Swallowtail laying eggs

Sunny-- I see the skipper above a lot. What kind is it?

Hi Snuzer,

I believe it is the Common Sooty Skipper.

~Sunny

Yes, I think that's what they are too. I have them too. They're not very fancy but I love them anyways.

Fancy Shmancy, who cares? They are pretty and different.
Nice shot KB
Andy P

great shots everyone ;-)

I used to think that a lot of Skippers were moths too. I think most people probably do.

This is one of my favorite little moths. I don't think I've ever found what kind it is tho. I just love it because it's pink!

I wanted to add that I took this shot using the macro with one hand while holding my camera with my left hand. (I'm right handed) lol

This message was edited Sep 23, 2006 10:31 PM

Awww that's a sweet one Paige! I see what you mean. I love that pink!!

I could use your advice with something too..Here's the thread I started last night. I don't want to mess this one up.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/f/bbb/all/
Debnes

Ohhh, it's so cute! How in the world did you ever happen to SEE that moth Paige?

~Sunny

Once you start noticing butterflies and moths you start noticing every little creature. Your eye just starts to pick up on them. I notice tiny little bees and flies, butterfly eggs, tiny spiders etc. etc. (And I'm nearsighted with contacts that won't stay in place! lol) I see a lot of these little pink moths and I suspect they come from these little worms on my red salvias. Wouldn't that make sense? Red salvia = pink moth. :)

One of the first things I started noticing several years ago were shadows of butterflies! When one would pass over me and even in the car I saw it and started looking for the butterfly. This time of year is when the Monarchs are all over and I have a hard time driving because I want to watch them or dodge them!

KK, you are so right about your eyes picking up on more and smaller bugs as time goes by.
I started last Summer with butterflies, dragonflies and bees. Then I noticed ever smaller, more interesting bugs.
For 3 days now I've noticed a little one on a stem that moves around the stem as I move. It's frustrating when your subject is camera shy, lol. I faked it out this morning by moving my hand to one side and shooting with one hand on the other side. I don't think my shota are very good but....
Andy P

Here is the little critter. I cropped out my hand.
Anyone know what it is? It flies.
Andy P

It's a glassy-winged sharpshooter. I knew what you were talking about when you said it would run to the other side. I have them on a few things too. Supposedly they are "bad" bugs but I've never seen any damage from them.

Non-gardeners always ask me "how did you see that?" when I point things out to them. It's just that your eye becomes trained to see them.

I relate Paige... I have fuzzier vision than ever, (mostly close up, i'm farsighted), but I can spot a hummer 50 yards away.. Same with little buggies. And I can spot bugs and hummers close up too, but don't torture me with fine print, lol. I got a good digital camera about the time all that started happening... now to see something better I take a picture of it...lol.

I have those sharpshooters too, and it sems noticable on my hibiscus that branches they get to stay on for very long tend to have a seed pod go brown before forming a pod.((??)) Could that make any sense? When I see them I brush them off is all I have done, and no major dammage.

Debnes

Gheeeeze I had to look it up...
glassy-winged sharpshooter

A leafhopper with a mottled-brown body about 1⁄2 inch long and grayish translucent, red-veined wings. As with all insects in this family, they feed on plant juices and often transmit diseases between plants via their mouths. The voracious glassy-winged sharpshooter daily consumes about 100 times its body weight in plant material, which makes it particularly destructive. This insect is responsible for the potentially apocalyptic spread of pierce's disease throughout California's vineyards.

This message was edited Sep 24, 2006 11:35 AM

That name is too long for a file name, lol. I'll have to come up with a common name, know one?
Next time I see one, I'll squish it.
I learn something new all the time around here, thanks KKB.
Andy P

Some kind hearted soul set up a file for this bug in BugFiles. There is now a pic to go along with it.
Thanks again, KKB
Andy P

I have to agree with ya'll - now when I'm in the yard I look like the exorcist chick - my head is on a swivel with every flutter I catch out of the corner of my eye. It's plumb incredible what all is going on in the outdoors when you stop to take a real look.

Today I was chasing hummers and found a place to lie down under the feeder - and learned that lots of tiny things visit the feeder in addition to the hummers :) I also saw dragonflies, and a Red Spotted Purple almost landed on me. She later came back to pose :) It almost looks fake she got so flat on the deck railing. But I got another one a few moments later with her upright.

I'll post under-hummer-tummy pics later, gotta run right now.

~Sunny

Hmmm, trying this again. I made three posts earlier in different places, none of which showed up. Then I couldn't view the photos in other people's posts :/ Spazzy puter I guess.

Here are two of the under-hummer pics (at least I hope they show up!) that I promised earlier.

~Sunny

Under-hummer 2

And just not to let hummers overrun a butterfly thread, two of visitors today. The deck was quite a happenin' place this afternoon :)

~Sunny

Red Spotted Purple (so flat it looks fake - I DO have an upright photo too though...LOL)

And an as-yet-no-ID (kinda resembles an Empress Leila...but they aren't known in this area)

~Sunny

Very cute hummer pics Sunny:o)

Those bflies like your deck railing, like a catwalk lol..(modeling bflies)

That must have been fun!!

Deb

LOL...since my cat walks up there a lot, I guess you *could* call it a cat walk... (grin)

Thanks for the feedback,

~Sunny