"Dragonfly" or "Snake Doctor"

This morning I was very fortunate to get a few good shots of an Erythemis vesiculosa (Great Pondhawk Dragonfly) in my garden.  There is no water feature in my garden, but this gorgeous green creature decided to visit anyway.  This reminded me of my childhood when we always called dragonflies by the name "snake doctor."  I never knew what that meant and never questioned it...until today.  According to Phillip S. Corbet  in Dragonflies: Behavior and Ecology of Odonata, the term "snake doctor refers to a folk belief that dragonflies follow snakes around and stitch them back together if they are injured."  I do remember being told as a child that if "snake doctors" were around, then there were surely snakes nearby.  Good reason to avoid them, huh.  Fortunately I have put away childish ideas and can now revel in the beauty of these occasional visitors to my garden.

Great Pondhawk Dragonfly

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Zinnias as Art



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The intricacies of flowers delight and amaze me.  When individuals think of the concept of “flower,” they tend to think of a single entity.   When you truly examine a flower, however, you realize there are countless parts, and even some of the same parts have variations.  Let me be clear, when I say “examine,” I mean to observe as with a beautiful work of art -- not dissect it as a scientist.  Even as buds before they become fully-developed flowers, these works of nature can be intriguing.  Looking deeply into a flower, you realize there are sometimes even little flowers within.  What a wonderful experience!  Spend a little time or you will miss details.  In fact, please go back to the beginning and look for more details in each photo.  Take time to enjoy the art of nature.

A Variety of Wildlife

Aphids--if you have milkweed, you will have aphids.
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One of my unknowns, but he is very interesting.



Juvenile Ladybug - apologize for poor quality,
but everyone should learn to recognize these important insects.



Bee on Plumeria leaf.





Juvenile Grasshoppers--they won't be nearly so cute when they become adults.




Hummingbird Moth nectaring on Pentas.



Honey Bee inside Obedient Plant (a feeding orgy).



Small Gecko showing his colors.



In many ways my garden is a microcosm of the world.  It includes soil, water, rocks, plants, and a myriad of creatures.  Although caterpillars, butterflies, and birds are my favorites, I am continually amazed at the diversity of life.  When taking pictures, I sometimes get a bonus.  Mostly I don’t know the names of these critters, but that doesn’t decrease my pleasure in finding them.  I hope you will enjoy them too! 

My Amazing Cacti

Cacti are amazing!  They thrive in the most incredible situations:  poor soil, limited water, and blazing heat.  This week two of my cacti presented me beautiful blooms, but you must be attentive because they usually last only one day.  They are also amazing in the juxtaposed textures of the spine-covered bodies and delicate & intricate blooms.   These blooms are like little surprise presents—a total delight.  I love my amazing cacti!

The fluttering has begun!

The fluttering of the Queens has definitely begun—thirteen new butterflies have emerged so far.  Hopefully they will find nectar in the Lantana, Zinnias, Buddleia, Pentas, Gregg’s Blue Mist, and Coneflowers.  Maybe, just maybe, I’ll be lucky enough to find the next generation of caterpillars on the milkweed.  Tried for a group photo, but this is the best I could do.  If you thought herding cats was difficult, just try “herding” butterflies.

Queen Butterflies

I’m always on the lookout for butterflies and recently spied a couple of Queen Butterflies mating.   With milkweed being the host plant on which the female Queen deposits her eggs, I began to closely watch my milkweed plants.  Happily I found several eggs which then hatched a couple of days later.  Knowing that the eggs and caterpillars are predation for wasps, I removed the caterpillars and placed them on milkweed in a pot which I protected in the house.   As in the children’s book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the tiny caterpillars ate and ate the milkweed leaves and quickly became full grown.   After about a week the caterpillars pupated, and I now have about 15 beautiful green jewels (chrysalis of the Queen--see above) in which the metamorphosis is happening.  I expect a flutter of new Queen butterflies soon. 

Bee Balm

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Passion Vine, Passiflora caerulea

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Gulf Fritillary Butterfly

Nectaring on Firebush, Hamelia patens

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Bumble Bee Collecting Pollen

from Olive Blossom

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Painted Lady Butterfly

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Tropical Hibiscus

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Pipevine Swallowtail Caterpillar

on White Veined Dutchman's Pipe, Aristolochia fimbriata 

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Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Female 

Sipping from Feeder

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Swallowtail Caterpillar, Early Instar 
on Fennel

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Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly Nectaring on Pentas
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