July 14, 2024

We are really and truly into Summer.  Many hot and humid days and nights that don't cool us down as much as we might wish.  But Life abounds out there.  Where to start?  Maybe with the flowers.  The Phlox or maybe still the Dame's Rocket shines pink behind the heavy Trumpetvine trumpets that THWACK you as you try to pass them on the path.

All right, let's look at some of the more captivating Plants of the Week.  Here is a tiny Astilbe which Betty Beese gave me lo those many years ago.  Next is that delicate little Deptford Pink that Mary-Ann Cateforis sent me seeds for so many years ago.  Third, the lovely Red Day Lily given me by the Omahan- Kaduncs so many years ago is just finishing its bloom.

Here is that plant I bought at Family Fare a few weeks ago.  It had the most beautiful flowers which soon dropped but now is finally getting ready to bloom for me (and for you).  Next is our Japanese Anemone, which has been preparing unobtrusively to bloom towards Fall.  Finally, we have had to say good-bye to the Black Raspberries, which were plentiful and delicious for about two or three weeks, but have now finished their amazing run!

Here are a few more little Flowers.  My friend the Botanist Sheila Lyons-Sobaski said this next little charmer was a Nightshade, and both @plantperson7654 and another person  (@bryanconnolly) completed the name to  Bittersweet Nightshade ( Solanum dulcamara).  

Compare the size of the delicate blossom with my fat little fingers!

I feel a bit remiss not having mentioned the very pretty crop of Beetles that we have been having.  I have gotten a lot of letters from people who have pretty flowers such as Morning Glories, all chewn up by Japanese Beetles.  Since I don't have much of that kind of delicate blooms, I've gotten off fairly scot-free up till now.  When I've seen one or two of the intruders, I have just mashed their little heads in.  I don't know if that is enough to prevent another generation but it seems to be working so far.  Anyway, when I mention the pretty crop of Beetles, I don't mean the Japanese Beetles.  Here is a VERY pretty and so far as I know, fairly harmless Complex Oulema melanopus.  Another pretty Beetle is this Asian Lady Beetle.  And finally after dark you'll love to see this Lightning Beetle light up!

But it was the Flies that really won the contest.  Here is Rainieria antennaepes, one that I haven't seen since last summer.   Then the hover fly, Toxomerus geminatus.  I don't know the name of the green beauty.  But I believe I mentioned last week how ferocious the Mosquitoes have been.  Look at the contents of the tummy of the monster on the next line. 

We don't usually see too many butterflies or moths around here but this week we did see this White-Striped Black Butterfly (Trichodezia albovittata).     The second Moth is a member of genus Microcrambus,  and is a member of the Grass-Veneers, Tribe Crambini.   Third is another Moth, most likely in the genus Acrobasis.  It presumably has another leg like the one showing.  :-)

Well, that does bring us to some sort of an end.  It is now 7:30 pm on July 14.  I hope you have now enjoyed seeing some of the state of life at this corner of Burr Oak Street, Albion MI.   See you next week.  Love, Martha