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Beverly
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Posts: 25
Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2015 12:02 pm
Location: Colima, Mexico (USDA Zone 11)

An assortment of critters that show up in my garden

Zebra Heliconian (aka Zebra Longwings) [Heliconius charithonia] feeding on Mexican Flame Vine [Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides (say that really fast 5 times) :D syn. Senecio confusus]. This butterfly is among a very few that feeds on pollen as well as nectar. The photo below shows her feeding on pollen. The amino acids in pollen enables this butterfly to live up to 6 months as an adult butterfly. The pollen also interacts internally in the Zebra H. to make this butterfly distasteful and toxic to predators. The Mexican Flame Vine is especially rich in pollen and nectar and is by far the preferred dining experience in my garden for all nectar-lovers and pollinators. The Mexican Flame vine is available in the US (generally in plant form) and is hardy to USDA Zone 9a. The butterfly is widely seen in Florida, parts of Texas and the southeast. The host plants are various Passifloras.
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Mayfly resting on Tithonia (aka Mexican Sunflower although the plant is in the Asteraceae Family and not a sunflower at all) [Tithonia rotundifolia]. I love seeing the Mayflies in the garden. They are few and far between visitors. In the Northeastern US, particularly, these delicate little flies will hatch by the millions and can cause all kinds of havoc.
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Carpenter bees are frequent visitors but usually only one or two at a time. This one is enjoying a Passiflora edulis flower. These bees are large and black and sweet-tempered. Because of their size and baritone drone, I call them the Bee52s. :)
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Here is a nymph of a Short-horned grasshopper in the Family Acridiidae, only occasional visitors. They are welcome in the garden and there is plenty of vegetation for them to eat. In large numbers though, they can do some serious crop damage.
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This is a larva of the tropical Lady Beetle Azya luteipes. There is an amazing variety of Lady Beetles and I have learned to recognize the larvae (or some of the larvae) so I don't squish them by mistake. I love to have them in the garden. I love to watch them going about their business. Aphids are their food of choice but occasionally they will eat a butterfly egg or a tiny caterpillar :cry: This is not frequent and overall they do much more good than ill and they are so entertaining :)
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The adult tropical Lady Beetle Azya luteipes is tiny at 1/8th of an inch (3 mms), but fetching with her yellow tail end and little yellow legs. Larger Red Lady Beetles and Black with two red dots Lady Beetles are also common in the garden.
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A Stink bug in any form is never welcome in the garden because they can be destructive to caterpillars in a big way. Stink bugs from eggs to adults are discouraged. This chubby little guy is a nymph and kind of cute though, but dead nonetheless. Since I have actively predated on them, they have practically disappeared from the garden.
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I do love dragonflies and this female Eastern Amberwing Dragonfly [Perithemis tenera] is waiting on a wall for the sun to hit. I have a variety of dragonfly visitors but rarely can manage a good photo op.
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A sampling of some of my garden's critters; always a source of fascination.

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applestar
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Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Thanks for the photos and detailed descriptions. I loved seeing them 8)

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rainbowgardener
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Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

Wonderful photos !

HoneyBerry
Greener Thumb
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Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 1:10 pm
Location: Zone 8A Western Washington State

You have some nice critters. Love your critter post! :)

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Beverly
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Posts: 25
Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2015 12:02 pm
Location: Colima, Mexico (USDA Zone 11)

Awh, thanks for loving the critters apple, rainbow, and bird. :) A garden without critters is not complete. I wish I had some of those little frogs that eat ants, though.



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