Greetings from the eastern Florida Panhandle! This is a continuation of my comment yesterday:
I am beset with bugs of all kinds - flying insects after nectar such as tiny bees, flies, and mimics and the larger bumblebees, wasps and more bee mimics. Then there are those that fly around and feed on the smaller insects. I step out the door and I will be buzzed by something within seconds. Green dragonflies follow me around knowing I attract insects of all sorts just by being there. Almost as big are the predatory Robber flies that totally rule. And it hasn’t happened yet this summer but there will be the big slow Assassin bugs that somehow always fly into me. Stink stink...
The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge where we amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns. We invite you to share in the comments what you see in your own part of the world.
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June 2019
That’s African Blue Basil in the cover photo. There’s a constant flight of visitors so I thought I should document as best I could. Feeling lazy and not wanting to be in 90º direct sunlight, I sat back with telephoto lens. Idea was to get a fine quality wide image and crop any finds.
Sorta, this is about the best.
one of 30-40 anyways. They are so fast working over and around the flower stalks. Most photos look like this bee in motion. Some of the flies are less than ¼” — there’s one that never lands, just hovers off the flowers like it’s smelling them. Of course that may be one of the male behaviors, hang around the nectar that draws in the females.
The Parsley I let grow for the Black Swallowtail caterpillars also draws in the tiny flies and bees. Big in comparison, there was a wave of Green Metallic sweat bees last week. I got stung by something when I got too close walking around a 5’ parsley. I could hear the bee buzzing like heck on my shoulder as it tried to penetrate my shirt. Then it did, not too bad tho, not like the sting from the YJ nest under the Rosemary bush I disturbed.
Dragonflies below the fold…
Still using the telephoto, this green dragonfly seems to have won the contest to hang out by me on my porch. It accosts all others often.
So the blue one goes farther down the walkway..
or another takes a position low down on the steps, here next to a Live Oak leaf for comparison.
or overhead on the “green” clothesline
closeup on the front legs that form a cup in flight as it closes in on prey, impaled on impact.
As fast and ruthless as the Dragonflies are the Robber flies.
and finally, a predator just as deadly but so passive and patient in waiting...
There are also butterflies and moths of course - the caterpillars came and went on the parsley already, and there’s lots of skippers to keep me entertained. Looks to be another hot day here in Tallahassee and summer is only beginning. Thanks for stopping by, and see ya in the comments...
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"Spotlight on Green News and Views" is posted every Saturday on the Daily Kos front page. It's a great way to catch up on diaries you might have missed.
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