53QxkjA1Psxjgt0Gw_U1UPoQ5HOfjOa1_Fhr_Ry27YeTL26CWmKyX7CVdja9O-jiPDbOwwR3p0SsBC/s1130/Orbweaver%20at%20Sunset%20(3).JPG" style="font-size: medium; font-style: italic; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="1130" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYN_eBXm1hci9Y-EE_jVEuvi7Y53K9r1z1jVi0sEpIfddG74hkqWkdjyG-bifkrnjFR3J6U-Kqah_ROmDGd9MBqQG2Z6cgFKyFmTH4_PmhbA53QxkjA1Psxjgt0Gw_U1UPoQ5HOfjOa1_Fhr_Ry27YeTL26CWmKyX7CVdja9O-jiPDbOwwR3p0SsBC/s320/Orbweaver%20at%20Sunset%20(3).JPG" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqa-3OZNyuFc4pG_dGvfLL8RfFz-iP9gAnMblTtCw27ARc47JLHOHcanxajxRO8kKR75___eW2nfoMwE1dzrRA3JtaMcfqgQe3iBiqAXKBrxEqAWesAvbaCRLA6_aAD5E08WgmnMmhxL0pXspGk9cHiIO6v5OG-WhcVDnm3yEdWFk-zlLJDUbz4ic/s958/Orbweaver%20(3).JPG" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="958" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqa-3OZNyuFc4pG_dGvfLL8RfFz-iP9gAnMblTtCw27ARc47JLHOHcanxajxRO8kKR75___eW2nfoMwE1dzrRA3JtaMcfqgQe3iBiqAXKBrxEqAWesAvbaCRLA6_aAD5E08WgmnMmhxL0pXspGk9cHiIO6v5OG-WhcVDnm3yEdWFk-zlLJDUbz4ic/s320/Orbweaver%20(3).JPG" width="320" /></a></i><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYdU6uy217dVxJu_kmyKMMg-L8ThZkwZ72enX03tMp45QGbz2JPVAMPr8AghlpJeWfiLM81hijO2WPLs_nelETeNfcJH4fpOm67kWD8StEt4T8CkBZllMzZLBAcCvAA0V-Do04-XjaAItEIQmgBvygX3XXG8PvbAsKgLRn0m--TH6ORXL9Ekm1UmG/s1279/Orbweaver%20at%20Sunset%20(1).JPG" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1279" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYdU6uy217dVxJu_kmyKMMg-L8ThZkwZ72enX03tMp45QGbz2JPVAMPr8AghlpJeWfiLM81hijO2WPLs_nelETeNfcJH4fpOm67kWD8StEt4T8CkBZllMzZLBAcCvAA0V-Do04-XjaAItEIQmgBvygX3XXG8PvbAsKgLRn0m--TH6ORXL9Ekm1UmG/s320/Orbweaver%20at%20Sunset%20(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;">And here she is at work: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AAcr4so49t0" width="320" youtube-src-id="AAcr4so49t0"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A Spotted Orb Weaver at work in Gaillardia, October 15, 2022.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;">But following multiple frosts, harder freezes were coming. How long could she live? What could she find to eat? These questions added pathos to her activities. They made her lovely markings and skillful movements part of a world-in-itself---a precious moment in which time stood still. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-34109129018837798052023-01-30T19:38:00.003-08:002023-04-03T22:53:51.436-07:00Gaillardia World: Other Predators<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There were other predators, apart from spiders, that came to <i>Gaillardia pulchella, </i>June-October 2022. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">These included Robber Flies, Damselflies, Dragonflies, and Lacewings.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Robber Flies</b> (<b>Family Asilidae) </b>are impressive looking individuals: </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Edp9TRD3kiTf5XOOxMMBJWl5-oJnatbUqCMZPqzKiIfRp_dXn5AiNBbUC7efLfSKHwwGai6KcZGemTuAstB-g1YgWNKo_XFpWLQY4YY-c6XLUytKSVGMiaEjgvFAxxfM0LEf6p2lcbojxRwm8QMpfhLS6SNYFQZg_0Tor2wu9Ilnb1SU3om4my2y/s1920/Robber%20Fly%20Grooming.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Edp9TRD3kiTf5XOOxMMBJWl5-oJnatbUqCMZPqzKiIfRp_dXn5AiNBbUC7efLfSKHwwGai6KcZGemTuAstB-g1YgWNKo_XFpWLQY4YY-c6XLUytKSVGMiaEjgvFAxxfM0LEf6p2lcbojxRwm8QMpfhLS6SNYFQZg_0Tor2wu9Ilnb1SU3om4my2y/s320/Robber%20Fly%20Grooming.JPG" width="320" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>BugGuide.net identified this Robber Fly as a </span><b>"Hanging-Thief,"</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">belonging to the genus <i><b>Diogmites.</b></i></span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfA_ll6rCR6LlUfasyYLfC8M9iCvRKJnfQWakDTkIB89P3CWx8G44k2g1VoYEpZn96VnW7ZqkakxdeUv7QOPqzXLWfSAs9QzIXvV3Lgr7LjHNmyw5Pxh-VBkskV6DIe1AXWw-AuBwrwE5wOSHlUC78utHV83DHjF-EtlZHNNQrH5r42XcJnoQSic2/s1920/Robber%20Fly%20Full%20Face.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfA_ll6rCR6LlUfasyYLfC8M9iCvRKJnfQWakDTkIB89P3CWx8G44k2g1VoYEpZn96VnW7ZqkakxdeUv7QOPqzXLWfSAs9QzIXvV3Lgr7LjHNmyw5Pxh-VBkskV6DIe1AXWw-AuBwrwE5wOSHlUC78utHV83DHjF-EtlZHNNQrH5r42XcJnoQSic2/s320/Robber%20Fly%20Full%20Face.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: small;"> </i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i><span>(S)he is perched on </span><span>a </span><span>Gaillardia seedhead </span><span>by the barn, </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>August </span><span>1, 2022. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Here is a video of this Hanging-Thief, missing a bee fly but then catching a damselfly:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bb28Xx3gQPU" width="320" youtube-src-id="bb28Xx3gQPU"></iframe></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Robber Fly hunting, August 1, 2022.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Damselflies also used <i>Gaillardia pulchella </i>as a hunting ground. Here is a damselfly that tried it out briefly on July 16, 2022:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kJfgnjpAf9M" width="320" youtube-src-id="kJfgnjpAf9M"></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Maybe the hunting wasn't good or maybe there was a creepy feeling because this damselfly didn't stay long. The sense of danger was well justified as two weeks later another damselfly ventured into the Gaillardia and was eaten by a Robber Fly. </span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Dragonflies, Order Odonata, Infraorder Anisoptera</b>, also hunted over and around Gaillardia. Here are clips of male <b>Widow Skimmers (<i>Libellula luctuosa</i>) </b>frequenting the native plant garden in our front yard: </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sljOF7qWtE8" width="320" youtube-src-id="sljOF7qWtE8"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Male Widow Skimmers sport white patches mid-wing as they</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">patrol a patch of volunteer Gaillardia, July 4-5, 2022.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Perhaps tiny prey-insects swirled above the Gaillardia, as there were </span><b>dragonflies </b><span>zipping back and forth over the blossoms. But whatever they were hunting was too small for me to see. The most prominent dragonflies were male <b>Widow Skimmers.</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Toward the end of the season, <b>Green Lacewings (Family Chrysopidae) </b>appeared on the Gaillardia.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitiOim5jIKBs2-_iLXH560ObfnQ1qX8W_XrrNfXjriWbVqAQU5fLO9yK1Z2L3JDpM7X5e-KAo9P-d4IMsBDRraZ8GUA2WOKgImh2PGRvSTi_mN9Vt0iluEeZSv7sP6j2nPeZvJDzEe62hjj_B-oYpGuuCO4EUuOHUfhrOUToFoDXSMO41kymlKGuej/s1920/Lacewing%20and%20Friend.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitiOim5jIKBs2-_iLXH560ObfnQ1qX8W_XrrNfXjriWbVqAQU5fLO9yK1Z2L3JDpM7X5e-KAo9P-d4IMsBDRraZ8GUA2WOKgImh2PGRvSTi_mN9Vt0iluEeZSv7sP6j2nPeZvJDzEe62hjj_B-oYpGuuCO4EUuOHUfhrOUToFoDXSMO41kymlKGuej/s320/Lacewing%20and%20Friend.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A Green Lacewing<b> </b>comes </span><span style="font-size: small;">face to face with a tiny wasp on Gaillardia </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">flowers, </span><span style="font-size: small;">just </span><span style="font-size: small;">going to seed. It was unclear what was on </span><span style="font-size: small;">the agenda of </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">either creature, </span><span style="font-size: small;">as their antennae explored </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">each other. Sept. 28, 2022.</span> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Lacewings</b>, as the name suggests, are delicately beautiful. The larvae feed on other insects, and some adults are predacious as well, while others eat pollen and nectar. Green Lacewings are members of the family <b>Chrysopidae. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The lacewings that appeared on the Gaillardia by the barn this summer did not appear to be either hunting or foraging, at least while the camera was rolling. Their antennae kept moving, taking in information:</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z8OQsYEqIlY" width="320" youtube-src-id="z8OQsYEqIlY"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Green Lacewings investigating Gaillardia, Sept. 25-28, 2022</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-86609342924487857222023-01-29T13:10:00.001-08:002023-04-03T15:20:52.457-07:00Gaillardia World: A Promising Love Affair<div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"> </span> <i style="font-size: small;">Gaillardia pulchella, </i><span style="font-size: small;">Barn Patch, McDowell Creek, Geary Co., KS., 7-23-22:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-csnBv3HuZk" width="320" youtube-src-id="-csnBv3HuZk"></iframe></p><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Sachems (</span><i style="font-size: large;">Atalopedes campestris</i><span style="font-size: large;">) were increasingly common in the Gaillardia as the summer wore on. These clips catch a female Sachem feeding on the nectar-rich Gaillardia, while a male comes to court her. In case sidling up to her and performing aerial acrobatics doesn't convince her he's The One, he also dazzles--or drizzles--her with pheromones, which he spreads as he flies.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p></div>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-50724183456889970542023-01-28T16:58:00.001-08:002023-04-03T15:23:19.876-07:00Gaillardia World: A Doomed Love Affair<p>H<span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">ere in the midst of nectar-rich </span><i style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gaillardia pulchella, </i><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">a female Silvery Checkerspot attracted a male Gorgone Checkerspot. The attraction was mutual but was doomed by mismatched body plans.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="312" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RpSzU_xBeNg" width="388" youtube-src-id="RpSzU_xBeNg"></iframe></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Gaillardia pulchella, Barn Patch<i>, McDowell Creek, Geary Co., Ks., July 27, 2022</i></span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite the lovers' vigor, there were to be no hybrids. In their sad case, anatomy <i>was </i>destiny.</span></p>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-112960770042801052023-01-27T20:01:00.001-08:002023-04-03T22:49:47.009-07:00Gaillardia World: Bees! The Most Important Pollinators<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bees are the world's most important pollinators, as unlike butterflies, they deliberately collect pollen to feed the next generation, and so reliably move pollen from plant to plant. <i>Gaillardia pulchella </i>is an annual, dependent on seed production and therefore pollination for self-perpetuation. Appropriately, Gaillardia produces prodigious amounts of pollen and nectar and therefore attracts many bees! </span></p><p><span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">By attracting pollinators, the Gaillardia in our front yard and by our barn allowed me to identify multiple species of bee.</span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>There were Bumble Bees (Family Apidae, <i>Bombus </i>spp.):</b></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>The American Bumble Be</b>e <b>(<i>Bombus pensylvanicus</i>),</b> <b>June 18, 2022</b>. Note the hefty bands of yellow hair on the abdomen. Note also the "pollen baskets" on the hind legs that are full of orange pollen. These are female "workers" charged with gathering pollen to feed to the larvae back in the nest:<br /></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkqO92FsEmWhdkezk4TSTGaWd-nITJx-4vRFvqbu5KQ2QHDupnjYLyS9xqVK4SFaVyc7AntWaIHbmlDzYOp-1oj0djmAL-2l1D-3jyR8l4xSNfyKxd7uzoPIVAllIpWVEIC9FC2iyRLupNowGWHiDdEu6h0-pDOR5jA8xVgIGemJ5i_B6P_8wWcwD/s876/American%20Bumble%20Bee%20B.%20pensylvanicus%20(1).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="876" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkqO92FsEmWhdkezk4TSTGaWd-nITJx-4vRFvqbu5KQ2QHDupnjYLyS9xqVK4SFaVyc7AntWaIHbmlDzYOp-1oj0djmAL-2l1D-3jyR8l4xSNfyKxd7uzoPIVAllIpWVEIC9FC2iyRLupNowGWHiDdEu6h0-pDOR5jA8xVgIGemJ5i_B6P_8wWcwD/s320/American%20Bumble%20Bee%20B.%20pensylvanicus%20(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0x4dnyRZa7kQDNtqZJCn_eWMjQL7qdFujj8Cge6ZjV1p4vElC2zy0QHuYlsM9rxsnHFeiY3QRFjNAmOjU18eit28pICI-aSO2-wMExoVYnD51ore-hfsEWI23toHH8yxt2YSkD4QImhpVLgX0jMfGn91rvG37MBDkTEevj4WsOBctM_gxnv5U7tT/s434/American%20Bumble%20Bee%20B.%20pensylvanicus%20(4).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="245" data-original-width="434" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0x4dnyRZa7kQDNtqZJCn_eWMjQL7qdFujj8Cge6ZjV1p4vElC2zy0QHuYlsM9rxsnHFeiY3QRFjNAmOjU18eit28pICI-aSO2-wMExoVYnD51ore-hfsEWI23toHH8yxt2YSkD4QImhpVLgX0jMfGn91rvG37MBDkTEevj4WsOBctM_gxnv5U7tT/s320/American%20Bumble%20Bee%20B.%20pensylvanicus%20(4).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPF1_mx_tfwScv5DT3fSlvws0RbSRnGYNP1U5odhc21iyXPFRFLPKz_9eSKTG8j3aQn3YZ5B_MsmDJyGDaLhHGVzG5qAC_ufcSxjZTTSLcVx_rVvrjbT7adDH27x4xKBL4W9ROXcsGoM5sDTloT3M1KWoKfgOxqOunpaVvTDftgd0rK3V8oaCYLcr/s1920/American%20Bumble%20Bee%20B.%20pensylvanicus%20(6).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPF1_mx_tfwScv5DT3fSlvws0RbSRnGYNP1U5odhc21iyXPFRFLPKz_9eSKTG8j3aQn3YZ5B_MsmDJyGDaLhHGVzG5qAC_ufcSxjZTTSLcVx_rVvrjbT7adDH27x4xKBL4W9ROXcsGoM5sDTloT3M1KWoKfgOxqOunpaVvTDftgd0rK3V8oaCYLcr/s320/American%20Bumble%20Bee%20B.%20pensylvanicus%20(6).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOI18PKB0rNXl0nSFFzKgXQtnufnLVy5CMC8l5_9bFSIC-B5AaZQv0td_J7XnPWv0Oo6Lvf8cUS2xR-6PaeJN8N41y-qYpt-2jZHjKGY-8gDpWHxn8uIXNYWc9qHwvvxld3lH2eoTs1N1rtYpCHCx3TxEs2RMYPpL4jv5fahnBswFY88hqJf5coccd/s510/American%20Bumble%20Bee%20B.%20pensylvanicus%20(9).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="287" data-original-width="510" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOI18PKB0rNXl0nSFFzKgXQtnufnLVy5CMC8l5_9bFSIC-B5AaZQv0td_J7XnPWv0Oo6Lvf8cUS2xR-6PaeJN8N41y-qYpt-2jZHjKGY-8gDpWHxn8uIXNYWc9qHwvvxld3lH2eoTs1N1rtYpCHCx3TxEs2RMYPpL4jv5fahnBswFY88hqJf5coccd/s320/American%20Bumble%20Bee%20B.%20pensylvanicus%20(9).JPG" width="320" /></a></div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Here is the American Bumble Bee in action (June 18, 2022):</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="381" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1r9KOVeBJpw" width="457" youtube-src-id="1r9KOVeBJpw"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">American Bumble Bee (<i>Bombus pensylvanicus</i>), June 18, 2022.</span></div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Common Eastern Bumble Bees (<i>Bombus impatiens</i>), October 6-15, 2022. </b>Note the greater furriness on the thorax, and the yellow band limited to just the first abdominal segment. Note also that the black spot in the center of the thorax is not completely black but sports yellow hairs.</span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQLSzmeu_msRGuVslHn1P79DQ-JK23FBkNgS3RBbTX034hH6i8G1pTBv9xXj-sWA2cNswQGvIHVod0LfDiGZDiQ9vb2rtMxxsygGgdMQp-QJQod-Cyo2QgDPFisI6sJ0pYsHcm0o9V21FZPjvv-kW4WlIE18JfPOz7B1kXIcy5mGJAKPpbIsE1b9q/s1920/Bombus%20impatiens%20(5).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQLSzmeu_msRGuVslHn1P79DQ-JK23FBkNgS3RBbTX034hH6i8G1pTBv9xXj-sWA2cNswQGvIHVod0LfDiGZDiQ9vb2rtMxxsygGgdMQp-QJQod-Cyo2QgDPFisI6sJ0pYsHcm0o9V21FZPjvv-kW4WlIE18JfPOz7B1kXIcy5mGJAKPpbIsE1b9q/s320/Bombus%20impatiens%20(5).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiumLKsiPEcUroBUw1S4A2vZO5QzBtXCqXd-QrcDqDcmcsrjONHWYNl79vi8z0KQ5Y5AFr-iTdG6zUhfgPoHRwaeHP00wKDqGIDGT8y8OwzViVW2nmKVit-HYwRU4uZyXAVfFaoLLCEGbFZBjnF_4CtRx0FfUUBahXsbTMpcMsfuDHCM_27howf6jzQ/s1920/B%20Tattered_Moment.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiumLKsiPEcUroBUw1S4A2vZO5QzBtXCqXd-QrcDqDcmcsrjONHWYNl79vi8z0KQ5Y5AFr-iTdG6zUhfgPoHRwaeHP00wKDqGIDGT8y8OwzViVW2nmKVit-HYwRU4uZyXAVfFaoLLCEGbFZBjnF_4CtRx0FfUUBahXsbTMpcMsfuDHCM_27howf6jzQ/s320/B%20Tattered_Moment.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4s7uLh9e9lwZ6cgsDCSF_ST_qSpeqSGAm7cHtTSJD2KMAfmZU5nobGWkPFxuHzJjnKSIvLun3HRVs1K0drYizzeouoh6_hvo5-Ghwn_TnYiI_MiME7zR2n5DLZGn-UaBeKitdCwqvi_Asj6ix5YuHlg8gKiDWhAGAg0KWhEurdmYrlcdrmLt0CGL/s5184/Bombus%20impatiens%20(1).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4s7uLh9e9lwZ6cgsDCSF_ST_qSpeqSGAm7cHtTSJD2KMAfmZU5nobGWkPFxuHzJjnKSIvLun3HRVs1K0drYizzeouoh6_hvo5-Ghwn_TnYiI_MiME7zR2n5DLZGn-UaBeKitdCwqvi_Asj6ix5YuHlg8gKiDWhAGAg0KWhEurdmYrlcdrmLt0CGL/s320/Bombus%20impatiens%20(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLzeyXe5T9qw-fHyrBfQ8CagI7mTdUx0x6k5s6hCDWJwg4VX52TgCptAR-Tjt8fLjpRS_7NIVGlPYGLBHd_HfqH-gfR4X4jxkJB_NGiSYHdNAu2Z28o1D4RoCZS3jclhx45qk9mcpfVkARM73WFYnXz8lQvm_RVLnNYx8KSqtPyxS53FwGu3beoyN/s1143/Bombus%20impatiens%20(11).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="1143" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLzeyXe5T9qw-fHyrBfQ8CagI7mTdUx0x6k5s6hCDWJwg4VX52TgCptAR-Tjt8fLjpRS_7NIVGlPYGLBHd_HfqH-gfR4X4jxkJB_NGiSYHdNAu2Z28o1D4RoCZS3jclhx45qk9mcpfVkARM73WFYnXz8lQvm_RVLnNYx8KSqtPyxS53FwGu3beoyN/s320/Bombus%20impatiens%20(11).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">Note also that these large bees have no pollen on their hind legs. There are no larvae needing to be fed back in the nest; that nest is done for the year. The workers and males have passed away. The bees shown here are likely the bred "queens," the only ones from this summer's colony still alive. They are feeding <i>themselves</i> now. They must bulk up to live through hibernation, to emerge next spring to find an appropriate burrow in which to lay their eggs--the start of next year's colony. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Here are Common Eastern Bumble Bees in action, October 6-15, 2022:</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #0d0d0d;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="252" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ll46Sp74XBw" width="440" youtube-src-id="Ll46Sp74XBw"></iframe></div><div><span style="color: #0d0d0d;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #0d0d0d;"><br /></span></div><br /></span><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Southern Plains Bumble Bees (<i>Bombus fraternus</i>), October 15, 2022. </b>These large bumble bees are on the International Union of Conservation of Nature's "Red List" (threatened with extinction). That's one reason we are so glad to see them drinking nectar from the Gaillardia. The tallgrass prairie here in the Flint Hills is one place where <i>B. fraternus </i>thrives. Here are some photos of this welcome bee:</span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicY-j9C_HQ4XwgI6Jjnk1xde5Rusvz-U-TKfLFcAGREnmvshIPqI4UwDhBEx-AYh_1IGXkKVo4ZYG5JDZVP-Z6PHmEWurxWMw7BWzE0sPxa9UNuwIMLpd21T2_GLn8xrqOC1pfvIn5N7fGBQKUQM7qSaghy7i00FXcGrTZR7GKUnJFRyL985fzYLIx/s1136/Bombus%20fraternus%20at%20Barn%20(1).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="1136" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicY-j9C_HQ4XwgI6Jjnk1xde5Rusvz-U-TKfLFcAGREnmvshIPqI4UwDhBEx-AYh_1IGXkKVo4ZYG5JDZVP-Z6PHmEWurxWMw7BWzE0sPxa9UNuwIMLpd21T2_GLn8xrqOC1pfvIn5N7fGBQKUQM7qSaghy7i00FXcGrTZR7GKUnJFRyL985fzYLIx/s320/Bombus%20fraternus%20at%20Barn%20(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDQJrD65DYhNICXIYdtz6lBqOc0DkROtqixp1QC1ye_MC81pcXSe-zJFFLiegKFFd7EpfwOCUfLIElin01veHwsLQ4ULSx8EOXcLaIRvQVdvzONtmjuWFff3sxYsuF0NDAA7sTgsJfRv0f68u28BJqgFVAxsJwmbbowvNcXH_Xo2yN5EskC0dklAD/s1142/Bombus%20fraternus%20at%20Barn%20(3).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="1142" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDQJrD65DYhNICXIYdtz6lBqOc0DkROtqixp1QC1ye_MC81pcXSe-zJFFLiegKFFd7EpfwOCUfLIElin01veHwsLQ4ULSx8EOXcLaIRvQVdvzONtmjuWFff3sxYsuF0NDAA7sTgsJfRv0f68u28BJqgFVAxsJwmbbowvNcXH_Xo2yN5EskC0dklAD/s320/Bombus%20fraternus%20at%20Barn%20(3).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUyASZ_wiWSEygF3rl3ihWFXudsrehjDm2muDLAyq4E-7JYJ3k8dD9v0iiMyO9pQ3ZGLhxNOArmwsy6qMrq_GxKJx1AjXem8or0EkXRBRZ2IoHXQj7J6KcdtQ2dJTEWKfqu23dE2xmYVyFyLNEQFkPrF9BjuYSs7czjLzZIEcUxyVE0lDaYO-FssG/s1022/Bombus%20fraternus%20at%20Barn%20(5).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="1022" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUyASZ_wiWSEygF3rl3ihWFXudsrehjDm2muDLAyq4E-7JYJ3k8dD9v0iiMyO9pQ3ZGLhxNOArmwsy6qMrq_GxKJx1AjXem8or0EkXRBRZ2IoHXQj7J6KcdtQ2dJTEWKfqu23dE2xmYVyFyLNEQFkPrF9BjuYSs7czjLzZIEcUxyVE0lDaYO-FssG/s320/Bombus%20fraternus%20at%20Barn%20(5).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlU-jl1s3022aHCwUZ70Nfkyv3YgyTSed8y7MHZhXFTUPph78tixZnqFc90PRJjlmyZ0ZDzXS__ZSzN9YoqjLv7pgKlz-lLQVRXpAuLjAH1cMxfU7Oyysu5U6DuD2ipf0S7izARR5ypv4w2l8s7psGk5z-SIwDv3PZ666v0OyLHnLHGtIyMyLCbxvU/s1243/Bombus%20fraternus%20at%20Barn%20(7).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1243" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlU-jl1s3022aHCwUZ70Nfkyv3YgyTSed8y7MHZhXFTUPph78tixZnqFc90PRJjlmyZ0ZDzXS__ZSzN9YoqjLv7pgKlz-lLQVRXpAuLjAH1cMxfU7Oyysu5U6DuD2ipf0S7izARR5ypv4w2l8s7psGk5z-SIwDv3PZ666v0OyLHnLHGtIyMyLCbxvU/s320/Bombus%20fraternus%20at%20Barn%20(7).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>And here is <i>B. fraternus </i>in action:</span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z7X_bXFP0yc" width="320" youtube-src-id="z7X_bXFP0yc"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0d0d0d; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Southern Plains Bumble Bee, November 15, 2022</span></span></div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>There were Leafcutter and Resin Bees (<i>Megachile </i>spp., Family Megachilidae):</b></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the beginning of July, Leafcutter Bees (<i>Megachile </i>spp.) were the most common bees on Gaillardia pulchella. The females collected pollen on their furry bellies, instead of on their hind legs, and the males of some species got all gussied up with large white mitts on their front legs. The "mitts" are not pollen-baskets but brushes deployed in mating.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XJP2glUUjII" width="320" youtube-src-id="XJP2glUUjII"></iframe></div><br /><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>There were species of Sweat Bee (Family Halictidae):</b></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span> </span></b></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Metallic Sweat Bees (<i>Lasioglossum, Subgenus Dialictus). </i></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">These are tiny bees with muted colors, so they are often overlooked, and even when they are seen, they are hard to see clearly. </span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ8OeXEOBUYcH6oV1mxJ5m414zSNZ290QFAbqEkQpc8d674CS9jOQFB3Pj1di2RMZ3QIbkRAr4YYi_2Or2rNqZ5qn8DzYur3L-ueE-Uhqq0e2o2ZDRY1SBeWeYR2w8deGsLDQnZ-ompmnbjUrccbYognR7Pq3kZpwMnTdQUd8yx1Hy2AVWp85DBDCW/s430/Lasioglossum%20Subgenus%20Dialictus%20Metallic%20Sweat%20Bee%20(3).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="242" data-original-width="430" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ8OeXEOBUYcH6oV1mxJ5m414zSNZ290QFAbqEkQpc8d674CS9jOQFB3Pj1di2RMZ3QIbkRAr4YYi_2Or2rNqZ5qn8DzYur3L-ueE-Uhqq0e2o2ZDRY1SBeWeYR2w8deGsLDQnZ-ompmnbjUrccbYognR7Pq3kZpwMnTdQUd8yx1Hy2AVWp85DBDCW/s320/Lasioglossum%20Subgenus%20Dialictus%20Metallic%20Sweat%20Bee%20(3).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSGtGRvGk5H7u-Jb1m80hpPBrWqcTunYqw2Zfw3VsNNpg7faZFFP7D4dqgN_n0FaumjtcrnydA0lZriP00Dc_Bs_XySjpWy3_tAQkX_75vAbQxzxh4HID2kYWZzDBdcwTwPPa7tpplTiiMJQ1ju3hrBamDLWBV_uz4_yNEkKx2FB5FXQrFK2KJo4i/s415/Lasioglossum%20Subgenus%20Dialictus%20Metallic%20Sweat%20Bee%20(5).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="233" data-original-width="415" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSGtGRvGk5H7u-Jb1m80hpPBrWqcTunYqw2Zfw3VsNNpg7faZFFP7D4dqgN_n0FaumjtcrnydA0lZriP00Dc_Bs_XySjpWy3_tAQkX_75vAbQxzxh4HID2kYWZzDBdcwTwPPa7tpplTiiMJQ1ju3hrBamDLWBV_uz4_yNEkKx2FB5FXQrFK2KJo4i/s320/Lasioglossum%20Subgenus%20Dialictus%20Metallic%20Sweat%20Bee%20(5).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Lasioglossum, Subgenus Dialictus</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Metallic Sweat Bee, October 4, 2022</i></span></div><b style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <b>Striped Sweat Bee (<i>Agapostemon</i>). </b>These Sweat Bees are larger and easier to see:</span></div></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CabD9FSn6YPK2XmokmM5xCMJrkyBa7djgPZ9ZWKz1Oo7ISNIWW5CVgW2_Mp6735Dh2JNjIEBxNta4bHs__Ac8GwOTWncl8jAkAvCDU_OYDbUNxcyb87ac-oMSJuEEG0Ts1doUJxa_mkU4CDm8FnMe9Srw8bHYXFaNmu6y7f3RzBAzk4e2Tuv8fSD/s780/Face%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="780" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CabD9FSn6YPK2XmokmM5xCMJrkyBa7djgPZ9ZWKz1Oo7ISNIWW5CVgW2_Mp6735Dh2JNjIEBxNta4bHs__Ac8GwOTWncl8jAkAvCDU_OYDbUNxcyb87ac-oMSJuEEG0Ts1doUJxa_mkU4CDm8FnMe9Srw8bHYXFaNmu6y7f3RzBAzk4e2Tuv8fSD/s320/Face%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpf8PeL6pkIUY4eYSGxUE4-Ov4x9e0Hu28j_FZlNFlkYfSJlanyqkLZvgdBvv4HOHPlpG3CeDbkq0wkxK4sVh-uULwqTj7zjanq5f5FIgR9ZKroYo600OTNdyRdw-PAr3l6YX_fMHV-v_wRwfjyImECReOhBKScx_00nVGRXEwrABKJijbnZ5aIiG0/s731/Green%20Bee%20Lifting%20Off%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="411" data-original-width="731" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpf8PeL6pkIUY4eYSGxUE4-Ov4x9e0Hu28j_FZlNFlkYfSJlanyqkLZvgdBvv4HOHPlpG3CeDbkq0wkxK4sVh-uULwqTj7zjanq5f5FIgR9ZKroYo600OTNdyRdw-PAr3l6YX_fMHV-v_wRwfjyImECReOhBKScx_00nVGRXEwrABKJijbnZ5aIiG0/s320/Green%20Bee%20Lifting%20Off%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsy1vHRl6jwYokUx5lUtt5z-IVImBrOgwfHvuhGfPdROGboQj4CYKXn_OfGHdxwVTPX16zEvYcnbhn1VkRGi6MvTD-NRUU_rynz3bjCThyYlGTScAjhIzJbigSvl_owZlf5HIRiwCaM0kqDTi-X8Jd3_rZJFIb9pHbjEjXruV77VL5Wma8e-9Jrhdw/s766/Green%20Bee%20Thorax%20and%20Abdomen%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="766" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsy1vHRl6jwYokUx5lUtt5z-IVImBrOgwfHvuhGfPdROGboQj4CYKXn_OfGHdxwVTPX16zEvYcnbhn1VkRGi6MvTD-NRUU_rynz3bjCThyYlGTScAjhIzJbigSvl_owZlf5HIRiwCaM0kqDTi-X8Jd3_rZJFIb9pHbjEjXruV77VL5Wma8e-9Jrhdw/s320/Green%20Bee%20Thorax%20and%20Abdomen%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; white-space: pre-wrap;">Agapostemon, July 13, 2022.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Agapostemon </i>in action:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ha_2YGBUvmA" width="320" youtube-src-id="Ha_2YGBUvmA"></iframe></div><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">This shiny individual came to sip and sup on the Gaillardia pulchella volunteering by our barn. (S)he is a Striped Sweat Bee, a member of the genus Agapostemon. The name means Lover-of-Stamens, and clearly (s)he is finding lots to love on this composite! McDowell Creek, Geary County, KS.,</span></b></div></b></div><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d;"><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">July 13, 2022.</span></b></span></div><div style="font-size: large;"><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d;"><b style="font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></b></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">There were Eastern Carpenter Bees (<i>Xylocopa virginica</i>). </span></b><b style="font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </b><span style="font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">These bees look like bumble bees but are in a different tribe as well as genus. </span></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d;"><span style="font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZfF0WgaLodb1JSzrsEC5k16hPYQyDMEsZOeCc1xL5IqWpk9_dpsge5bHdKgngsuiuZx8nfKq3TRrKktWU1KXcLaLAcmEKtHmXM10yqcnJEAu1ZwkuVVvR5uQWQnAi4dUc4Ep_-IMRT-W5-t5VRma6DT2I5UHuK841bt56mipAfnv5kA1dH-krmnO/s1261/Eastern%20Carpenter%20Bee%20Xylocopa%20virginica%20(1).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="1261" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZfF0WgaLodb1JSzrsEC5k16hPYQyDMEsZOeCc1xL5IqWpk9_dpsge5bHdKgngsuiuZx8nfKq3TRrKktWU1KXcLaLAcmEKtHmXM10yqcnJEAu1ZwkuVVvR5uQWQnAi4dUc4Ep_-IMRT-W5-t5VRma6DT2I5UHuK841bt56mipAfnv5kA1dH-krmnO/s320/Eastern%20Carpenter%20Bee%20Xylocopa%20virginica%20(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76XJtETsxvEU3vxCzBeAB9dGWhLoeoVc13tK2upDarOXBj7_anPnSbUj3Q0BZ5wCOXUD4hqS-3rIuc7Qaso3P8d7ck5-3SDcE1DUA1dHxd_VaDcrzTApJCgGm4SKZXHAMAIwZKXcJNG9URlzaBKmsaUyZvO18azMUUMLO5lGZyglEJPCio98Ge-sy/s1349/Eastern%20Carpenter%20Bee%20Xylocopa%20virginica%20(3).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="759" data-original-width="1349" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76XJtETsxvEU3vxCzBeAB9dGWhLoeoVc13tK2upDarOXBj7_anPnSbUj3Q0BZ5wCOXUD4hqS-3rIuc7Qaso3P8d7ck5-3SDcE1DUA1dHxd_VaDcrzTApJCgGm4SKZXHAMAIwZKXcJNG9URlzaBKmsaUyZvO18azMUUMLO5lGZyglEJPCio98Ge-sy/s320/Eastern%20Carpenter%20Bee%20Xylocopa%20virginica%20(3).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhue8mQnH_FJ-rtnUyzsXwtpZFm3PnS0nIoIQzV-QUL8ZUW1NKjaP9RhdFXGg8pX2Sme6slrHxyNZcoGY5clcoWT5a7XgRfAwv1ACTopfsIM4Wp8wmJRuAcltGh6sIxcQWM9HX45z8EGo5fAQdbtKTjNMrcJ0f07PBMt1vb0pUoMvAca1vDZViEwx49/s1064/Eastern%20Carpenter%20Bee%20Xylocopa%20virginica%20(5).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="1064" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhue8mQnH_FJ-rtnUyzsXwtpZFm3PnS0nIoIQzV-QUL8ZUW1NKjaP9RhdFXGg8pX2Sme6slrHxyNZcoGY5clcoWT5a7XgRfAwv1ACTopfsIM4Wp8wmJRuAcltGh6sIxcQWM9HX45z8EGo5fAQdbtKTjNMrcJ0f07PBMt1vb0pUoMvAca1vDZViEwx49/s320/Eastern%20Carpenter%20Bee%20Xylocopa%20virginica%20(5).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eastern Carpenter Bee (<i>Xylocopa virginica</i>), October 16, 2022</span></div></span></div>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-56966106345825260912023-01-27T18:06:00.001-08:002023-02-01T18:17:46.609-08:00Gaillardia World: Flies! The Second Most Important Pollinators<div><span style="font-size: medium;">Next to bees, flies are the most important pollinators. So many kinds of flies came to Gaillardia:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Flower Flies. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Flower Flies (family <b>Syrphidae</b>) arrived in a variety of sizes and colors, but all of them looking like bees. Syrphids are known as "bee-mimics"; their resemblance to stinging creatures may give them protection from predators. They certainly fooled me when I first encountered them. Now, despite their bee-act, I know to look for the "fly eyes"--which are larger and rounder than those of bees. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Here is the lovely Syrphid Fly, <i><b>Eristalis stipator</b>, </i>on our front-yard Gaillardias, on June 17, 2022:</span></div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/iQhlkSmhe50" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iQhlkSmhe50/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe><div><i style="font-size: small; text-align: center;">Eristalis stipator </i><span style="font-size: small; text-align: center;">is a common visitor to wildflowers in our prairie restorations. </span><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">One month later, July 17, 2022, a Flower Fly of the same genus but a different species came to the Gaillardia</span><span style="font-size: large;">. </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>It is </span><i><b>E. aeneus.</b> </i><span>Check out those eyes! </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS23T04QnQgXrW3x6V-3_FEP51d_kzJ0L7EouxCjQxdHDeJM008yRRwIB5bPrKwN61oi7R7wEMSNVu8eOD6Ndrde7POKJb4NccT6NMr4HXEACr_SAAvHH0q-tyDszbp4jxcX-U4jXUj3S-fBRFHZN9yVJar9_kCqtoWsC5ScQuJEloCTeSYC2cii8M/s681/Eristalinus%20aeneus%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="681" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS23T04QnQgXrW3x6V-3_FEP51d_kzJ0L7EouxCjQxdHDeJM008yRRwIB5bPrKwN61oi7R7wEMSNVu8eOD6Ndrde7POKJb4NccT6NMr4HXEACr_SAAvHH0q-tyDszbp4jxcX-U4jXUj3S-fBRFHZN9yVJar9_kCqtoWsC5ScQuJEloCTeSYC2cii8M/s320/Eristalinus%20aeneus%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>E. aeneus </i>has eyes especially large, even for a fly. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">At the end of July, a Flower Fly I had never seen before came to sip on the Gaillardia. It was <i><b>Eupeodes volucris</b>, </i>aka <b>Bird Hover Fly.</b> Many thanks to entomologist Betsy Betros for identifying this fly for me. "Hover Fly" is another name for Flower Fly or Syrphid, referring to the Flower Flies' tendency to "hover" over flowers and zip forwards and backwards, just like bees, or--perhaps this is the source of the common name--just like hummingbirds. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Here are some photos of the lovely <b>Bird Hover Fly:</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LdKYE4sJJ6gvu8aJwUe3QC0YAaihrz0nUnBEyoUwfDoiAaEQoxd_hiBFS69IDXYQRAoUr5w2MQ_WbM24mM6autC84hJlMWf2gNcTsnQYvvfCt5W0l4TNwrFSUe0kUV2vM6GFjiR-mXHwWEDi4s3_EWYtGLHcwnlOoykIoGI--A06hmUfA4xLxChG/s1920/Bird%20Hover%20Fly%20Eupeodes%20volucris%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LdKYE4sJJ6gvu8aJwUe3QC0YAaihrz0nUnBEyoUwfDoiAaEQoxd_hiBFS69IDXYQRAoUr5w2MQ_WbM24mM6autC84hJlMWf2gNcTsnQYvvfCt5W0l4TNwrFSUe0kUV2vM6GFjiR-mXHwWEDi4s3_EWYtGLHcwnlOoykIoGI--A06hmUfA4xLxChG/s320/Bird%20Hover%20Fly%20Eupeodes%20volucris%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjek_2sIitPMzcoor2_GbnqQ6IGqYI3btn9KTWG9C4G9kyIfoTtaPZdsIsMju255VorkSMXdvdEZtueEvSJq68OLmn2-rH3c0rxn9bPXS-TlSbpdIdy50nbzzN3mak3iRIL1KcgQ-O1ZNnEb0WJMj9V8k1rReWTPKahhOXZslGGGQq2sksmj4lPasCp/s1920/Bird%20Hover%20Fly%20Eupeodes%20volucris%20(4).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjek_2sIitPMzcoor2_GbnqQ6IGqYI3btn9KTWG9C4G9kyIfoTtaPZdsIsMju255VorkSMXdvdEZtueEvSJq68OLmn2-rH3c0rxn9bPXS-TlSbpdIdy50nbzzN3mak3iRIL1KcgQ-O1ZNnEb0WJMj9V8k1rReWTPKahhOXZslGGGQq2sksmj4lPasCp/s320/Bird%20Hover%20Fly%20Eupeodes%20volucris%20(4).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sNioY-qF_PEUY4EHEm4XX8Eq6z8iF04A6prNGY_6xaCCjo-XRrX-oWotuQp4xsYUrSv7MKWj2ArjBSG36SglWaCcuuyspNEFukzaaOc47NAWdnbZVYcIZDfeyh4Vh7pIQSXCtDI3eJlNF5LpJhYOy7yn4ArhdWYoQt4Ju6OK-v9eLVPV5oBOPoV7/s1920/Flying%20Profile.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sNioY-qF_PEUY4EHEm4XX8Eq6z8iF04A6prNGY_6xaCCjo-XRrX-oWotuQp4xsYUrSv7MKWj2ArjBSG36SglWaCcuuyspNEFukzaaOc47NAWdnbZVYcIZDfeyh4Vh7pIQSXCtDI3eJlNF5LpJhYOy7yn4ArhdWYoQt4Ju6OK-v9eLVPV5oBOPoV7/s320/Flying%20Profile.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bird Hover Fly feeding on the <i>Gaillardia pulchella </i>volunteering by our barn.</span></div></div><div style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">July 29, 2022</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> And here is the Bird Hover Fly in action: </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lx_CU5U8JNE" width="320" youtube-src-id="lx_CU5U8JNE"></iframe></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Eupeodes volucris</i> sips nectar from <i>Gaillardia pulchella </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">July 29, 2022.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">At the beginning of August a tiny Hover Fly came to visit but not to eat. This is <b><i>Toxomerus politus,</i> </b>often mistaken for a sweat bee. Here is <i>T. politus </i>sitting on a Gaillardia leaf, not going to the nectar-filled blossoms. That's because <i>T. politus </i>specializes in grass pollen, not wildflower pollen. Note how large the eyes are in proportion to the body. Not a bee!</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2O4Tugbwistc3M0zoyqePPLIvZWdkXW8ojuj1XS6EaVHFxixjhM5c095GliYBAWiV3XWRpYF8JVHTbcHkHG3mbvGgjy7-_kGL4P6f_8qh_e6ueVle9lpklF182r-raWEgdJy-fGM8EL9QyOMVNjlPn5vCiKwaG8KW1cafc4csp0ESekWldh8tzCT/s4000/Toxomerus%20politus%20on%20Gaillardia%20leaf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2O4Tugbwistc3M0zoyqePPLIvZWdkXW8ojuj1XS6EaVHFxixjhM5c095GliYBAWiV3XWRpYF8JVHTbcHkHG3mbvGgjy7-_kGL4P6f_8qh_e6ueVle9lpklF182r-raWEgdJy-fGM8EL9QyOMVNjlPn5vCiKwaG8KW1cafc4csp0ESekWldh8tzCT/s320/Toxomerus%20politus%20on%20Gaillardia%20leaf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>T. politus </i>rests on a Gaillardia leaf on Aug. 4, 2022</span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">This tiny Hover Fly is the opposite of shy. At the beginning of September, while trying to take pictures of pollinators on Gaillardia,<i> </i>I often had <i>T. politus </i>sitting on my camera! In the following photos, I am recording two shield bugs on Gaillardia, while <i>T. politus </i>keeps me company:</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_16LGhADF1T-8zhaQt4im8l2NNEphHE6jvvnjNyjWJx6AdX2IhY4phpcYVKhKlzg8EvMaAJtieq5gxqyIe63VcML-PZioDdf091DVcA2L_L340jbJnDDi4i8MJkarVkqel9SsVqcqoXpukB8QVWh1vM0dEFSAA-_gTL_-O4XltoWc9vF_5C4_NPK/s2698/Toxomerus%20politus%20on%20camera%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2698" data-original-width="2023" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_16LGhADF1T-8zhaQt4im8l2NNEphHE6jvvnjNyjWJx6AdX2IhY4phpcYVKhKlzg8EvMaAJtieq5gxqyIe63VcML-PZioDdf091DVcA2L_L340jbJnDDi4i8MJkarVkqel9SsVqcqoXpukB8QVWh1vM0dEFSAA-_gTL_-O4XltoWc9vF_5C4_NPK/s320/Toxomerus%20politus%20on%20camera%20(1).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6-iuqQz53BcRQOxov8K1OY2jIHCeDCULKmP25d7wJjBph-62D4SVsTwmIQ_c7cHuUC99Fz_qgs72Tg-QeSaO6Zuc6bVEvpcMgueNWNZH0IFcgdaUHDOAlzqMkZ1iG41jAsO6ljibXzI6JSWBair9HiOJCoEBkCmv2GPZRCQNkBxue561jURcM79M/s863/Toxomerus%20politus%20on%20camera%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="647" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6-iuqQz53BcRQOxov8K1OY2jIHCeDCULKmP25d7wJjBph-62D4SVsTwmIQ_c7cHuUC99Fz_qgs72Tg-QeSaO6Zuc6bVEvpcMgueNWNZH0IFcgdaUHDOAlzqMkZ1iG41jAsO6ljibXzI6JSWBair9HiOJCoEBkCmv2GPZRCQNkBxue561jURcM79M/s320/Toxomerus%20politus%20on%20camera%20(3).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>T. politus</i> on Sony Handycam, September 3, 2022.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Robber Flies. </b><span style="font-size: medium;">Robber Flies are amazingly speedy fliers and fierce predators. They are impressive also in their bold and elaborate body plan. Here is a closeup of a Robber Fly in the genus <b><i>Diogmites</i></b>:</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEL--9IbP5qRd0kraXxPbJhp9aCVG6DAHJsOtBpWT4m4-YVScauW_WJ3bImUKaBDdpMKG4-f9qHbzpjkTmNf2-nC_i2QCxlFnSJnrovkEyN21HA-cKBQX1sgmM-VRpk7CDBwTO-wdVvIUPPazw_LQXrJSWRsDoNgFJyRYbQKViV4Pehii3K5sJoRNs/s1920/Robber%20Fly%20Angled%20Closeup.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEL--9IbP5qRd0kraXxPbJhp9aCVG6DAHJsOtBpWT4m4-YVScauW_WJ3bImUKaBDdpMKG4-f9qHbzpjkTmNf2-nC_i2QCxlFnSJnrovkEyN21HA-cKBQX1sgmM-VRpk7CDBwTO-wdVvIUPPazw_LQXrJSWRsDoNgFJyRYbQKViV4Pehii3K5sJoRNs/s320/Robber%20Fly%20Angled%20Closeup.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">A Robber Fly on a Gaillardia seedhead, August 3, 2022.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In the video below a Robber Fly patrols his hunting ground, taking off to catch a bee fly, but missing. He has better luck with a Damsel Fly that has also chosen Gaillardia as his hunting ground but finds himself hunted instead. "Diogmites" comes from the Greek word for "chasing" or "pursuing." This genus is also called "Hanging Thieves" for their habit of hanging by two legs while consuming their prey. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bb28Xx3gQPU" width="320" youtube-src-id="bb28Xx3gQPU"></iframe></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">A Robber Fly (<i>Diogmites sp.</i>) hunting in a patch of Gaillardia </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">and consuming a Damsel Fly, August 3, 2022.</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Biting Midges. </b><span style="font-size: medium;">For years, while watching larger pollinators, I have noticed tiny flies with thin oval wings also visiting flowers. The same thing happened toward the end of the season with Gaillardia, and this time I was determined to learn who they were. It was hard to get photos of creatures so small but this time I was able to photograph enough for experts to help me with ID. Meet a member of the <b>genus </b><i><b>Atrichopogon,</b> </i>a member of the fly family Ceratopogonidae, the Biting Midges. Female Biting Midges, like female mosquitoes, need a blood meal to reproduce, and are thus the "biters." The males, however, feed exclusively on nectar or other sugary material. They are not biters--they must be sweet-talkers!</span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0hxXLm6PO1kTupQl7gdrhu3JiAuthHzb7wa7roxI3UeNvNAnjlWS1gPliHroOIIVjsa7OGMJ3Sy0XtoCNcKZIpo4N9RIxDlc00_gel6u_T6vFrD6ngNTcP5xJrmT45owI6pfuIp3TR6QKCEV7jNhdwEx5uSZhiajwCaAXaRyuKeaQmOzAa38Qvmh/s966/armored%20and%20Atrichopogon%20%20tiny%20fly%20(1).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="966" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0hxXLm6PO1kTupQl7gdrhu3JiAuthHzb7wa7roxI3UeNvNAnjlWS1gPliHroOIIVjsa7OGMJ3Sy0XtoCNcKZIpo4N9RIxDlc00_gel6u_T6vFrD6ngNTcP5xJrmT45owI6pfuIp3TR6QKCEV7jNhdwEx5uSZhiajwCaAXaRyuKeaQmOzAa38Qvmh/s320/armored%20and%20Atrichopogon%20%20tiny%20fly%20(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Here a Biting Midge is sipping nectar next </span></span><span><span style="font-size: x-small;">to a Fungus Weevil </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: x-small;">which is </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>itself diminutive, not much bigger than </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>a No. 2 pencil point. </span><span>That's how tiny this midge is!</span></span></div><div style="font-size: large;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-size: large;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVAlRoXuFP38WDr6R9oBoVBv95o3aLB8yXiHeic8xZ2jbWv1qLNJ3ytYjQH6GbxW7MC3tgqVA_i4fVDCOIKemlvboppzqO3vRVkbkU4g9XoIrWlwAl1qn8o-pL8xa3CM3johvw5ZcpL0m3WsjyO2KnxLffOoTqPw-GUhHToe72SpFtvcwjAmYZo3mL/s273/armored%20and%20Atrichopogon%20%20tiny%20fly%20(5).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="273" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVAlRoXuFP38WDr6R9oBoVBv95o3aLB8yXiHeic8xZ2jbWv1qLNJ3ytYjQH6GbxW7MC3tgqVA_i4fVDCOIKemlvboppzqO3vRVkbkU4g9XoIrWlwAl1qn8o-pL8xa3CM3johvw5ZcpL0m3WsjyO2KnxLffOoTqPw-GUhHToe72SpFtvcwjAmYZo3mL/s1600/armored%20and%20Atrichopogon%20%20tiny%20fly%20(5).JPG" width="273" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">The long oval wings closed over the abdomen is a </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">characteristic of this genus. </span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Tachinid Flies. </b><span style="font-size: medium;">Tachinids are parasitoids of other insects. As adults they feed on nectar and pollen but as larvae they feed on other insects, eventually killing their hosts. Here is a member of the <b>Dexiini, a Tribe of the Family Tachinidae. </b> Females in this tribe lay eggs in the ground. As the larvae hatch, they wander through the soil in search of beetle grubs to latch onto and eventually consume. </span></span></div></div><div><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_hc3D3xctdZORyCK5Nx_wxwyHD5N-M9qNZgVQeey36lfRyyRIBiyrl9INgF2vUKPJG8_DcG6KA7cEOdSXuOEJrGCP2B-_k0DqhLrTSAAdKd1xRLQbsC1sE2oGwa9BFDs7mtkRdBFND_aTWESv3TbCjebakOFRyPQ2StODLKWJZFZJysH_nBpl49x/s1203/Striped%20Fly%20Face%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="1203" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_hc3D3xctdZORyCK5Nx_wxwyHD5N-M9qNZgVQeey36lfRyyRIBiyrl9INgF2vUKPJG8_DcG6KA7cEOdSXuOEJrGCP2B-_k0DqhLrTSAAdKd1xRLQbsC1sE2oGwa9BFDs7mtkRdBFND_aTWESv3TbCjebakOFRyPQ2StODLKWJZFZJysH_nBpl49x/s320/Striped%20Fly%20Face%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This handsome Tachinid sips nectar </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">from Gaillardia on June 18, 2022.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><span><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Crane Flies. </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Infraorder Tipulomorpha (Crane Flies). </b>Possibly <b>Limoniidae sp. (Large Crane Flies).</b></span></span></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">Crane Flies came to <i>Gaillardia pulchella </i>toward the end of the growing season. There are many species of Crane Fly, and they are ecologically beneficial, as their larvae decompose organic matter in soil or water. The adults in many of those species do not eat at all. They live only a few days, just long enough to mate and reproduce, with the females laying eggs in soil or water. However, the Crane Fly that is pictured here is not of a teetotaling species. This one is drinking nectar with a sewing-machine like motion. The "fly eyes" on a tiny head are striking, as are the long delicate legs with black "knees." Here is an adult Crane Fly enjoying an adult beverage:</span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4XBcbwL_jpk" width="320" youtube-src-id="4XBcbwL_jpk"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="color: #0d0d0d; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A Crane Fly drinks nectar on October 6, 2022. </span></span></div></div><div><span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-60958670974967507302023-01-26T13:34:00.001-08:002023-02-01T17:41:43.692-08:00Gaillardia World: Fungus Weevils (Miniature Rhinoceruses)<p><span style="font-size: medium;">An exciting mystery for me was the constant presence (July-October) of little armored beetles with big noses. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ZuTZ_br8yA8ZTUqueFVZKslwvRfUvst6eVHPSqFviEkIhBi7plz7RUfUNwWSjo-c5l4l1PLa4DPfVTLvAWSsqxXPbrBnjX6pyTkpEPAWmNVS_NuzU0nI2gOxRtCmAWmAkZhFY0QfLCS8gAOxI-ymQno708PfAb6-xfFV-tPyP0XmEyUC4ZxWCqQx/s1252/October%20Fungus%20Weevils%20Trigonorhinus%20limbatus%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="1252" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ZuTZ_br8yA8ZTUqueFVZKslwvRfUvst6eVHPSqFviEkIhBi7plz7RUfUNwWSjo-c5l4l1PLa4DPfVTLvAWSsqxXPbrBnjX6pyTkpEPAWmNVS_NuzU0nI2gOxRtCmAWmAkZhFY0QfLCS8gAOxI-ymQno708PfAb6-xfFV-tPyP0XmEyUC4ZxWCqQx/s320/October%20Fungus%20Weevils%20Trigonorhinus%20limbatus%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfiKPUgvgYQ691wHylJuWm_X4KqmSmc1gn-5wq_acD_4Br8WGBqF0P4OHLNoAQ3HEV_849zb7N6O6SDCsKBejSrsvlq27CbGcQnmU6PoQhMLn_b2ussxk2P84dFMbNzbAVI0mXz_IbcmXy8QgV8753jRkJIIUcTs-NwP6P0qVtGFcV2g-6H0hiF_iq/s1339/October%20Fungus%20Weevils%20Trigonorhinus%20limbatus%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1339" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfiKPUgvgYQ691wHylJuWm_X4KqmSmc1gn-5wq_acD_4Br8WGBqF0P4OHLNoAQ3HEV_849zb7N6O6SDCsKBejSrsvlq27CbGcQnmU6PoQhMLn_b2ussxk2P84dFMbNzbAVI0mXz_IbcmXy8QgV8753jRkJIIUcTs-NwP6P0qVtGFcV2g-6H0hiF_iq/s320/October%20Fungus%20Weevils%20Trigonorhinus%20limbatus%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6xZY65WVn2GzCMj_jU7nEbXuol-xnsY6lGTXqf5DT0Qpli09a8v92m99dx7KnUEryPyWKqcTBk3XqDgVC9jYHHf4x2LlZmef6_kJSI2ivdtYMyzl6dQ7TaJp_lieixTxn3mbDVi59sFZvHiBgqWxH40RmRa5EvnXv17iIiR23sm2uRkBhqGl3B3sr/s659/Beetle%20Centered%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="659" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6xZY65WVn2GzCMj_jU7nEbXuol-xnsY6lGTXqf5DT0Qpli09a8v92m99dx7KnUEryPyWKqcTBk3XqDgVC9jYHHf4x2LlZmef6_kJSI2ivdtYMyzl6dQ7TaJp_lieixTxn3mbDVi59sFZvHiBgqWxH40RmRa5EvnXv17iIiR23sm2uRkBhqGl3B3sr/s320/Beetle%20Centered%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">October 5-15, 2022.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;">BugGuide.net looked at my photos and identified my beetles as</span> </span><b style="font-size: large;">Fungus Weevils, (Family</b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><b style="font-size: large;">Anthribidae</b><span style="font-size: large;">).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But that only deepened the mystery, as BugGuide agreed with multiple internet resources that Fungus Weevils live on fungi, on decaying organic matter, and under the bark of trees.* </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What were <i>fungus-eaters </i>that live on <i>trees </i>doing eating pollen on blooming flowers? </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Here are some Fungus Weevils happily foraging in Gaillardia flowers:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YhUeOHLtUq0" width="320" youtube-src-id="YhUeOHLtUq0"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">You can hear the progression of the season in the sound-track</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">of this video, from Indigo Buntings singing in July, to cicadas</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">screaming in August, to katydids trilling in September, </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">to crickets </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">chirping </span><span style="font-size: small;">in September.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I turned for answers to Kansas Arthropods, a Facebook group for experts and enthusiasts. Experts there did independent research and came up with <i><b>Trigonorhinus limbatus </b></i>as a likely ID, as <i>T. limbatus</i> is actually a pollen-eater! And prefers plants like Gaillardia in the Sunflower Family! However, a famed entomologist in our FB group also sent me to the beetle group of our national Natural History Museum. That group confirmed <i><b>Trigonorhinus</b> </i>as a genus, but put a question mark by the species. That was because <i>most </i>of the species in <i>Trigonorhinus </i>are pollen-eaters, with a preference for sunflowers. In addition, the species resemble each other and frequently interbreed. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So even experts could not identify my mystery beetles down to species from photos alone. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Whatever their specific identities, the </span><i>Trigonorhinus </i><span>were busily making more:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgahV1q418eYjALH4LihvzaBYuXdTYd5FDWIVeobhI8CtGD4qO9RBy_ZJtjcXOPDCg0T1RJmSx283CJbS7AJKBS2tW_MIERj4D8O2wycIukJyybUBFq9U_4yV5wK1KXzNTthJxDas8EvAFzObgfU0IgQLAs5878hFowNgM-4gC_UMShuqo9Qd62LCcw/s560/Gray%20Beetle2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="420" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgahV1q418eYjALH4LihvzaBYuXdTYd5FDWIVeobhI8CtGD4qO9RBy_ZJtjcXOPDCg0T1RJmSx283CJbS7AJKBS2tW_MIERj4D8O2wycIukJyybUBFq9U_4yV5wK1KXzNTthJxDas8EvAFzObgfU0IgQLAs5878hFowNgM-4gC_UMShuqo9Qd62LCcw/s320/Gray%20Beetle2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-H1FWVfcFXPRJYLToKcC_LXVRPPXgkUOJAkc48s-m5QJePXP4RPCr_OlQwsa0GbHIHbPrNX7XlUCXXGDSEJF_PhIJDft8kUDmPLQOykuLSG5a7wB_mzUKdJ6mtZdpQvNDMC3rU5lUou_zpWxBIAQUQLV2GgkZF9n6X_eVwZWo1LbAEcVC8yfAyeJ/s898/Gray%20Beetle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="673" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-H1FWVfcFXPRJYLToKcC_LXVRPPXgkUOJAkc48s-m5QJePXP4RPCr_OlQwsa0GbHIHbPrNX7XlUCXXGDSEJF_PhIJDft8kUDmPLQOykuLSG5a7wB_mzUKdJ6mtZdpQvNDMC3rU5lUou_zpWxBIAQUQLV2GgkZF9n6X_eVwZWo1LbAEcVC8yfAyeJ/s320/Gray%20Beetle.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Trigonorhinus, </i>Male and Female, July 2022</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I encounter these beetles next year, I think it may be easier to remember the etymology of their genus name, </span><i style="font-size: large;">Trigonorhinus</i><span style="font-size: large;">, than the name itself. Coming from the Greek via Latin, it means </span><b style="font-size: large;">"Three-angled Nose."</b><span style="font-size: large;"> Yes, that nose!! Unforgettable!!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">----------------------------------</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">*Now looking back at my initial sources of information, I see they used the hedge-words "most" to describe the Anthribids who eat fungi and "mostly" to describe fungi as their food source. So they were accurate as far as they went, just not comprehensive--which I am learning is almost impossible to do when it comes to insects!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-4216480560885250082023-01-24T17:55:00.001-08:002023-02-01T17:53:00.851-08:00Gaillardia World: Waves of Butterflies<p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Is anything more beautiful than <i>Gaillardia pulchella</i>, aka Blanket Flower? Yes! Even more beautiful than Gaillardia alone is the <i>combination</i> of this flower and the butterflies that come to it. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In 2022, butterflies came in waves.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">June brought Pearl Crescents, American Ladies, and Wood Nymphs:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8gyaWiUVyPc" width="320" youtube-src-id="8gyaWiUVyPc"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In order of appearance: Pearl Crescent (<i>Phyciodes tharos</i>),</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">American Lady (<i>Vanessa virginiensis</i>), </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">and Common Wood Nymph (<i>Cercyonis pegala</i>)</span></div> <p></p><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">July brought Silvery Checkerspots:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-nrao15Amg4" width="320" youtube-src-id="-nrao15Amg4"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Silvery Checkerspots (<i>Closyne nycteis</i>)</span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">July also brought Gorgone Checkerspots:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VUb-LnXuvzI" width="320" youtube-src-id="VUb-LnXuvzI"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Gorgone Checkerspots (<i>Chlosyne gorgone</i>), on Gaillardia,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">July 16-22, 2022.</span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Late July brought Sachems. (The males have relatively plain undersides, with a rectangular black patch on the upperside. The females have pale white spots that form a "V" on the underside, with bright white patches on the upperside.) The end of the video below shows a male courting a female. We don't see her say yes, but she doesn't say no, either!</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xSqSCXa3zeY" width="320" youtube-src-id="xSqSCXa3zeY"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sachems (<i>Atalopedes campestris</i>) on Gaillardia, July 22-29, 2022.</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">July also brought a Sulphur, tenaciously feeding, despite the wind:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TBkEQOzdeIk" width="320" youtube-src-id="TBkEQOzdeIk"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Clouded Sulphur (<i>Colias philodice</i>) on Gaillardia, July 11, 2022</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;">August brought a Sootywing, resting on a Gaillardia seedhead...</span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6YpaYITkhSi7GaBM3cPDliY9DPXg-RaY6zkzJ_PZVEql75WsLugQ8XLOQ-mMMc4GjInCTbu8WBgphJQfLMM7tlQQrimYfm0sMZsVx9PKuizJ3fuHNs878mOzqRSWJrOpy2nxSvIb8DECdTyvcqemTpPQ4Gk2j4038mcaos3T8yCfpyzfM4UzFMfR/s1920/Sootywing%20on%20Gaillardia%20Seedhead.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6YpaYITkhSi7GaBM3cPDliY9DPXg-RaY6zkzJ_PZVEql75WsLugQ8XLOQ-mMMc4GjInCTbu8WBgphJQfLMM7tlQQrimYfm0sMZsVx9PKuizJ3fuHNs878mOzqRSWJrOpy2nxSvIb8DECdTyvcqemTpPQ4Gk2j4038mcaos3T8yCfpyzfM4UzFMfR/s320/Sootywing%20on%20Gaillardia%20Seedhead.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Common Sootywing (<i>Pholisora catullus</i>) Aug. 1, 2022</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">...while a Common Checkered Skipper came to drink:</span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0P4vYnliE7OFE2N-CycHyOwShZlxTzwxh8tXXLBkubUFnAq_IX0dxjhPdljuQ40eI1QQ97dwjMEz_N1QtuzMMZHugMGPIgASl_CovmmgErquveh-VOdJTgGbKrkaMa1EjzCL_FEok_bXWP336qyLW2K3QdRIwxeEVhTC7oJ9AMeVMBO6IYSPz2UxB/s1216/Checkered%20Skipper%20among%20the%20Seedheads%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="1216" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0P4vYnliE7OFE2N-CycHyOwShZlxTzwxh8tXXLBkubUFnAq_IX0dxjhPdljuQ40eI1QQ97dwjMEz_N1QtuzMMZHugMGPIgASl_CovmmgErquveh-VOdJTgGbKrkaMa1EjzCL_FEok_bXWP336qyLW2K3QdRIwxeEVhTC7oJ9AMeVMBO6IYSPz2UxB/s320/Checkered%20Skipper%20among%20the%20Seedheads%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Atc0X-ziWgiVkP-XeNujKoBuSdEqylyeGLdvtkmOBoa2CnhSs98CL0d4SPUjs6gCF-8lZ5NNkUbcfqhPgJZRVwZhyhN_xilz1pl4AS-uvNJ5w2PiZEasEhkkmkr4i6-e7t3wRrnbKKtpHc9gDtBTA8avSwu2sni_UiX4hHeNdUg4J8XXKGcwMAjX/s1373/Checkered%20Skipper%20Drinking%20Nectar%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1373" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Atc0X-ziWgiVkP-XeNujKoBuSdEqylyeGLdvtkmOBoa2CnhSs98CL0d4SPUjs6gCF-8lZ5NNkUbcfqhPgJZRVwZhyhN_xilz1pl4AS-uvNJ5w2PiZEasEhkkmkr4i6-e7t3wRrnbKKtpHc9gDtBTA8avSwu2sni_UiX4hHeNdUg4J8XXKGcwMAjX/s320/Checkered%20Skipper%20Drinking%20Nectar%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KpEDMgflTrx8IwmJ07WyTxSxYjXU6L_UUWIb86lQK-NNzck6EjYxE7JzFQU4hMGCFsa4p4qhs9wlVvIXyhnRl08QVSMbC0U2jxLoZKbHvHhBi_fZmwRTrhUeConhZgAuqNFgzSd6cfQnRBdfn6ss-1ysiL6jW4NoQXKdMSuEj0Yqf3X4q5CIFC3g/s1257/Checkered%20Skipper%20on%20Disk%20Flowers%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="1257" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KpEDMgflTrx8IwmJ07WyTxSxYjXU6L_UUWIb86lQK-NNzck6EjYxE7JzFQU4hMGCFsa4p4qhs9wlVvIXyhnRl08QVSMbC0U2jxLoZKbHvHhBi_fZmwRTrhUeConhZgAuqNFgzSd6cfQnRBdfn6ss-1ysiL6jW4NoQXKdMSuEj0Yqf3X4q5CIFC3g/s320/Checkered%20Skipper%20on%20Disk%20Flowers%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Common Checkered Skipper (<i>Pygus communis</i>i) August 19, 2022</span></div><span><div style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;">August brought Pearl Crescents back to Gaillardia:</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_ezoX-Ythj4" width="320" youtube-src-id="_ezoX-Ythj4"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pearl Crescents (<i>Phyciodies pharos</i>), August 18, 2022</span></div></div><div style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">September brought even more Sachems:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cY2gT0OsylQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="cY2gT0OsylQ"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sachems (<i>Atalopedes campestris</i>) </span><span style="font-size: small;">on </span><i style="font-size: small;">Gaillardia pulchella, </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sept. 11, 2022</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In October, Sachems continued as the most common butterflies on Gaillardia:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3oHbHLBNBJI" width="320" youtube-src-id="3oHbHLBNBJI"></iframe></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sachems (<i>Atalopedes campestris</i>) on <i>Gaillardia pulchella</i>,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">October 6-19, 2022</span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">The Sachems graced the Gaillardia as long as it kept blooming, which it did until the first hard freeze. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">What's ahead for the butterflies that visited Gaillardia, from June to October? </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Pearl Crescent</b>: The adults in June and the adults in August were from separate broods--two of the three broods that appear during the summer. The last adults from the third brood will die at the end of summer, but their larvae will overwinter on plants in the sunflower family. Those caterpillars will metamorphose into the first adults in the first brood next year. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>American Lady: </b>The adults that appeared in June may be part of either the first or second of two broods. The adults may overwinter, and some cocoons may overwinter, on plants in the sunflower family, especially those in the Everlasting tribe. If they do overwinter, they will be supplemented next year by immigrants from further south.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Wood Nymph: </b>The adults that appeared in June will fly throughout the summer and into October. They will die at the advent of cold weather but their larvae will live on, on grasses, especially Purple Top. The caterpillars will metamorphose and eclose next June.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Silvery Checkerspots: </b>The adults that appeared in July were probably part of the second of three broods. The adults will mate and lay eggs on plants in the sunflower family, especially Black-eyed Susans, and the final brood will die when winter comes. Their larvae will live on throughout the winter, and begin to feed voraciously next spring--to emerge as adults in May.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Gorgone Checkerspots: </b>The ones who appeared in July were probably part of the second of three broods in Kansas. The adults from the third brood will die at the end of October, but their larvae will overwinter on plants in the sunflower family. They will metamorphose early next year, as the first-brood adults will start flying by the middle of April. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Sachems: </b>The Sachems that visited Gaillardia in July and became ever more numerous in late summer and fall will not overwinter in Kansas in any form. Instead, their relatives will start flying in the South and immigrate to Kansas next year. Here they will have many broods, with their caterpillars utilizing grasses as food plants, and new adults becoming numerous once more by the end of the growing season.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Clouded Sulphur: </b><span>The adults will die at the end of summer but their larvae will overwinter on plants in the legume family, to emerge next year, the first of a succession of many broods that will fly next summer. </span><span> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Common Sootywing: </b>The Sootywing who appeared in August may be part of either the second or third brood that fly in Kansas. The last adults will die at the season's end, but the larvae will overwinter on their food plants (weedy plants, including pigweed, ragweed, and goosefoot). The caterpillars will metamorphose into first-brood adults as early as mid-April. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Common Checkered Skipper: </b>The Common Checkered Skipper that appeared in August may be part of either the second or the third brood that flies in Kansas. The adults die at season's end, but their larvae will overwinter on plants in the mallow family, and metamorphose into first-brood adults as early as next March. </span></div>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-13706545954685563182023-01-21T16:18:00.002-08:002023-04-03T15:14:39.870-07:00Gaillardia World: Ants Swarming/Ants Living<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYzKG62BXGEM_2wwsryZQQEymw4VhFHeXghcD-12PUqlIpFmBPF40Ly1Eo8eq1heuQLnikHTOrvZf57c3onTS4OAXXYHtTOCi88LUt5YvR4sT7BGNQI3XK9ozPW8nyWsKrG3Y29NBVxih12l7yqVMhVhMjrrO3V0B6C7mAZSQAf8yTrBpcrOdSm-Z/s1920/Forelius%20pruinosus%20(6).JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYzKG62BXGEM_2wwsryZQQEymw4VhFHeXghcD-12PUqlIpFmBPF40Ly1Eo8eq1heuQLnikHTOrvZf57c3onTS4OAXXYHtTOCi88LUt5YvR4sT7BGNQI3XK9ozPW8nyWsKrG3Y29NBVxih12l7yqVMhVhMjrrO3V0B6C7mAZSQAf8yTrBpcrOdSm-Z/s320/Forelius%20pruinosus%20(6).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">I knew<i> Gaillardia pulchella</i> (aka "Blanket Flower") was a magnet for bees, butterflies, beetles, and flies, but I was not expecting this sudden eruption from belowground! </span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is a swarm of <i>Forelius pruinosus</i>, an ant species that, just like the Gaillardia, is heat-loving and common in the Southwest. </span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhErLBEINYy8N5NlaxYEazyrMOtubbU0sfnCyQ926DpmJ7vIIHl12DZezesGZ3GqVD8PfAdf5iRGvZBDAVfOsngtvYJqcL9IlhjL_GhcL4uq2pZa0ztbQsIYiEUwf6XAq7wIuFzWkwnShs5Uy_6zvuFds_pM-Q0oO-EBgCzRGury7WjNP3VVG6EH4G/s527/Forelius%20pruinosus%20(3).JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="527" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhErLBEINYy8N5NlaxYEazyrMOtubbU0sfnCyQ926DpmJ7vIIHl12DZezesGZ3GqVD8PfAdf5iRGvZBDAVfOsngtvYJqcL9IlhjL_GhcL4uq2pZa0ztbQsIYiEUwf6XAq7wIuFzWkwnShs5Uy_6zvuFds_pM-Q0oO-EBgCzRGury7WjNP3VVG6EH4G/s320/Forelius%20pruinosus%20(3).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; white-space: pre-wrap;"><p style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-size: 15px;"><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;">Some members of the colony have gone reproductive, and developed wings in preparation for mating flights. </span></span><p></p><p><br /><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">The whole colony seems excited about the launch. Here is the colony in action:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="331" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j6Dngaxg4Hk" width="495" youtube-src-id="j6Dngaxg4Hk"></iframe></p><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: 15px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">McDowell Creek, Geary County, KS, June 17, 2022.</i></div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, the prospective brides and grooms seem </span><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; white-space: pre-wrap;">hesitant. When they reach the top of the flower they sometimes run back down the stem! </span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darker species of ant live on Gaillardia or near Gaillardia and venture into the picture frames from time to time. So far they remain unidentified photo-bombers!</span><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EsguNgygWMo" width="320" youtube-src-id="EsguNgygWMo"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">July 22, 2022 On the Gaillardia by the barn.</span></div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are also many questions about the what's and why's of the ants' behavior. Lots of mystery here!</span><p></p><p><br /></p>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-22849708075818840962023-01-19T14:10:00.000-08:002023-01-19T14:10:04.051-08:00Gaillardia World: Grasshoppers and Katydids<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Considering that the surrounding prairie and prairie restorations were full of grasshoppers, it was notable that there were very few on the <i>Gaillardia pulchella </i>that volunteered in our front yard and by our barn. In fact, this clip is of the only one I saw during the summer and fall of 2022. The resolution isn't great, but the visitor appears to be a <b>grasshopper nymph</b>, enjoying a Gaillardia snack.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o655MjLIw94" width="320" youtube-src-id="o655MjLIw94"></iframe></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Grasshopper on <i>Gaillardia pulchella, </i>July 7, 2022.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Grasshoppers belong to the insect order <b>Orthoptera. </b>The name combines the Greek words for "straight" and "wing." <b> Orthopterans </b>include crickets and katydids, as well as grasshoppers, all having long hind legs used for jumping. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I did not see any katydids munching on Gaillardia, but in June the Gaillardia patch in our front yard was thronged with katydid nymphs, hunkered down on or near the soil. I saw them only if I approached the plants, in which case they leapt up and down like popcorn popping!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In the clips from late summer and early fall you can hear katydids trilling in the background, and you can hear crickets chirping nearby--but neither kind of Orthopteran was visible on Gaillardia plants. </span></span></div>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-83828038759953499302023-01-18T21:57:00.000-08:002023-02-01T18:10:30.603-08:00Gaillardia World: True Bugs<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">Bugs in the order <b>Hemiptera</b> are "True Bugs," distinguished from other insects by a rigid, straw-like proboscis and by a life cycle called "<i>incomplete</i> metamorphosis." In other words, True Bugs hatch from eggs as "nymphs," or miniature versions of the adult forms, in contrast to insects that undergo complete metamorphosis, such as butterflies, that go from egg to larva to pupa to adult.</span> </p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Gaillardia pulchella </i>hosted several varieties of True Bugs during the growing season of 2022.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">These green bugs are members of the family <b>Pentatomidae, </b>called "<b>Shield Bugs</b>," for their armored appearance, or (much less respectfully) "<b>Stink Bugs</b>," for the unpleasant odor they can exude when threatened or frightened. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2b3nO_4vYhnVi42iSMVCi25P7x53m2MmeTQHSit3O96CrBbh1mknmRSSxuB4Dkv0QjC2n95uoC4GtFkIaqXpUPNwtdhEUvpva1EksGSU86JWUkbSJdvYBZd5W6sp9Rd74YwyE6_HeifwqlU83E1FXZx-uX7XlLlD5szqDitFB28K6Lf_Z761mAbr/s1413/Green%20Bug%202dorsal%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1413" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2b3nO_4vYhnVi42iSMVCi25P7x53m2MmeTQHSit3O96CrBbh1mknmRSSxuB4Dkv0QjC2n95uoC4GtFkIaqXpUPNwtdhEUvpva1EksGSU86JWUkbSJdvYBZd5W6sp9Rd74YwyE6_HeifwqlU83E1FXZx-uX7XlLlD5szqDitFB28K6Lf_Z761mAbr/s320/Green%20Bug%202dorsal%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This photo of a female Shield Bug shows a characteristic of insects </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">in the order Hemiptera (</span><span style="font-size: small;">meaning "half wings"). </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">The upper part of </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>the wings is leathery, </span><span>while the bottom part is membranous. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4y3sty4mIgl5nJKG55zVOKCz_HUb7qi0mtfUylao06psHmpU1byQJg8SSGT5j5WQYfREdGfxcY-YNglThY4_7U4VdN4LFn3vLiqPAnGBtLw5ztIe3AuSPlkrKSb4uWeWbRqhySjBH2AAtqOJ8Rp9qFNDzRSkcyuEDqOcrjv8th9MdS0sr6w61joC-/s1207/Female%20Profile%20Proboscis%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="1207" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4y3sty4mIgl5nJKG55zVOKCz_HUb7qi0mtfUylao06psHmpU1byQJg8SSGT5j5WQYfREdGfxcY-YNglThY4_7U4VdN4LFn3vLiqPAnGBtLw5ztIe3AuSPlkrKSb4uWeWbRqhySjBH2AAtqOJ8Rp9qFNDzRSkcyuEDqOcrjv8th9MdS0sr6w61joC-/s320/Female%20Profile%20Proboscis%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Note the black-tipped appendage coming down from her chin.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">With it she can pierce the Gaillardia and suck up flower juice. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Here are two Shield Bugs in action! The clip starts with a female Shield Bug feeding on Gaillardia. Then a male Shield Bug scuttles up the stem to join her. He's in a hurry! Audience alert--there's a whole lot of procreation going on. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EV3HSIcriJQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="EV3HSIcriJQ"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Green Shield Bugs on <i>Gaillardia pulchella,</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">September 3, 2022.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Here is a freshly-molted Shield Bug from earlier in the season--with its colored exoskeleton not yet set:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41TaLmSAZrFBrZCwBR5DFwWsMOZtxe-QOxzcmZuRJuB4dbprDLtplm0NKoUvnQQO7ysCblKnH8Z0Z_r9PnDK0aR9VS-ORiQh2ftqNI8BYxag3eAkpJT5vV5GsRmQqyid7ma0TJBiNZdyhf4ORBkjGVDA1bHG6G0S10biaDUMo1RY2c8Y6lsLxfrUv/s952/20220716_180851%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="952" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41TaLmSAZrFBrZCwBR5DFwWsMOZtxe-QOxzcmZuRJuB4dbprDLtplm0NKoUvnQQO7ysCblKnH8Z0Z_r9PnDK0aR9VS-ORiQh2ftqNI8BYxag3eAkpJT5vV5GsRmQqyid7ma0TJBiNZdyhf4ORBkjGVDA1bHG6G0S10biaDUMo1RY2c8Y6lsLxfrUv/s320/20220716_180851%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUaBaxLWPNWQkyguhnY24P8UlZDb9szCU8mX5tYTEuTdXOPcq_waUHqg-dZP59tcp88EP-vB-6SK3JHaWoxc49pEd8eXaE8BfO1q5brIOxB7S6j0WNcWi8kyEs3lhgUt98W_381DQtvnzjvFTv5HzqpwmqrszHfkBotC1ogks3hQl_SF1_1jCw1IlQ/s1363/20220716_180955%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="1022" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUaBaxLWPNWQkyguhnY24P8UlZDb9szCU8mX5tYTEuTdXOPcq_waUHqg-dZP59tcp88EP-vB-6SK3JHaWoxc49pEd8eXaE8BfO1q5brIOxB7S6j0WNcWi8kyEs3lhgUt98W_381DQtvnzjvFTv5HzqpwmqrszHfkBotC1ogks3hQl_SF1_1jCw1IlQ/s320/20220716_180955%20(2).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Note the clear membranous "half-wing"</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">at the tail end of the wings. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>Newly-molted Shield Bug, </span><span>July 17, 2022.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Here is a <b>Small Milkweed Bug (<i>Lygaeus kalmii</i>). </b>These bugs do go to plants in the Sunflower Family (such as the <i>Gaillardia pulchella </i>pictured here)--though, as their name suggests, they are known for feeding on milkweeds and laying their eggs on milkweeds.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYMJ8JGL7aoiBPd4V_8lNmhIYB1e5V6wNCDj0zQsuFZXFncLZ1lawmeWMDM2rsIyi0-vnJiFwgPEETeGIxfSmxq7M03ZkR6KMIcWtWK7SU4vIEsNPSQqlWa-SicxocXZjzlrZTkE2xTCkHIFQkhTpPspSzTUKipUseFSvybEADZaS9Zk8xszP5kIa/s4000/Small%20Milkweed%20Bug%20Lygaeus%20kalmii.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYMJ8JGL7aoiBPd4V_8lNmhIYB1e5V6wNCDj0zQsuFZXFncLZ1lawmeWMDM2rsIyi0-vnJiFwgPEETeGIxfSmxq7M03ZkR6KMIcWtWK7SU4vIEsNPSQqlWa-SicxocXZjzlrZTkE2xTCkHIFQkhTpPspSzTUKipUseFSvybEADZaS9Zk8xszP5kIa/s320/Small%20Milkweed%20Bug%20Lygaeus%20kalmii.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy22gvkE1C4KA3zrGFyy1TWGO_Q8Wt9kThOd6k9BFI2IsGdHvrKK3TupQaPesbf2vjKj_EMorAnApuI5Z4OgaQfJ5LB7LPZFYzC4pTxZySL9tXJXJadWXbF8ixzIQDknJNs48RP3Pa9piNyQk87icG6ohcxAG8_0N7dC-sjtc7-Ye8IiVpW8D6H5iN/s2058/Small%20Milkweed%20Bug%20Lygaeus%20kalmii%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2058" data-original-width="1543" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy22gvkE1C4KA3zrGFyy1TWGO_Q8Wt9kThOd6k9BFI2IsGdHvrKK3TupQaPesbf2vjKj_EMorAnApuI5Z4OgaQfJ5LB7LPZFYzC4pTxZySL9tXJXJadWXbF8ixzIQDknJNs48RP3Pa9piNyQk87icG6ohcxAG8_0N7dC-sjtc7-Ye8IiVpW8D6H5iN/s320/Small%20Milkweed%20Bug%20Lygaeus%20kalmii%20(2).jpg" width="240" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">With this Hemipteran, the membranous bottom </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">portion </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">of the wings is black, with sometimes </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>a white </span><span>outline, as here. This bug is a seedeater,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">among other things, and perhaps that's </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>why (s)he is </span><span>sitting on the Gaillardia flowers </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>that are going to </span><span>seed, as opposed to </span><span>the ones </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">still blooming. July 17, 2022.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Compared to other kinds of visitors to Gaillardia, True Bugs were few and far between. And the ones pictured here appeared each only on a single day.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-85435499722039041052023-01-11T20:56:00.000-08:002023-02-01T18:11:46.477-08:00Gaillardia World: Moths <p> <span style="font-size: medium;">By watching Gaillardia World, I encountered a species of moth new to me: The Darker-Spotted Straw Moth, aka </span><i style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Heliothis phloxiphaga. </b> </i><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This handsome individual came to the Gaillardia by our barn toward the end of the growing season, October 5, 2022:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtscFWcojWWeL5XvGZH-nU4jYmk-HL8OQmCry8Gwa7ftWV5BzH3NkKL3VYKVlSWOJh_P3GpqWEgp23Q3e1i1tzWuUW_MszTImMRllV5azOWltn0R90XqNS4JnNmQg9HDCF0xGxnob3LFSlxRPBo4vNcfo5vq9wCMJubVkIwL_njAJ1RW4r4B0Z7ZmD/s1920/Darker-Spotted%20Straw%20Moth%20(3).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtscFWcojWWeL5XvGZH-nU4jYmk-HL8OQmCry8Gwa7ftWV5BzH3NkKL3VYKVlSWOJh_P3GpqWEgp23Q3e1i1tzWuUW_MszTImMRllV5azOWltn0R90XqNS4JnNmQg9HDCF0xGxnob3LFSlxRPBo4vNcfo5vq9wCMJubVkIwL_njAJ1RW4r4B0Z7ZmD/s320/Darker-Spotted%20Straw%20Moth%20(3).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpcl4Hbhp3V_0UuMnHeWoaJ5Smb_RnbctTa9jgJg5XGWF191sMHtlHlhMfpYvjJecZowCGgb2GipmI9CZag7mQ3YAsDL60zZ-XTD8MoIrIENeIxPgl-3vAXg6RmyI825aTcF_9lkQ8-QaYVCsLQb0s1UZo09Ebs138hY2VpV93qqr2coir96CY1YK/s1289/Darker-Spotted%20Straw%20Moth%20(7).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="1289" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpcl4Hbhp3V_0UuMnHeWoaJ5Smb_RnbctTa9jgJg5XGWF191sMHtlHlhMfpYvjJecZowCGgb2GipmI9CZag7mQ3YAsDL60zZ-XTD8MoIrIENeIxPgl-3vAXg6RmyI825aTcF_9lkQ8-QaYVCsLQb0s1UZo09Ebs138hY2VpV93qqr2coir96CY1YK/s320/Darker-Spotted%20Straw%20Moth%20(7).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #0d0d0d; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Here is the Darker-Spotted Straw Moth in action:</span></span><p></p><p><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wgyJwoDD8sc" width="320" youtube-src-id="wgyJwoDD8sc"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="color: #0d0d0d; font-size: x-small;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>H. phloxiphaga, </i>October 15, 2022. </span></span></div> <p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The Greek derivations of the Latin binomial <i>Heliothis phloxiphaga</i> would translate as "One who basks in the sun and feeds on flames." Fancifully, that designation is appropriate in this case, as this sometimes-nocturnal moth is now out in the sunshine and is drinking nectar from orange and yellow flowers that flare out like flames.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Also appearing toward the end of the season was a gorgeous white moth that is still unidentified. However, experts at BugGuide.net guess that this moth is a member of the sub-family <b>Crambinae, Crambine Snout Moths. </b> Certainly to us amateurs, the appearance of this moth makes "snout moth" a logical possibility!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQff8ISo0Y3_DhAEdZvz8PVgLuWk3ykmdSUcFCVCgdfGm5tN_BAQO18kfD_E-Efc45rmVd9Uc5lLlUSYM1DfDI3WVMvmONQ2ZN1BqoEUVDIumE_-cf0CWX_GehO_b1c12UwvNZLm1L2zngUbVCQB7FmX8036Bir8Kb38MXCUqm9zutlFD7goh0DkZN/s1334/White%20Moth%20on%20White%20Seedhead%20(3).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="1334" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQff8ISo0Y3_DhAEdZvz8PVgLuWk3ykmdSUcFCVCgdfGm5tN_BAQO18kfD_E-Efc45rmVd9Uc5lLlUSYM1DfDI3WVMvmONQ2ZN1BqoEUVDIumE_-cf0CWX_GehO_b1c12UwvNZLm1L2zngUbVCQB7FmX8036Bir8Kb38MXCUqm9zutlFD7goh0DkZN/w376-h234/White%20Moth%20on%20White%20Seedhead%20(3).JPG" width="376" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A blue-eyed, long-nosed moth on a Gaillardia seedhead,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">October 15, 2022.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In addition, arriving in mid-October was <i><b>Rachiplusia ou</b></i>, an <b>Owlet Moth (</b>family <b>Noctuidae). </b> Here is a shaky glimpse of <i>Rachiplusia ou </i>in action:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XZ6Tv8qk4R8" width="320" youtube-src-id="XZ6Tv8qk4R8"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Another familiar moth that frequented the Gaillardia patch by the barn was <i><b>Hymenia perspectalis</b>, </i>the Spotted Beet Webworm Moth. It is a Crambid-Snout Moth, Family <b>Crambidae. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqgJSjqTbntuR_k02La-BFyNrhPSgWf7DPQIRjRPUXg9s68DhYx1Hf01y3KPS4e8YMHm4k7ehEZzEDbX9TmJ6kNYY5-JbE7zf-cpEzF6t9bLYGa-lYZ_oeA65clC2k_zOn0LjBW60LpJ-I0SxPVKDuUFt4m6kYvrjD2t9JU2DcI3TpSP_crP05Q-k/s877/Spotted%20%20Beet%20Webworm%20(3).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="877" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqgJSjqTbntuR_k02La-BFyNrhPSgWf7DPQIRjRPUXg9s68DhYx1Hf01y3KPS4e8YMHm4k7ehEZzEDbX9TmJ6kNYY5-JbE7zf-cpEzF6t9bLYGa-lYZ_oeA65clC2k_zOn0LjBW60LpJ-I0SxPVKDuUFt4m6kYvrjD2t9JU2DcI3TpSP_crP05Q-k/s320/Spotted%20%20Beet%20Webworm%20(3).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The downward pointing "teeth" on the white hindwing band distinguishes </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">this moth from a look-alike also known as a "Beet Webworm Moth," </span><span style="font-size: small;">which </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">is also a Crambid Snout Moth, but in a different genus, <i>Spoladea recurvalis. </i></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Here is <i>Hymenia perspectalis</i> in action:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K0UEx0-xMsI" width="320" youtube-src-id="K0UEx0-xMsI"></iframe></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">A Spotted Beet Webworm Moth (<i>Hymenia perspectalis</i>) takes </div><div style="text-align: center;">nectar from <i>Gaillardia pulchella, </i>October 15, 2022. </div></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Briefly resting on Gaillardia stems was a beautiful <b>Plume Moth (Family Pterophoridae):</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmmyjcSObUhAOcy5OeW1aHyM8kFL7vVASpbpv84xjvANpGXmGL5A2WiUcV2Hqb3VMiBb-9LSjhTe61VWPvU_XJ0OyqUomS95jvCb-ZK_oOtReusttrXYf7baklXg0AJhrNLQwQ5Qclx5PG6ZPwIY6CzMJIlP9r3hFMiXYO6B5pjhOYPkXWkhUZa-T/s4000/Plume%20Moth%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmmyjcSObUhAOcy5OeW1aHyM8kFL7vVASpbpv84xjvANpGXmGL5A2WiUcV2Hqb3VMiBb-9LSjhTe61VWPvU_XJ0OyqUomS95jvCb-ZK_oOtReusttrXYf7baklXg0AJhrNLQwQ5Qclx5PG6ZPwIY6CzMJIlP9r3hFMiXYO6B5pjhOYPkXWkhUZa-T/s320/Plume%20Moth%20(1).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKiLYZi7eQXO0ZJTgAZ4hWUpvMHhPYXaHNehUI48I4piUzbxh09k4ulkMjceXHcxZvg5UE4LgyhPI4rRXAUgHXOVQ2qSkgqA_rwLVnrWfAvkpnOSmSffi05lpVeLECIeaDi2IM7y55ss-iOYDgGux9J1wZXw5BUTSibIY3w6-9VQcJC5Tv5GN0uUd/s4000/Plume%20Moth%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKiLYZi7eQXO0ZJTgAZ4hWUpvMHhPYXaHNehUI48I4piUzbxh09k4ulkMjceXHcxZvg5UE4LgyhPI4rRXAUgHXOVQ2qSkgqA_rwLVnrWfAvkpnOSmSffi05lpVeLECIeaDi2IM7y55ss-iOYDgGux9J1wZXw5BUTSibIY3w6-9VQcJC5Tv5GN0uUd/s320/Plume%20Moth%20(2).jpg" width="240" /></a></div>The front and hind wings are folded together while the Plume Moth is at rest, forming a "T."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This moth came to Gaillardia on July 27, 2022. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">All of these moths showed up in the day time. How I would love to see how many nocturnal moths came at night!<br /><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><p></p>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-70902058780094379072023-01-01T15:51:00.001-08:002023-02-04T15:55:05.952-08:00Gaillardia World: Wasps<p> There are so many different kinds of wasps. Why I saw so few of them on <i>Gaillardia pulchella </i>this past summer, when Gaillardia was a magnet for so many other kinds of insects, I don't know. </p><p>In June I saw a pair of wasps zig and zag through the Gaillardia in our front yard--but land on neighboring Salvia, a cultivated garden plant in the Mint Family:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zrN_ubQjKrI" width="320" youtube-src-id="zrN_ubQjKrI"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">June 17, 2022</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In July, several species of wasp visited Gaillardia briefly:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QajJDtwNns4" width="320" youtube-src-id="QajJDtwNns4"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">BugGuide.net identifies this wasp as a member of the Sub-Family</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Eumeninae, </b>Family <b>Vespidae. </b>On the Gaillardia by the barn,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">July 23, 2022.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Though wasps are major pollinators, this wasp is sneaking in as a "nectar thief," that is, breaking into the base of the flowers to get at the nectaries directly, while bypassing the pollen-laden anthers, and thus providing no pollination service to the plant. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Another wasp came by on the same day, also a <b>Mason or Potter Wasp, </b>but this one BugGuide.net identified down to the genus <b>Eudynerus. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This one went for nectar in the more traditional way, diving down into the disk flowers past the pollen-laden anthers:<b> </b> </span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6nnWfPdh6TU" width="320" youtube-src-id="6nnWfPdh6TU"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">July 23, 2022</span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">And a third wasp also stopped by that day, this one identified by BugGuide.net as a member of the genus <b><i>Polistes</i>, Umbrella Paper Wasps, Sub-Family Polistinae, Family Vespidae.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qHR_N3Xjasw" width="320" youtube-src-id="qHR_N3Xjasw"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Umbrella Paper Wasp, Sub-genus Fuscopolistes</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">July 23, 2022</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">None of these wasps returned a second day! Despite Gaillardia's nourishing riches for other insects, Gaillardia flowers didn't appear to have what wasps were looking for.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Experts in the Kansas Arthropods Facebook group tell me that many things can influence wasps' choice of flowers to feed upon, from the match between their tongues and floral anatomy to the many colors which only wasps can see. Wasps also want to keep an eye on their surroundings while they eat so hesitate to bury themselves in flowers. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There are scientific studies showing that parasitic wasps prefer plants in the sunflower family (Asteraceae), such as Gaillardia--but the wasps above are predatory, not parasitic. So many factors involved!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It's a question carrying over to next year: Are wasps really inclined to avoid Gaillardia? Or did their absence this year represent observer-error or unique coincidences?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So many mysteries!!!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div></div><p></p>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-58062733754524873562022-09-26T13:06:00.004-07:002023-02-01T18:09:05.859-08:00Gaillardia World: Bee Flies<p><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is a <b>Bee Fly,</b> family <b>Bombyliidae</b>, sub-family <b>Anthracenae,</b> feeding on <i>Gaillardia pulchella.</i> Nectar- and pollen-lovers, Bee Flies protect themselves from predators by mimicking bees in appearance. Perhaps predators ignore them to avoid a sting! Bee Fly larvae are parasitoids on earth-dwelling larvae of other insects. The two-toned wings are beautiful as is the subtle shading on the body.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="417" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f_7T5WEwdO0" width="501" youtube-src-id="f_7T5WEwdO0"></iframe></div><br /><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here is a <b>Bee Fly</b>, genus <i><b>Geron</b>, </i>feeding on Gaillardia on August 1, 2022. The genus name may come from that thorax that creates a hump-backed appearance, a "dowager's hump." No doubt the word "gerontology" is related.</span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="317" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AmxKiESk6uM" width="403" youtube-src-id="AmxKiESk6uM"></iframe></div><br /><span face="Roboto, Noto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-17161030193513392412022-09-23T20:37:00.010-07:002023-04-02T14:11:55.352-07:00Gaillardia World: Appendix and Citations for "At Home on the Land? Welcome to Gaillardia World"<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Appendix: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gaillardia
pulchella </i>for Pollinator Gardens<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The USDA lists <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gaillardia pulchella </i>as native to the
lower 48, but that doesn’t mean that my experiences with this species will
translate to other locations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who knows
what conditions specific to my location made Gaillardia germinate so easily,
attract so many insects, and bloom so long?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But my experiences make me optimistic about the chances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It might be worth a try!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">For many reasons, </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">G. pulchella </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">could be a good addition to
native-plantings in populated areas.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Native plants don’t always comport with conventional landscaping
standards.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">G. pulchella </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">is as self-directed as any wildflower, but it just
happens to be conventionally beautiful as well.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While we are waiting for a more
life-centered garden aesthetic to emerge, Gaillardia’s sheer loveliness and
long blooming period may help to placate neighbors otherwise hostile to native
plants.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Then, when space is limited, it’s good to have
plants that are especially good at interacting with the ecosystem.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Gaillardia is extraordinary in this
respect.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">All native plants have “Greater
Selves” made up of the creatures that they need and that need them.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">G. pulchella </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">is in the Sunflower
Family (Latin name Asteraceae, meaning “asters” or “stars”), and pollinators
love sunflowers.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">That’s because sunflowers
, known also as “composites,” have apparent blossoms that are actually made up
of multiple flowers, “disk flowers” in the center and “ray flowers” (that look
like petals) around the edge.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Thus, when insects expend the energy to visit
a single sunflower, they are rewarded with the energy-rich pollen and nectar of
many flowers.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Thus, sunflowers in
general are good attractors.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But Gaillardia is a star among stars. I have watched bees and butterflies sail
right past other sunflower spec</span>ies <span style="font-size: 12pt;">to get
to Gaillardia. A wildflower’s larger
self <i>is</i> a “self”—unique to that
species. Perennial sunflowers may
invest more energy in roots or stems than in pollen or nectar, and many of
their interactions may be microbial, belowground, not easily visible to humans.
But as an annual wildflower dependent on seed production for self-perpetuation,
Gaillardia invests mightily in flowers. Possibly
for this or for other reasons, they are heavy-hitters when it comes to
attracting pollinators and other creatures that are visible to and appreciated
by humans. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I would also like to add a
caveat about my catalogue of creatures in Gaillardia World.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It is by no means comprehensive.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The observations recorded at
prairiecommunity.blogspot.com came daily, but from only a few hours in the late
afternoon.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Who might I have added to the list if I could
have observed Gaillardia early in the morning or during the night?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Perhaps I could have seen the night-flying Wavy-Lined
Emerald Moths, whose progeny, the Camouflaged Loopers, proved so delightful
during the day.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> <b>Citations for "At Home on the Land?"</b></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Epigraphs<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">Frost, Robert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The Gift Outright.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This line has been interpreted in wildly various ways, including that it refers to settlers’ life in the colonies before the formation of the United States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ecological interpretation is the one that resonates most profoundly with me.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Leopold, Aldo. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Natural History.” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Sand County Almanac, with Essays on Conservation from Round River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>New York: Ballantine 1949;1953; 1966. p. 203.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Tallamy, Douglas W. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard.</i> Portland: Timber Press, 2019.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>p. 62.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Kimmerer, Robin Wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Milkweed Editions, 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pp. 346-347.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Carver, George Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Qtd. by Clark, Glen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Man Who Talks with the Flowers: The Intimate Life Story of Dr. George Washington Carver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Macalester Park, 1976.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pp. 44-45.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“at two with nature” Woody Allen, quoted in </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/18204-i-am-at-two-with-nature"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/18204-i-am-at-two-with-nature</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and https://www.nytimes.com/1991/02/24/magazine/woody-and-mia-a-new-york-story.html<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.5in;">“ecological wasteland” Tallamy, Douglas W.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes; text-indent: -0.5in;"> </span><i style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-style: normal; text-indent: -0.5in;">Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard.</i><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.5in;"> Portland: Timber Press, 2019.</span><i style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-style: normal; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.5in;">p. 62.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.5in;">"the land-community" </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Leopold, Aldo.</span><span style="font-size: 16px; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">“The Land Ethic, 'Community Concept'.” </span><i style="font-size: 16px; mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Sand County Almanac, with Essays on Conservation from Round River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 16px;">New York: Ballantine 1949;1953; 1966. pp. 239-241.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.5in;">“Knowing that you love the earth….” Kimmerer, Robin Wall.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes; text-indent: -0.5in;"> </span><i style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-style: normal; text-indent: -0.5in;">Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.5in;">Milkweed Editions, 2013.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes; text-indent: -0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.5in;">p. 125.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“As soon as you begin to read the great and loving God”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Carver, George Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">George Washington Carver: In His Own Words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Ed. Gary R. Kremer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Columbia: U of Mo P, 2017. p. 158.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“Lord, what fools these mortals be!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shakespeare, William.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Midsummer Night’s Dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Act 3, Scene 2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“A little flower….”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Carver, George Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Qtd. by Clark, Glen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Man Who Talks with the Flowers: The Intimate Life Story of Dr. George Washington Carver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Macalester Park, 1976.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>p. 45.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“Land is a fountain of energy” Leopold, Aldo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The Land Ethic.” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Sand County Almanac, with Essays on Conservation from Round River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>New York: Ballantine 1949;1953; 1966. p.253.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“[The Potawatomi] understood a world of being”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pp. 47, 55.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">“Begin now to study the little things in your own dooryard” <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Carver, George Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">George Washington Carver: In His Own Words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Ed. Gary R. Kremer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Columbia: U of Mo P, 2017. p. 163.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“The land is the real teacher.” Kimmerer, Robin Wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Milkweed Editions, 2013. p. 222.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>Appendix</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“Greater Self”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Douglas Chadwick uses this terms to describe individual creatures’ interconnections with others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chadwick, Douglass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Four Fifths a Grizzly: A New Perspective on Nature that Just Might Save Us All.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Patagonia Works: 2021. pp. 80-81.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-38841336118281507812022-09-21T20:48:00.001-07:002023-04-01T20:50:51.509-07:00Gaillardia World: Citations for "At Home on the Land? Welcome to Gaillardia World<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Epigraphs<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">Frost,
Robert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The Gift Outright.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This line has been interpreted in wildly
various ways, including that it refers to settlers’ life in the colonies before
the formation of the United States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
ecological interpretation is the one that resonates most profoundly with me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Leopold, Aldo. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Natural History.” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Sand County Almanac, with Essays on Conservation from Round
River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>New York: Ballantine
1949;1953; 1966. p. 203.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Tallamy, Douglas W. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nature’s
Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard.</i>
Portland: Timber Press, 2019.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>p. 62.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Kimmerer, Robin Wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous
wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Milkweed Editions, 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pp. 346-347.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Carver, George Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Qtd. by Clark, Glen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Man
Who Talks with the Flowers: The Intimate Life Story of Dr. George Washington
Carver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Macalester Park, 1976.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pp. 44-45.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“at two with nature” Woody Allen, quoted in </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/18204-i-am-at-two-with-nature"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/18204-i-am-at-two-with-nature</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> and https://www.nytimes.com/1991/02/24/magazine/woody-and-mia-a-new-york-story.html<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“You might start by planting a little garden…”
Chadwick, Douglass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Four Fifths a Grizzly: A New Perspective on Nature that Just Might Save
Us All.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Patagonia Works: 2021.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>P. 111.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“Homegrown National Park.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tallamy, Douglas W.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nature’s
Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard.</i>
Portland: Timber Press, 2019.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>pp. 61-76.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“ecological wasteland” Tallamy, Douglas W.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nature’s
Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard.</i>
Portland: Timber Press, 2019.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>p. 62.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“Knowing that you love the earth….” Kimmerer, Robin
Wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the
Teachings of Plants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Milkweed
Editions, 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>p. 125.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“As soon as you begin to read the great and
loving God”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Carver,
George Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">George Washington Carver: In His Own Words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Ed. Gary R. Kremer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Columbia: U of Mo P, 2017. p. 158.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“Lord, what fools these mortals be!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shakespeare, William.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A
Midsummer Night’s Dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Act 3,
Scene 2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“A little flower….”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Carver, George Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Qtd.
by Clark, Glen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Man Who Talks with the Flowers: The Intimate Life Story of Dr.
George Washington Carver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Macalester
Park, 1976.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>p. 45.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“Land is a fountain of energy” Leopold, Aldo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The Land Ethic.” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Sand County Almanac, with Essays on Conservation from Round River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>New York: Ballantine 1949;1953; 1966.
p.253.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“[The Potawatomi] understood a world of being”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pp. 47, 55.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">“To those who
have as yet not learned the secret of true happiness” <span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Carver, George Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">George Washington Carver: In His Own
Words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Ed. Gary R. Kremer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Columbia: U of Mo P, 2017. p. 163.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“The land is the real teacher.” Kimmerer, Robin
Wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the
Teachings of Plants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Milkweed
Editions, 2013. p. 222.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>Appendix</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“Greater Self”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Douglas Chadwick uses this terms to describe individual creatures’
interconnections with others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chadwick,
Douglass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Four Fifths a Grizzly: A New Perspective on Nature that Just Might Save
Us All.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Patagonia Works: 2021. pp.
80-81.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-18049241244214802342022-05-21T14:22:00.001-07:002022-07-21T14:24:49.075-07:00Big Birds on McDowell Creek<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">While learning about tiny aquatic creatures, I suddenly remembered the Big Birds that the creek also hosts, as shown in this collage of trail cam clips. McDowell Creek, April-May 2022. Geary County, Kansas.</span></span><br /> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GDc6su4AZEQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="GDc6su4AZEQ"></iframe></div><p></p>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-51262766712116123702022-05-18T14:09:00.004-07:002022-07-21T14:26:28.821-07:00Golden Alexanders: Splendid Bottomland Wildflower<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nOE8IWZQK8I" width="320" youtube-src-id="nOE8IWZQK8I"></iframe></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea) are a lovely spring wildflower that loves creek edges and bottomland. They are teaching me about their world as I've been paying attention to the many creatures that connect up with them. Many thanks to Ms. Betsy Betros and to bugguide.net for help with IDs!</span></span><p></p>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-55417739843428950712022-05-09T14:06:00.001-07:002022-07-21T14:08:38.503-07:00Early Dandelions for Early Pollinators<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BjwbpjqaWU0" width="320" youtube-src-id="BjwbpjqaWU0"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-32894690162002477632022-04-20T13:50:00.001-07:002022-07-21T14:02:13.384-07:00Mink on McDowell Creek<p><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">This was the first year for us to spot minks on McDowell Creek. Perhaps minks are moving in or perhaps they have always been here and our trail cams weren't in the right place. In any case, welcome, minks! </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">January 2, 2022:</span></p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wt9N6EpIb-I" width="320" youtube-src-id="Wt9N6EpIb-I"></iframe></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">April 19-20, 2022:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u8LzDYRlnis" width="320" youtube-src-id="u8LzDYRlnis"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since then, there have been multiple heavy rains and high water, sweeping away the beaver dams and rewriting the creek. We hope the minks and the beavers came through it all. We'll see what the summer brings!</div><p></p>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-34261873942974072172022-03-19T14:13:00.001-07:002022-07-21T14:16:59.157-07:00Creek Field Burn and Life after Burn<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We burned the southern half of the Creek Field on March 15, 2022. By March 19, the burned area was festooned with spider silk, left over from spiderlings "ballooning," floating with the wind, dispersing to new locations. At the same time, a flock of migrating American Pipits arrived and began feasting on the field.</span><br /> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bqax9P485RY" width="320" youtube-src-id="bqax9P485RY"></iframe></div><p></p>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400111823245169827.post-86440167512668256022022-03-08T11:00:00.002-08:002022-04-18T14:27:42.188-07:00Freeing the Bobcat: Drew Ricketts and Al Alspach to the Rescue<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This story will have a happy ending!</span> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">We were startled when we looked at our trail camera clips from December 21 to see a female bobcat, dragging a long pole, the kind used by trappers. Hindered in her hunting, she was feeding at the remains of a processed deer:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rHZCyZhuSZw" width="320" youtube-src-id="rHZCyZhuSZw"></iframe><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;"> </span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">She showed up again on Christmas Day, still carrying that Lump of Coal: </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Dt9TkvZJJqs" width="320" youtube-src-id="Dt9TkvZJJqs"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">But another human gave her a Christmas turkey, to try to keep her alive.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">We knew such hand-outs would not keep her going for long.</span><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The permanent solution came in the form of two dedicated, skillful individuals--Drew Ricketts, Ph.D. mammologist and KSU's Wildlife Specialist; and Al Alspach, prize-winning conservationist and a neighboring landowner. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Drew expertly set traps on paths leading to the carcass, while Al agreed to monitor them. Modern foot-hold traps use plates that spread pressure broadly so as not to damage an animal's foot. "Usually, they don't even break the skin," Drew explained. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Then we waited. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">And waited.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Early one morning Al found and released a beautiful coyote. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Oddly, she refused to move when Al released her foot. Only when he started his truck did she spring into a run.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The bobcat, however, appeared to be gone for good. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">For ten long days there was no sign of her</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">--not in the traps, not at the carcass, not in any of the trail cams around our place. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">We feared the worst. Indeed, Drew had told us from the beginning that our chances of success were slim. "If our traps resemble the one she was caught in, she won't go near them," he said.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">But suddenly, on the very day we decided to call it quits, there she was, back again!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">First she appeared in unmistakable tracks in the snow:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmU5o7viCQkq8Lllv-18kD_SqhcfTg2akIJ3J-n8MdNSnZaBQnwGSI13KtjJLgFP_ija5UvoDs9PzC6j7eMDKaD61nU9glRf3Rmm0qiSQCtM_HZ8nzTT2LZ-Yhnmc8wrK9eaavGPWh0M7sILoJNhbwuGjXbyDYIReTkY7GmYNLDdrndhkJ_Z7NqWmo=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmU5o7viCQkq8Lllv-18kD_SqhcfTg2akIJ3J-n8MdNSnZaBQnwGSI13KtjJLgFP_ija5UvoDs9PzC6j7eMDKaD61nU9glRf3Rmm0qiSQCtM_HZ8nzTT2LZ-Yhnmc8wrK9eaavGPWh0M7sILoJNhbwuGjXbyDYIReTkY7GmYNLDdrndhkJ_Z7NqWmo=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Note the straight drag mark the pole makes</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">next to the cat's tracks.</span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">And then she showed up on a trail cam by the creek:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-kLfYJ2JG2s" width="320" youtube-src-id="-kLfYJ2JG2s"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This time Drew was optimistic. To a new carcass he added a powerful lure, one too rare to have been used in the original trap.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">On January 13, 2022, there she was, caught in the trap!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUdC2YJMI9KW8BOOX_Dc3e2kxAYMVRDcl1Vbw75YWJOEsWEEdXeuHOiVcIKSgvOwCm4KYIet3y4-8IIV0XdUILVTqLghpWsnUV54cSMdP8w4TncI9k5KNJ-nnqmAhd-rcUOCdNtGsEopwQ7yYXsZ-YB8Zl2fqVmnzDe6Oq22aHCV8zw-38qAnnlR4O=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUdC2YJMI9KW8BOOX_Dc3e2kxAYMVRDcl1Vbw75YWJOEsWEEdXeuHOiVcIKSgvOwCm4KYIet3y4-8IIV0XdUILVTqLghpWsnUV54cSMdP8w4TncI9k5KNJ-nnqmAhd-rcUOCdNtGsEopwQ7yYXsZ-YB8Zl2fqVmnzDe6Oq22aHCV8zw-38qAnnlR4O=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Creek Field, January 13, 2022. <i>Al Alspach photo.</i></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Drew and Al worked together to free her, getting the trap off her foot and the pole off her neck. Like the coyote, she refused to move until the two men left. In fact, she sat there while Drew made an educational video for Extension--a video that has been viewed over 13,000 times. Note that she adds a few comments of her own:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L9csGwyYKQs" width="320" youtube-src-id="L9csGwyYKQs"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dr. Drew Ricketts, Creek Field, Jan. 13, 2022. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Al Alspach video.</i></span></div><div style="font-size: large;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: large;">She stayed immobile until Drew and Al drove away--and then they saw her streaking past the truck. </div><div style="font-size: large;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: large;">That very evening she enjoyed a meal in freedom:</div></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m5lAxR7stOQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="m5lAxR7stOQ"></iframe></div><p><br /></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">She came for an afternoon snack and an early breakfast:</span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hNqa0-ZdcOk" width="320" youtube-src-id="hNqa0-ZdcOk"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Al noted Drew's extraordinary efforts: "I have the feeling that his job description reads that he is responsible for 'problem predators,' but predators with problems???" </span></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Drew replied modestly, "So glad we were able to get that pole off of her." </span></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When asked why he too was willing to spend so many hours in the cold to help a single bobcat, Al said, "Because it was the right thing to do." </span></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In their skill and conscientiousness, Drew and Al set a positive example for all of us who are interacting with the wild. </span></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Location: Bird Runner Wildlife Refuge, McDowell Creek, Geary Co., Kansas</i></span></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ron Young & Margy Stewart, Caretakers. Unless otherwise marked, all videos are Bird Runner trail camera clips, Margy Stewart videos. </span></div><div style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p></div></div></div>Margy Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699751908910623084noreply@blogger.com0