When I started gardening, I also began to notice things besides plant life in the garden. With flowers come bees and butterflies, sure, but wait! There's more! Moths and spiders and insects of all kinds lurk about. I had to get over any phobias I may have had (*cough* spiders *cough*) or I was not going to enjoy my time in the garden.
As time went on, I not only noticed more, I purposely looked for bugs and when I'd find one, I'd do research to learn more about it. Today, I can say that the "critters" enhance my gardening experience. Okay, maybe the iris borers not so much.
This summer was no different than those in the past. I discovered new bugs and learned fascinating facts about them. And I found out new things about bugs I'd already met. I like to take photos whenever possible, so that when I go inside and try to ID the bug, I can compare my photo to those online to make a positive match.
Here are some that I've seen this summer:
Polygonia interrogationis
Not sure which kind of moth this is - maybe one of the Ermine moths?It's very tiny. Shown here on Asclepias tuberosa 'Hello Yellow'.
Gold BugCharidotella sexpunctata bicolor
Silver-Spotted SkipperEpargyreus clarus
Ebony Jewel Wing DamselflyCalopteryx maculata
Ermine MothAtteva punctella
Snowberry Clearwing MothHemaris diffinis
Great Golden Digger WaspSphex ichneumoneus
Polyphemus Moth caterpillarAntheraea polyphemus
Orange-Collared Scape MothCisseps fulvicollis
Red-Spotted PurpleLimenitis arthemis
ViceroyLimenitis archippus
Orange SulfurColias eurytheme
Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta
Pearl CrescentPhyciodes tharos
Eastern CommaPolygonia comma
Cabbage WhitePieris rapae
Painted LadyVanessa cardui
MonarchDanaus plexippus
White-Marked Tussock Moth caterpillarOrgyia leucostigma
Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus
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Big-butt spider in the first photo is Spined Micrathena (Micrathena gracilis) and they're all over the place right now!
"Bejeweled"
10 comments:
Lots of great bugs in your garden, Kylee. You've created a happy habitat.
What great photos of your garden critters Kylee. I haven't had the Polyphemus caterpillar in our garden. What a brute. We have had the moth though. I think everything else has graced our garden.
What fantastic photos of these guys!! Your photos of the butterflies are especially great as those beauties flutter and flap all over the place. I will be bookmarking this post to use as a reference.
I've got to say this post really "bugs" me! ;) Great photos! The more you know about the insects in the garden the more you know about your garden.
YOU GET ALL THE COOL BUGS!!!!
That camera is working fabulous for you dear Kylee.
Happy Harvesting going on over at the BGgarden.
Kylee, what wonderful pictures! That is one fierce or prehistoric looking spider. Do not think I have seen the Digger wasp.
Hi Kylee-
Fantastic photos! You've got a real diversity of insects in your garden, which means you've got a nice diversity of plants, too.
I think we chatted about the black and white moth on the milkweed before. Looking at it again, I don't think that is an ermine moth. Ermines tend to roll their wings up at rest, so they are cylindrical. I'm still looking around for a better match.
What lovely photos! They make me want to rush right out into my own garden to look for my "creepy crawly" neighbors. By the way, I'm pretty certain that unidentified moth of yours is a Hebrew Moth (polygrammate hebraicum).
Wow, that's quite the list! Glad to see the polyphemus made it into the list... Steve will be happy to see it. Only, I think we should have put a hand in the photo so people could have a reference for just how BIG that guy was! :)
It's an interesting and amazing 'tiny' world out there, isn't it? You've captured some great shots here, Kylee.
I've never noticed a Red Spotted Purple here. I wonder if they're in our area.
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