Monday, October 4, 2010

Garden Fauna - October 4, 2010

It's a crazy-busy time in the garden now. It seems like there are more bees, spiders and slugs than at any other time. The spiders in particular are everywhere. I carry a bamboo rod everywhere I go to knock down webs I can't duck under or otherwise avoid. While the bumblebees seemed to rule the summer garden, the honeybees are now out in droves and swarm over the multitudes of blooms. Somehow, I must subconsciously buy mostly plants that bloom in the fall, as the garden is really at it's peak. The duo of hummingbirds dart constantly around the garden, favoring the large Salvias at either end. They seem bolder this year, actually stopping a few feet from me, at eye level, regarding me with quizzical, almost challenging expressions.

BeeOnSalvia
Honeybee on Salvia 'Black & Blue'

Spider
Daddy Long Legs Spider on Persicaria 'Taurus'

Hummer
Hummingbird and Salvia 'Purple Majesty'

SedumSpider
Spider and Sedum 'Autumn Joy'

SunnyBee
Honeybee on Rudbeckia Triloba

EchinaceaSpider
Daddy Long Legs on Echinacea 'Magnus'

WeridBug
Unknown Insect on Muhlenbergia Cappilaris

Ladybug1
Ladybug on Pennisetum

Eggs
Mystery Eggs on Pennisetum

GreenFly1
Green Fly on Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm'

Rudkbeckiaspider1
Daddy Long Legs Spider on Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' bud

BeeOnAgastache
Honeybee on Agastache 'Blue Fortune'

Wasp
Wasp on Artemisia 'Powis Castle'

SpideronConeflower
Daddy Long Legs Spider on spent Echinacea 'Magnus' blossom

8 comments:

  1. Great pictures - especially the hummer! I'm seeing lots of bees, spiders, and slugs in my garden, too. The bees don't seem to mind if I'm just inches away. Two of them started a ruckus the other day thought, but they were after each other and not me. Must have been competing for the same bloom.

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  2. WoW, great photos of the true garden inhabitants. I am especially taken with the spider on the spent echinacea. Beautiful

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  3. Nice job capturing all those critters! I know what you mean about the webs, I got a nasty bite on my neck a couple weeks back from walking into one and upsetting the housekeeper. And the darn slugs! They must be on a eating rampage as things that they've left a lone all summer are suddenly looking like swiss cheese.

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  4. Well, you know I'm seeing some honeybees. I love fall blooms, and plant specifically for fall. I must have 10 different species of aster (that could make a good post, don't you think? hmmm, but must grade papers first). I admire that you still ahve rubeckia, salvia, and coneflowers blooming. Geeze. Those stopped a month ago here. Deadheading doesnt' work for me either--alwasy get black stems instead.

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  5. I like the last shot the best. This is usually a busy time for bugs around here as well, but last week's 15"+ rains did a number on many a critter. However, they should recover and have a chance as we will not likely see our first freeze until late November.

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  6. Darn Scott, I was hoping somebody knew what kind of eggs those were. I can tell you the mystery insect is a crane fly. And boy those spiders are everywhere this year, aren't they? Thankfully they're not too big and foreboding. Great photos!

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  7. Hey, that's some quite collection of critters you have there, Scott. It's been raining here since Saturday, so have not seen any honeybees. They don't have to go out and forage daily like the native bees. I, too, have got a boatload of bugs this year.** So much so that they've attracted several Eastern phoebes. They are fascinating to watch as these flycatchers dip and swoop after their prey. Great pics. I envy your quality camera with such a good macro setting...

    **a post in the works about my yellow jacket situation

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  8. Thanks for the comments, everyone!

    GInny: For sure, the bees seem totally pre-occupied and let you get pretty close, as long as they don't feel threatened, they are pretty docile.

    Daniel: Thanks...that's my fave too!

    Danger: Ouch...sorry about the bite, now I'll be extra careful around them...I didn't realize they bit people...sheesh. Yeah, the slugs are emerging now that we've had rain and it's cooler. I always forget about them during the summer, but every day now, I'm seeing plants that have been "swiss cheesed" :-(

    Benjamin: You should do an Aster post...I always forget just how much I love them until they bloom...then they are spectacular (and the rich, cool colors are a welcome contrast from the typical colors of the season). I'm pretty happy those flowers (coneflower, rudbeckia, etc) bloom for so long and continue as late as they do...they'll be going until cut down by frost (probably around Thanksgiving.)

    Les: Same here, which the summer garden is always abuzz, this is the prime season around here...it really does make it seem like a last hurrah!

    Grace: Me too! Oh well...I'll have to do a little more research...thanks for ID'ing that Crane Fly! I really need to brush up on the local insects.

    Kris: I've never seen Phoebes before...they sound entertaining! Looking forward to the Yellow Jacket post!

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