Hack, your Anole "series" is wonderful, very crisp and beautiful color!
Kim, I love your nest boxes! They look like pretty little houses. Do you have problems with fighting over over them?
We had temps down to 48° last night...great sleeping weather!
Critters Big and Small Vol. 12
Oh boy, I have been reading and enjoying all of the photos since I was here last!
Nanny, It is so cute to see those fawns with Mom. What a wonderful experience to have and share.
Kim, Fantastic mantis captures! They are so hard to spot - especially in nature and even in your photos. I don't know how you find them. Had to laugh at Sunkissed's comment about Where's Waldo. So true! The view with the mating damsels is so nice. The "damsel on Impatiens" image is lovely - wonderful colors! How cool to see that swan and the interaction with the ducks is a bonus. Cute nest boxes. Hope you get some takers.
Sunkissed, That is an adorable little wren! Very awesome that you caught that anole with the dewlap extended. And that was an absolutely precious photo of your Trick or Treaters.
Hack, Glad that skink stopped long enough for you to get a shot. It is quite sleek with that racing stripe. ^_^ It is amazing how camouflaged that skipper is. The image of the anole with your new camera/lens combo is fantastic!
n.a.n., Cool looking bug and beautiful flower! Thanks for the ID and info.
Burn, That moth is interesting. The orange bits and the shape remind me of some of the skipper butterflies. What a gorgeous dragon and fantastic photo. The even-colored and even-textured rock in the background really shows off the dragonfly.
Patti said
Quoting:
Patti, I've a flowering Jatropa shrub. And for the past couple of years they (mantis) have taken a liking to deposit their eggs on the Jatropa branch. I missed finding them when the larvae first hatched. But one or two of the buggers made it through the growing season. And they recycled their pattern. By that I meant they make more offsprings. I've an advantage in that the Jatropa shrub is a tropical plant, so I've to keep it in container culture and overwintered them indoor every winter. So when the plant is returned to its position outdoor under the sun. I can most often find one or two mantises on the plant. Speaking of Mantises' eggs. I've been watching the two females mantises, and as I discovered, the ones that look more slender, and camouflage in brown- forms....are actually the males. As the story continues ...
...mantis ... hard to spot- especially in nature ... I don't know how you find them.
Fascinating, Kim! Look forward to more of the Mantis saga.
1. Young male Praying Mantis hiding in the Jatropa plant. These mantises appeared to be territorial, they singled out a plant and pretty much stay there all through the growing season.
2. Here, if you look closely the green female Mantis is seen on her favorite plant, the brugmansia. Also, I've noticed she looked very pregnant lately....but not today! She looks "skinnier". ^_^
3. By Golly! I found a newly formed eggs-mass on the brug. this year. See what I meant by "she likes the plant" ? It's her domain!
4. Even though she has laid her eggs. She remains closely by the site as if to guard her eggs.
Patti, you're Very Welcome! I naturally assumed those bugs would eat holes in all my plants. It was a surprise and a thrill to learn they were "good guys"! They're still around, too. They seem to really like my Gaillardia.
Kim, very interesting info about the Mantids and a wonderful series of pics (love those Brugs)! I once knew a lady that had a Mantis in her living room all Winter. It lived on her curtains and continued to grow so it must have found enough food. She checked on it every morning to see if it was still there. The following Spring she put it outside in her garden.
n.a.n. Thanks. I'm glad you've enjoyed the photos. Here goes, more pics. of the female Mantis staying close to her nest on pic. #1 and #2. This is the 1st time that I found one that has chosen the brugmansia to make it home. #3 & #5 are Monarch caterpillars on their hostplant the Milkweed. #4 is a crab spider that decided the plumeria flowers is a spendid place to "call" home. The spider is seen here for days. Just like the Mantis, it has made this its chosen territory.
This thread is kinda' long and old so I started a new one.
For Wildlife Critters, Big and Small - #13
Go to http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1368386/
Hack
This message was edited Jul 13, 2014 9:19 PM