Exaptation, ex ap TA tion, noun The reuse or repurposing of an existing trait or appendage for ...

AlmostVulcan comments on Jul 11, 2018:

Instructions unclear, appendage stuck in something new.

Leafhead replies on Jul 12, 2018:

A good example is the Bicher fish who can use its fins on land like legs. Wings, likewise, are just exaptations of arms

Exaptation, ex ap TA tion, noun The reuse or repurposing of an existing trait or appendage for ...

Snickers77 comments on Jul 11, 2018:

Is the tongue an appendage?

Leafhead replies on Jul 12, 2018:

You bet!!

I write this on behalf of the Monarch Butterfly.

LB67 comments on Jul 9, 2018:

I have never seen them in groups where I have lived.. I had no idea that this was an issue.

Leafhead replies on Jul 11, 2018:

They generally begin to congregate late in August, early in September for the trip back. If you are in their migratory path, you can't miss them. But in the past 10 years their numbers have dropped by 95%. Only now do they appear to be increasing somewhat.

I'm writing on behalf of the Monarch Butterfly.

Cast1es comments on Jul 9, 2018:

Not much chance of the roads being shut down , but growing plants along the way would be helpful .

Leafhead replies on Jul 11, 2018:

@freeofgod I think you're right. It might be more palatable to the asses, I mean masses.

Tiger Jaws in bloom.

Lincoln55 comments on Jul 11, 2018:

Nicely done.

Leafhead replies on Jul 11, 2018:

Thanx

Tiger Jaws in bloom.

AmelieMatisse comments on Jul 11, 2018:

interesting perspective. I like the bit of soil outside the pot

Leafhead replies on Jul 11, 2018:

Thanx

My positive vibes for today, Tiger Jaws in bloom

hankster comments on Jul 11, 2018:

nice. interesting life form...lol. is that some kind of succulent that blooms?

Leafhead replies on Jul 11, 2018:

Absolutely. It is in the same family as Lithops and Ice Plants (Aizoiaceae)

From around Sandhill in Wood Co. WI Dogbane Beetle Diana Fritillary Eyed Brown

gigihein comments on Jul 7, 2018:

Nice collection of shots. Haven't seen many butterflies this year, so nice to see them here.

Leafhead replies on Jul 11, 2018:

@gigihein Years back when I rented, I worked out a deal with my landlord. I took over the gardening, saving huge $$ for groundskeeping. I also asked for no reduction in rent. The landlord loved the idea. Now that I own (condo), I have a similar arrangement w the assn. I even receive a yearly stipend for my services, and I get to do what I like. Win-win.

Road closures during Monarch migration events = fewer butterflies lost in traffic fatalities.

Livinlife comments on Jul 9, 2018:

How would the roads be chosen?

Leafhead replies on Jul 11, 2018:

Only the ones in the flight path would be affected. Near the Tex-Mex border is a good place to start

I'm writing on behalf of the Monarch Butterfly.

Cast1es comments on Jul 9, 2018:

Not much chance of the roads being shut down , but growing plants along the way would be helpful .

Leafhead replies on Jul 9, 2018:

I'm all for not mowing roadsides and medians

Hummingbird Clearing Moth posing on some Butterfly Milkweed. These guys seldom sit still like this

Insectra comments on Jul 9, 2018:

The last time I saw one sitting still out was in the grasp of a large crab spider.

Leafhead replies on Jul 9, 2018:

Ouch! Those things can bring down some immense prey for their size

This is obviously some sort of moth. Which kind?

Insectra comments on Jul 9, 2018:

Sawfly

Leafhead replies on Jul 9, 2018:

Another sawfly, huh? I guess this is the year of the sawfly

I'm writing on behalf of the Monarch Butterfly.

Mooolah comments on Jul 9, 2018:

In a heartbeat. We have to begin somewhere. But this is a mountain to climb which the pinnacle will not be reached in our lifetime, under this administration or ever. Be prepared for disappointment. I propose eliminating some roads altogether. You have my realistic support.

Leafhead replies on Jul 9, 2018:

Cool. Though I am not promoting eliminating roadways, I would certainly not oppose it either. The less the better. But the Monarch needs more than just Milkweed. The King of Butterflies needs every American homeowner to care and pitch in. It doesn't matter what Trump thinks. It's what the American people do that matters. Which leads me to my other soap box VOTE THIS NOVEMBER!! That is my rant for today.

Hummingbird Clearing Moth posing on some Butterfly Milkweed. These guys seldom sit still like this

serns comments on Jul 8, 2018:

Pretty wings

Leafhead replies on Jul 9, 2018:

Compare to this one: What do you think of this little borer? At first I thought it was a Syrphid fly. A mimic of a mimic?

From around Sandhill in Wood Co. WI Dogbane Beetle Diana Fritillary Eyed Brown

AmelieMatisse comments on Jul 7, 2018:

This is crazy....5 minutes ago I was talking to a friend about Fritillery butterflies and how there are a ton of them at Ft Indiantown Gap

Leafhead replies on Jul 9, 2018:

Now is their season, from the end of June thru the middle of July. We'll have another flight late in the Summer, and their offspring will overwinter as tiny caterpillars in violet patches. Grow lots of violets. Pansies work too, but make sure that the source for these is spray free.

From around Sandhill in Wood Co. WI Dogbane Beetle Diana Fritillary Eyed Brown

gigihein comments on Jul 7, 2018:

Nice collection of shots. Haven't seen many butterflies this year, so nice to see them here.

Leafhead replies on Jul 9, 2018:

They are easy to attract. 1. Quit all lawn and garden chemicals. This Includes chemical fertilizers and especially pesticides. 2. Google butterflies of your state and find out what they eat as caterpillars. Then plant that in your garden. For instance, Milkweed is the host plant for the Monarch (A host is a plant the caterpillars eat) 3. Plant wildflowers, native if you can. Naturalized is OK too, but avoid double flowers, cultivars and Alba forms. Some annuals like Zinnias are good too. Wildflowers and annuals provide nectar for adult butterflies 4. A dish with some ripe banana and watermelon will bring all kinds of butterflies that seldom visit flowers.

Road Rage - Time-lapse from Houston to Madisonville.

WalterWhite comments on Jul 9, 2018:

A bit to fast and I am missing some racing music. Also you needed a 7 car pileup at the end for the climax. :)

Leafhead replies on Jul 9, 2018:

Deep Purple's "Highway Star" comes to mind for the perfect racing music

This guy decided to hang out for a rest and a photo op.

Edgeward comments on Jul 9, 2018:

Nice catch! Size ?

Leafhead replies on Jul 9, 2018:

About the size of a large bumblebee

This guy decided to hang out for a rest and a photo op.

evergreen comments on Jul 8, 2018:

I've seen these flying around, and at first glance , thought they were hummingbirds ! Cool

Leafhead replies on Jul 8, 2018:

We have three major species of diurnal Sphinx moths. There are two species of Clearwing and the White Lined Sphinx

This guy decided to hang out for a rest and a photo op.

Besalbub comments on Jul 8, 2018:

We had them come to our ginger lillys several years back and haven;t seen them sense .

Leafhead replies on Jul 8, 2018:

Plant something in the Honeysuckle Family (Caprifoliaceae). It could be honeysuckle, Viburnum or even elderberry in a pinch. The caterpillars eat the foliage.

Hummingbird Clearing Moth posing on some Butterfly Milkweed. These guys seldom sit still like this

DotLewis comments on Jul 8, 2018:

Don't think I would have guessed they (some anyway) have transparent wings. You could never see them well enough to tell, when they're moving. Cool that you caught this.

Leafhead replies on Jul 8, 2018:

It caught me, actually. I was extremely lucky to have this otherwise flighty Lep pose for me :) Exactly one second later he was gone

Hummingbird Clearing Moth posing on some Butterfly Milkweed. These guys seldom sit still like this

Sheannutt comments on Jul 8, 2018:

I tried taking a picture of one and their wings are just so fast it looks awful this one you took is wonderful now I know what the wings look like thank you.

Leafhead replies on Jul 8, 2018:

Interesting to know about these moths is that they begin with solid colored wings like any other hawkmoth. They don't lose their wing scales until their maiden flight.

From around Sandhill in Wood Co. WI Dogbane Beetle Diana Fritillary Eyed Brown

LB67 comments on Jul 7, 2018:

That is a pretty beetle. Nice shadow play as well.

Leafhead replies on Jul 8, 2018:

@LB67 Fireflies are disappearing here, but there's always plenty in my gardens

From around Sandhill Conservancy in Wood County. WI Dogbane Beetle Diana Fritillary Eyed Brown

Mooolah comments on Jul 7, 2018:

Love it. You sure do get around.

Leafhead replies on Jul 8, 2018:

@Besalbub I know of several videos on YouTube. There are several techniques. The main things to remember are, The caterpillar cannot be in a container where it can escape. Try to stay with easy to clean, escape proof set ups. Try not to put tiny caterpillars in great big cages where they can wander off and get lost. The caterpillars must always be kept in food! This is important. They eat *a lot*. Cleanliness is very important. It is vital to keep the frass down, the host fresh and the cage disease free Sterilize cage between broods. If you use water to keep host fresh, make sure it is covered good so the caterpillars don't drown. Floral foam is to be renewed with host.

Purty fleurs

sweetcharlotte comments on Jul 7, 2018:

Edelweiss Flower

Leafhead replies on Jul 8, 2018:

@btroje Might be on the right track with Edelweiss, or at least the tribe it is in, Gnaphalidae. It looks like it could be an Artemisia or an Antennaria, or something related. Ever see any butterflies near it?

Can anyone (Insectra) ID this bug skeletonizing this Holly hock leaf?

Insectra comments on Jul 7, 2018:

Sure looks like one of the sawflies!

Leafhead replies on Jul 8, 2018:

Thanx, Insectra I knew you'd know

From around Sandhill Conservancy in Wood County. WI Dogbane Beetle Diana Fritillary Eyed Brown

Mooolah comments on Jul 7, 2018:

Love it. You sure do get around.

Leafhead replies on Jul 8, 2018:

@Besalbub No! I do not collect, nor do I condone collecting of butterflies and moths for private collections. I am strictly raise and release, and habitat restoration.

From around Sandhill in Wood Co. WI Dogbane Beetle Diana Fritillary Eyed Brown

LB67 comments on Jul 7, 2018:

That is a pretty beetle. Nice shadow play as well.

Leafhead replies on Jul 7, 2018:

One of my favorite beetles, behind fireflies, that is.

From around Sandhill Conservancy in Wood County. WI Dogbane Beetle Diana Fritillary Eyed Brown

Mooolah comments on Jul 7, 2018:

Love it. You sure do get around.

Leafhead replies on Jul 7, 2018:

I go wherever there are butterflies :)

I am an amateur and like taking photographs of insects, mostly.

Leafhead comments on Jul 7, 2018:

I have a question about the Milkweed that the Monarch is on. Common, or something else?

Leafhead replies on Jul 7, 2018:

I ask because that variety looks a little like Prairie Milkweed, or Sullivant's Milkweed.

The dry spell continues, the rain promised for today has been pushed back until the middle of next ...

Sheannutt comments on Jul 6, 2018:

It looks very nice you both did a great job. I love the smell lavender I missed the bush that I used to have.

Leafhead replies on Jul 7, 2018:

@Surfpirate Sounds like a real good soil amendment too. There's cocoa bean mulch, but it's crummy mulch and not pet friendly. The smell of chocolate keeps them at bay, though.

The dry spell continues, the rain promised for today has been pushed back until the middle of next ...

Sheannutt comments on Jul 6, 2018:

It looks very nice you both did a great job. I love the smell lavender I missed the bush that I used to have.

Leafhead replies on Jul 7, 2018:

@Surfpirate Will Lavender work against bunnies?

Some positive Summer vibes from around the garden yesterday Tawny Emperor Monarch Monarch ...

Blissfull comments on Jul 6, 2018:

These are lovely thanks for sharing. Do you plant anything other then Milkweed to attract them?

Leafhead replies on Jul 7, 2018:

@Blissfull It sounds as though you have quite the wildlife garden going :) Good for you. That's how I got started, gardening for the"Local Gentry", aka squirrels, birds, lizards, snakes, frogs, etc. A friend introduced me to some Milkweed seed, and they took. I ended up with an attractive plant with pretty flowers. Then, one day, it's leaves were stripped, and in their place we're 4 fat caterpillars!. That day, nearly 30 years ago, I was hooked!!

Some positive Summer vibes from around the garden yesterday Tawny Emperor Monarch Monarch ...

Blissfull comments on Jul 6, 2018:

These are lovely thanks for sharing. Do you plant anything other then Milkweed to attract them?

Leafhead replies on Jul 6, 2018:

PS: There is also a feeder, which consists of an old decrepid birdbath and some overripe bananas. You wouldn't believe what comes to fallen fruit!

Some positive Summer vibes from around the garden yesterday Tawny Emperor Monarch Monarch ...

Blissfull comments on Jul 6, 2018:

These are lovely thanks for sharing. Do you plant anything other then Milkweed to attract them?

Leafhead replies on Jul 6, 2018:

I plant Milkweed for the Monarchs, as they'll lay their eggs on nothing else. In addition, Milkweed in bloom is a powerful draw for most nectar seeking butterflies. Some other plants I grow are Everlasting and Pussytoes, Golden Alexander and nettles as hosts for various other butterflies. Tree hosts include Hackberry, Elm and Choke cherry or Wild Black Cherry. I also grow Hops. I plant a variety of wildflowers for nectar, and try to have something blooming all season. Dandelions, violets, hawkweeds, phlox, Liatris, Ironweed, coneflower and Butterfly Weed are good perenniels, whereas Tithonia, Zinnias and Verbena bonariensis are excellent annual sources of nectar

Can anyone tell me what kind of flower this is.

freeofgod comments on Jul 5, 2018:

Looks like something known around here a roosters tail. Unlike the cock comb it gets a fluffy tail looking bloom. While the cocks comb has the tight bloom that looks like.....a cocks comb.

Leafhead replies on Jul 6, 2018:

Rooster tail and Cockscomb are in a related genus (Celosia). This is a plant in the genus Amaranthus

Can anyone tell me what kind of flower this is.

Hebert54 comments on Jul 6, 2018:

I believe it’s a salvia of some sort

Leafhead replies on Jul 6, 2018:

It's an Amaranthus, or Pigweed. AKA Love Lies Bleeding. There are a lot of cultivars each with its own use. For show, for human consumption and as feed are it's main uses

A Hackberry Emperor and a little Monarch on Sullivant's Milkweed

MissKathleen comments on Jul 5, 2018:

You’re getting lots of visitors!

Leafhead replies on Jul 5, 2018:

@MissKathleen spied this little guy just now He doesn't have that typical triangular shape of Emperors

A Hackberry Emperor and a little Monarch on Sullivant's Milkweed

MissKathleen comments on Jul 5, 2018:

You’re getting lots of visitors!

Leafhead replies on Jul 5, 2018:

It's this butterfly feeder, and a few other things in bloom. With some bananas, I can count on several species visiting <3

A frolicking Monarch

MissKathleen comments on Jul 5, 2018:

Thanks for sharing the photos!

Leafhead replies on Jul 5, 2018:

You're welcome :)

My latest visitor today, a Grey Hairstreak Also, some Tawny Emperor shots from my feeder

Cast1es comments on Jul 5, 2018:

So , is the beige . brown a moth or a butterfly ?

Leafhead replies on Jul 5, 2018:

They are all butterflies. The beige and brown one is orange inside, but it wouldn't open its wings

Grey Hairstreak

dede18 comments on Jul 5, 2018:

is this a butterfly, or a moth?

Leafhead replies on Jul 5, 2018:

It is in a group of butterflies known as the Gassamer Wings

Grey Hairstreak

AmelieMatisse comments on Jul 5, 2018:

They sure are amazing. I love your butterfly photos

Leafhead replies on Jul 5, 2018:

Thanx. I shot these just now of a Monarch in my garden

I have been trying to take photos of the hummingbirds at my feeder however it has been difficult to ...

AmiSue comments on Jul 4, 2018:

Delightful :) They are rare in my garden as I don't have many red flowers or hummingbird specific blooms. One day I need to rectify that.

Leafhead replies on Jul 5, 2018:

One name: Monarda, or Bee Balm. It is like hummer candy. Another possibility is Cardinal Flower, which likes wet and blooms red, irresistible to hummers.

So this happened.

Edgeward comments on Jul 4, 2018:

Actually I’m just a teeny bit disappointed… I thought this was going to read a tired butterfly and a hungry Anole walk into a bar…

Leafhead replies on Jul 5, 2018:

A priest, an imam and a rabbi walk into a bar and the bartender says "What is this, a joke?"

Dr. Seuss Wisdom

SKH78 comments on Jul 4, 2018:

I have always enjoyed Dr. Seuss. I still have some of his books. At my advanced age, I still can go into a child state and love his books. My favorite is the Sneetches.

Leafhead replies on Jul 5, 2018:

Me too. I gotta go with "If I Ran the Zoo". I've pretty much planned my life around that book! Another fave is One Fish Two Fish

Angry Jesus?

Leafhead comments on Jul 2, 2018:

Jesus might have been a good fisherman but he was a miserable gardener

Leafhead replies on Jul 4, 2018:

@Bobby9 He was a carpenter by trade. Mark11-14 is just a parable of some kind. Jesus also said that mustard was the biggest tree in the forest and came from the smallest seed! Jesus knew fuck all about botany! Well, like I always say, you can lead a horticulture, but you can't make her think!

Best thing I did this season for my butterfly garden was install this feeder, simply a converted old...

Besalbub comments on Jul 3, 2018:

I'm gonna try that banana bait trick does it work with Moths ?

Leafhead replies on Jul 4, 2018:

@Insectra Thanx I'll try that recipe. I am especially interested in seeing flying squirrels. Never seen one.

My butterfly feeder.

freeofgod comments on Jul 3, 2018:

Two summers in a row my ex sil had an excess of watermelons. When I saw how the butterflies covered them in the compost heaps I started bringing entire melons out and just smashing them on the ground under a tree. The butterflies came by the hundreds. When we went outside they would fly up from the...

Leafhead replies on Jul 4, 2018:

Butterfly gardening Gallagher style! Now that's a first!! I will have to try watermelon in my feeder, though the little guys may have to flip me for it (I love watermelon!)

My latest visitor to the feeder, a Hackberry Emperor

TheAstroChuck comments on Jul 3, 2018:

Very cool. Thanks.

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

He's a brand new species in my garden :)

My butterfly feeder.

Cast1es comments on Jul 3, 2018:

My parents had acres of apple trees . When the apples fell in the driveway and were run over by cars , the apple mash attracted butterflies , as well as wasps and ants .

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

Apples are another good choice for feeders

My butterfly feeder.

Ellatynemouth comments on Jul 3, 2018:

I never heard of a butterfly feeder before. It's highly effective from the looks of it. I can spot one of the three on the right.

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

I never had such raging success as with this year. Maybe because I put it out back with the bulk of the food source. Right now there are Red Admirals fighting over it! But can I get near?? No. Lol

My butterfly feeder.

Ellatynemouth comments on Jul 3, 2018:

I never heard of a butterfly feeder before. It's highly effective from the looks of it. I can spot one of the three on the right.

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

And check this Emperor out!

My butterfly feeder.

AstralSmoke comments on Jul 3, 2018:

That's a cool re-use idea. Will butterflies also feed on the banana peels on the ground?

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

@AstralSmoke Some "weirdos" do like scat, urine and sweat, along with a few other gross things. Baltimore on scat

Final Monarch rearing of season. A perfect, healthy male

OpposingOpposum comments on Jul 3, 2018:

Exquisite!

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

Thank you. He took off at exactly 10:38 CT in a strong, healthy flight.

My butterfly feeder.

AstralSmoke comments on Jul 3, 2018:

That's a cool re-use idea. Will butterflies also feed on the banana peels on the ground?

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

Yes, butterflies will feed off bananas and fruit on the ground, but a pedestal looks better

My final raising of the season.

MissKathleen comments on Jul 3, 2018:

Thank you! Their numbers are so dramatically decreased. Every one you hatch makes a difference.

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

Thank you! Every one's a pleasure :)

My butterfly feeder.

AstralSmoke comments on Jul 3, 2018:

That's a cool re-use idea. Will butterflies also feed on the banana peels on the ground?

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

@AstralSmoke A rut+mud+sunny to partly sunny location. Slightly alkaline clay or mud works best

My final raising of the season.

freeofgod comments on Jul 3, 2018:

I raised monarchs at my prior home. It's wonderful to watch.

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

It never, ever gets old ;)

My butterfly feeder.

AstralSmoke comments on Jul 3, 2018:

That's a cool re-use idea. Will butterflies also feed on the banana peels on the ground?

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

Around here, Angle wings like Eastern Commas, Question Marks, Red Spotted Purples Red Admirals, to name a few. To attract a "stag party", find some mud and put it in a similar setup and keep it moist to wet. Males will utilize salts in the mud for pheromone production. Swallowtails in particular will visit mud pits.

My butterfly feeder.

MissKathleen comments on Jul 3, 2018:

If you look in the lower left corner, you can see a colorful glass dish with orange slices on it and a very large butterfly. This photo is of the “Corpse Flower" that bloomed at the Tucson Bontanic Garden on April 27th this year. I have more photos on my laptop of the butterflies and will try to...

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

Beattuful shot of the Corpse Flower! The butterfly looks like a Morpho. Was it bright, shiny blue inside? My shots of the Corps Flower here in Olbrich Gardens and Conservancy, Madison area, WI earlier last month

My butterfly feeder.

AmiSue comments on Jul 3, 2018:

I happen to have some older bananas, I’ll set them out after the rain passes. Great idea!

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

Perfect!

My butterfly feeder.

bigpawbullets comments on Jul 3, 2018:

That's very cool. Did you make it?

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

Someone threw it out because it is chipped and won't hold water.

My butterfly feeder.

MissKathleen comments on Jul 3, 2018:

Way better than a bird feeder! They aren’t messy and won’t eat your tomatoes on the vine. I did see them also feeding orange slices for the butterflies at the Tucson Botanic Garden Butterfly exhibit....let me just see if I can quickly find those photos.

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

Oranges and grape jelly are great for Orioles too

My butterfly feeder.

kenriley comments on Jul 3, 2018:

Having a butterfly feeder is a great idea, I can't made out the butterflies in the picture.

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

I couldn't really get that close, much less pry those little wings open lol Somewhere in that pic are two Eastern Commas and a Red Admiral

My butterfly feeder.

JenBeberstein comments on Jul 3, 2018:

What do you feed them?

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

Very ripe bananas. I am surrounded by Hackberry, Elm and Nettles, with a bit of Hops, so I got results in

My final raising of the season.

Ellatynemouth comments on Jul 3, 2018:

What's OE?

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

OE is a terrible protozoan parasite that causes deformity in adults. Carriers are not as vigorous and seldom make the trip South

Final Monarch rearing of season. A perfect, healthy male

AmelieMatisse comments on Jul 3, 2018:

Fantastic shot. He is beautiful

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

Thank you all :)

We went to a nature reserve today and found some critters. Can anyone i.d. the caterpillar?

Leafhead comments on Jun 29, 2018:

The caterpillar is a Ctenuka?

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

@Insectra Cute <3

Best thing I did this season for my butterfly garden was install this feeder, simply a converted old...

Besalbub comments on Jul 3, 2018:

I'm gonna try that banana bait trick does it work with Moths ?

Leafhead replies on Jul 3, 2018:

Probably, though many moths, like the Saturniidae, have no mouthparts as adults

OK folks, this one's for real: Fuck, verb: To rap with a stick.

PontifexMarximus comments on Jun 30, 2018:

It is interesting that sexual activities, which extremely pleasurable, have generated to many negative expressions.

Leafhead replies on Jul 2, 2018:

@PontifexMarximus, @McVinegar Atta boy

OK folks, this one's for real: Fuck, verb: To rap with a stick.

PontifexMarximus comments on Jun 30, 2018:

It is interesting that sexual activities, which extremely pleasurable, have generated to many negative expressions.

Leafhead replies on Jul 2, 2018:

@PontifexMarximus He raps her with a stick.

Butterfly photos I took when the lilacs were blooming.

Leafhead comments on Jul 2, 2018:

Is that last one a Spice bush Swallowtail?

Leafhead replies on Jul 2, 2018:

@DotLewis Thank you. We don't get many dark Swallowtails in general, just Eastern Black Swallowtails and rarely Dark Form Tigers.

Among the many artistic things I do..

MissKathleen comments on Jul 1, 2018:

Pretty. Enameled copper? Oops, should have read comments first. I had never heard of Bismuth, so had to look it up. Now I know more than I wanted to, but find it interesting there exists a form of metal of which I'd never known. Very nice metal work!

Leafhead replies on Jul 2, 2018:

@Starfodder Sink the Bismuth! LOL

We went to a nature reserve today and found some critters. Can anyone i.d. the caterpillar?

Leafhead comments on Jun 29, 2018:

The caterpillar is a Ctenuka?

Leafhead replies on Jul 1, 2018:

@Insectra Thanx, I wasn't sure

Leviticus Any man who lies with another man as with a woman shall be stoned.

5082gregory comments on Jul 1, 2018:

Any "god" who is against homosexuality is an idiot.

Leafhead replies on Jul 1, 2018:

Agreed. It all started out as a gross typo Mark11:13 God hates FIGS.

More critters. Is this a, "Brown Snake"?

walklightly comments on Jun 30, 2018:

looks like one, & i thought they are in australia only. the spider is a pretty one.

Leafhead replies on Jul 1, 2018:

@JimG "Daddy-Long-Legs" is the common name for this Arachnid. It is a cousin to spiders, but not a true spider. It is nonvenomous. Harvest men have a body that is *not* divided, whereas spiders' bodies are divided into a cephalothorax and abdomen

Milkweed Leaf Beetles on Swamp Milkweed

Mooolah comments on Jun 30, 2018:

advertising toxiticy

Leafhead replies on Jul 1, 2018:

Big time toxicity

More critters. Is this a, "Brown Snake"?

walklightly comments on Jun 30, 2018:

looks like one, & i thought they are in australia only. the spider is a pretty one.

Leafhead replies on Jun 30, 2018:

Is that a Harvestman?

Do tomatoes grow well indoors?

Sheannutt comments on Jun 30, 2018:

They do need 6 hours or more of sun and found that they do not like a air-conditioned home.

Leafhead replies on Jun 30, 2018:

Tomatoes like heat

Got Milkweed?

Captnron59 comments on Jun 30, 2018:

I think you got the wrong group

Leafhead replies on Jun 30, 2018:

Well who doesn't love butterflies?

OK folks, this one's for real: Fuck, verb: To rap with a stick.

Outlier comments on Jun 30, 2018:

Fornication Under Consent of the King

Leafhead replies on Jun 30, 2018:

Thanx, I knew it was something similar.

I had forgotten that one of my buddies had given me 5 Samia cynthia caterpillars last fall.

Leafhead comments on Jun 30, 2018:

I've got a moth to ID. Looks just like a stump or twig. If it had been on a tree I would have totally missed it! Remarkable camouflage!

Leafhead replies on Jun 30, 2018:

And here he is...

88 degrees with a "feels like" of 93.

farmboy2017 comments on Jun 29, 2018:

Ahh, the hawk moth! That's where horned tomato worms come from.

Leafhead replies on Jun 29, 2018:

Tomato Horn worms come from a different hawk moth, but yes. Hemaris thisbe, the Hummingbird Clearwing Moth, gets its start on members of the honeysuckle family.

jujuofthesea comments on Jun 29, 2018:

Yes ... I also re-invent myself every few years or so :-)

Leafhead replies on Jun 29, 2018:

Me too

I swear I check this milkweed patch daily.

bigpawbullets comments on Jun 29, 2018:

This reminds me.... I should go check ours. Got a question.... We planted some "ornamental milkweed which has come back this year. Do Monarchs only interact with our native milkweed?

Leafhead replies on Jun 29, 2018:

@MikeEC "Ornamental Milkweed" is also synonymous with Tropical Milkweed, which should be avoided, especially up North

My aha moment.

Leafhead comments on Jun 29, 2018:

Are these wood chips from a bag or from a chipper?

Leafhead replies on Jun 29, 2018:

@Donto101 Just make sure all your mulch is tick free. I got a truck load of mulch with disastrous results

A gardener's worst nightmare

HoaryMarmot comments on Jun 28, 2018:

June bugs? Or Japanese beetles?

Leafhead replies on Jun 29, 2018:

@HoaryMarmot You bet ;)

Salsify growing in my yard is going to seed.

Leafhead comments on Jun 28, 2018:

So that's what that is. I always called it giant dandelion.

Leafhead replies on Jun 29, 2018:

@Countrywoman The Chicory group is a tribe within a family, Asteraceae. Compositae is an old name for Asteraceae. It is a huge family and comprised of many tribes, like Gnaphalidae, the Cudweeds and Wormwood, and the Thistle tribe, which includes Carduus, Echinops and Burdock. Sunflowers are in another tribe.

A gardener's worst nightmare

bigpawbullets comments on Jun 28, 2018:

Japs!

Leafhead replies on Jun 29, 2018:

@bigpawbullets Ouch!

Confidence

CreativeTN comments on Jun 29, 2018:

Absolutely! And, hopefully a few people will like me too.

Leafhead replies on Jun 29, 2018:

I have also heard: If everyone loves you, you're doing something wrong

Do it anyway...

Leafhead comments on Jun 29, 2018:

Add this one too, You don't alway get who you vote for. VOTE ANYWAY!!

Leafhead replies on Jun 29, 2018:

@BeeHappy Thanx. That means YOU too! I wish I had the pic of Uncle Sam pointing his finger. Remember the draft? I would post it everywhere, with a pro voting message. This year is for all the marbles, as Drumpf has none! Vote for your life! 2018, the year of the Blue Wave!

A gardener's worst nightmare

CraeftSmith comments on Jun 28, 2018:

Yes... I am quickly being overrun by these little devil's. The traps fill up quickly. I joke that I am attracting them from my neighbors' yards

Leafhead replies on Jun 29, 2018:

@freeofgod I have heard similar, that the traps do more harm than good. Somebody told me that finely ground eggshell suspended and then sprayed on the foliage will tear up their insides. Butterfly gardeners should *not* spray on affected host plants, as it will harm caterpillars too.

These are my three most recent ones

Leafhead comments on Jun 28, 2018:

American Lady Butterfly? Here is a pic of an American Lady. They are really similar to Painted Ladies. I have to see their hind wings or watch them fly to tell them apart. Painted Ladies are bigger

Leafhead replies on Jun 29, 2018:

@Insectra Commas are a mystery, as I don't see enough to have known them. I see Eastern Commas and Question Marks, and these get confused in my mind too. I need an actual field guide to see who is on my butterfly feeder.

A gardener's worst nightmare

btroje comments on Jun 28, 2018:

too bad they are so pretty

Leafhead replies on Jun 29, 2018:

Pretty destructive, that is. They may be a lucky charm in Japan, but around these parts they're just a bad omen.

A gardener's worst nightmare

bigpawbullets comments on Jun 28, 2018:

Japs!

Leafhead replies on Jun 29, 2018:

@bigpawbullets Whatever label you slap on them, they are eating my Aroids! They are devouring my Callas from the inside out, and making hash out of my Amorphophallus and Arisaemas. They can't die hard enough for me

A gardener's worst nightmare

Mooolah comments on Jun 28, 2018:

Japanese beetles. I collect them in a plastic bag & freeze them for my chickens.

Leafhead replies on Jun 29, 2018:

@Countrywoman I had several large pitcher plants that I fed regularly with Japanese Beetles I collected off my plants They got huge!

I love it when my co-workers show up with jars! One of the other techs brought in these two ...

Besalbub comments on Jun 29, 2018:

That dobsonfly looks like it could hurt you and if that's a runt I'd like to see a large one .

Leafhead replies on Jun 29, 2018:

The Dobson fly larva, or Helgrammite, was featured as the monster model for the old sci-files thriller from the '50s called "The Tingler". They also make good bait

My aha moment.

btroje comments on Jun 28, 2018:

I have always been cautioned about composting dog manure.

Leafhead replies on Jun 29, 2018:

@Donto101 There is a product similar to Milorganite called Florganic coming out of Florida that uses composted human refuse as a source. I would say nix to either, at least when it comes to edible gardens, because of our crappy diets. GIGO.

Salsify growing in my yard is going to seed.

Leafhead comments on Jun 28, 2018:

So that's what that is. I always called it giant dandelion.

Leafhead replies on Jun 29, 2018:

@Countrywoman I figured as much. Is it one of the Hawkeeeds, then?