September 1, 2024

I can't believe it's September already!  Some of the days lately were so HOT it seemed summer would last forever.  But Nature seems to have an inside track on these things.  The Water Lilies in the Pond are slowing down.  This big yellow one has been blooming for several days already.  

You can tell Autumn is coming on faster and faster.  The Phlox is slowing down, and each day now we see less of it blooming.

The Goldenrod has now been blooming for a couple of weeks, and we've seen many of our old friends, like the Pennsylvania Ambush Bug (the huge claws are almost the same color as the Goldenrod stem) ,  the Spotted Cucumber Beetle, and the Ailanthus Webworm Moth.  But so far I haven't seen some others that I usually see soon after the Goldenrod blooms, like the Locust Borer Beetle.  So maybe it isn't finished with us yet!

Just one frame back I was lamenting the absence of the Locust Borer Beetle, and a couple of hours later, guess what I found right on the Goldenrod.  It took him a while, but the Locust Borer Beetle is back!

I'll tell you what/who IS missing.  Froggy hasn't been spotted this week in the daytime, though Chaim says he spotted him/her one night about 2 am out on the edge of the Pond.  I do miss seeing his/her cheerful little face out there!   These pictures were taken a couple of weeks ago.

This summer my usual Tall Evening Primrose has shown itself in quite a few sizes.  First here is a plant blooming at about 8 ot 10 inches tall.  Then you look beside you and you see a plant with the same lovely yellow flowers but heading up past you.  For the longest time I was sure there were actually three different kinds of plants but now I'm not so sure.   I've never seen one bloom so close to the ground!

The Day Lilies are still going, thanks to the August Orange ones I got from Arrowhead Alpines years ago.  I think all the other kinds have gone by for the season.  Meanwhile, the Japanese Anemones CONTINUE to bloom along the gate.  Third, a purple Aster full of Bee.

Speaking of Bees, I've never seen so many kinds of them!  This first one might be the Patchwork Leafcutter Bee (Megachile centuncularis)  (my guess in iNat) while the second and third are unknowns to me.

This first one might be any of the Genus Megachile (Leafcutter, Mortar, and Resin Bees).  The second may be a Western Honey Bee (which most of the Honeybees around here might be).  But careful!  Number three is NOT a BEE!  It is a Thick-legged Hover Fly

(Syritta pipiens) !  Telling a Bee from a Fly is interesting business!

Did I mention that it has been extremely hot and humid?  I've had more than my usual kind of trouble breathing outdoors.  The side front door is so sticky my friend couldn't get in this morning.  I had to sand down the edges of the door and it's still sticky.  So it's been good to have an excuse to sit down and work on this blog.  

The weather reports had been predicting that the heat and humidity would soon be leaving, but Friday night while I was in Jackson a very short storm came through and the next morning was COOL!  It did warm up though.

Oh.  For a long time, I've been neglecting my Spider population.  It's not that I don't think they are completely COOL and Beautiful and Interesting but I have been keeping my sights on other things.  Now - I hope Biddy is watching this - I can't identify most of these, but I hope you can appreciate how spectacular they are!   This first one is one I haven't seen for only about 15 years, but it is one of the most common of small Spiders - the Bowl and Doily Spider!   

This first one is probably a Typical Orbweaver.  I especially love the stance in picture 1.

A nice large reddish Spider.  Second is a Nursery Web Spider.  The third is a Common Pirate Spider - I used to see these a lot last summer, but not this year - YET!

More Spiders! 

More Spiders!   Little ones this time.

Let's look at a few Wasp pictures.   Is the first one a Wasp eating an Ambush Bug or vice versa?  The third picture is of a FLY (Grass-carrying Wasps, genus Isodontia), not a Wasp.  

This weekend was the first time I've seen the nymphal form of a Barklouse for some several years.  First up is an adult Polypsocus, seen with its nymph below (imho).  Second is an adult.

 Here is a mystery - is it an adult Barklouse or what?  Sorry to say, I don't recognize it at all.  Aha!  Diane Young says it looks like an Aaroniella through all the fog.  

Well, friends, it's almost noon on Sunday and I'm about out of things to say.  Please have a nice holiday weekend and rest up - hopefully, the heat wave is about over!  Everyone, care for our earth and each other.  Love, Martha