We have melons on the vine! And diligent guardians watching out for bugs.
After taking the pictures, I did tie up some netting slings, then sprayed the bottom of the netting with Neem oil, where the frogs can’t patrol. Then I found the frog convention.
I wonder what they talk about in their conventions. Are there speakers giving fine points on camouflage? Maybe break out groups discussing the merits of earwigs vs slugs?
Hello my precious! I have spotted another ironclad beetle on our property, specifically on the house trim by the back door. This is the seventh beetle I have seen in four years.
I relocated this one out in the woods since we do use chemicals around the house to keep out the ants and scorpions.
My stock tank garden really is a frog haven, with the little pond (old dish), shade (melon vines and basil), food (bugs that eat my melons), and rest areas (branches to lead the vines to the fence). I thought these two were quite cute.
There are melons setting on the vine!
And as I was photographing the mini globes, I saw the pollinators: tiny skippers going from flower to flower.
She landed on the sidewalk right by my feet. That is an open invitation to take a picture! (That is practically begging for a photo shoot, for me.) The iNaturalist app community identified this as a Whitetail dragonfly. I had to go do some additional research because I’ve seen Whitetail dragonflies, and the abdomen is quite bright. Turns out it is the males with the flashy derrière; females have a brown abdomen with white markings on the side. Learn something new every day.
Critters and Craft 