Along with the rainbow came thunder which Luna doesn't like. Her tail went down and she gave us strict instructions to head for the truck.
It didn't rain enough to dampen the day. We sat out on the patio for some time. The mock orange is in full bloom and it's sweet scent seems so soothing. It makes you feel cooler. I just wish it would bloom all summer.
When the sun comes around to the patio I head for the Casa. For when the sun comes out so do the bugs. It seems like it is going to be a buggy year. The mild winter and warm spring is inviting to the bugs of the world. Luckily we have had only a few days of those horrid bity bugs that plagued us last year after the flood.
Speaking of bugs. As we were trimming the shrubs out front this winter I found several Praying Mantis egg cases. I stuck them into the window box outside my window. I was hoping to watch them open as I had never seen this happen.
Sure enough, the other day I looked out and thought that a bunch of cotton wood tree fuzz was captured on one end of the sticks in the window box. Not many cotton woods close to my home. Then I looked a little closer.
The little buggers were hatching out. There must have been thousands of them.
It was amazing to watch these little beasts emerging from their capsule. It didn't take them long to shimmy up a stem to observe their new world. I tried to turn a stem so my DB could take better pictures but they would just fall to the ground in self defense.
It was amazing to watch these tiny, perhaps half inch long, bugs starting life. They were stalking one another just a few minutes out of the case. Ain't nature grand?
I hope you all are able to get out into the garden and surrounds to enjoy some of nature's miracles.
How I would love to smell the fragrance of your mock orange. Such a pretty, old fashioned beauty, and still one of nature's miracles, along with rainbows!
ReplyDeleteLaurrie, The mock orange is one of natures miracles. It shines bright in the early morning and late afternoon light too. It brings so much to the garden.
ReplyDeleteOh wow.. How cool you didn't miss it after all that. So many..How long do they live? Are they friend or foe to the plants? Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteAmazing! I must watch for mantis eggs in my garden.
ReplyDeleteSuch beauty where you are Lisa. Love the bow and your dog is a beaut too!
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa,
ReplyDeleteIs constant rain one of nature's miracles :)
Lovely Luna....she is a darling.
Ooooh the mantis are wonderful, I am humbled. How amazing to see so many of the little creatures.
Wonderful post, lovely to see your bugs, especially when there are none here.
How wonderful to be able to see these little creatures hatch! I love praying mantises, and every spring I look for egg cases, but I've yet to find one. Maybe I should put on my glasses:)
ReplyDeletePoor Luna; Sophie would be right there with her heading for the truck. We did get some of that much-needed rain last week, but most of it seems to have gone north of us. There were flash floods just an hour north of us the other day.
How interesting that you got to see the hatching! We don't have praying mantis up here but they do down in southern B.C. I know.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the rainbow, Lisa. First one I've seen in a long time. And, your mock orange is a beauty. I bought one in Connecticut, but its fragrance was paltry. Yours sounds like the real deal. Sweet.
ReplyDeleteNice post must have been great to watch, Mike.
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome! We've had good rains this week and it has done wonders for the garden . I hope you can get some soon.
ReplyDeletehow lucky to have caught those bugs hatching at that moment. What an interesting sight to see.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if these are the little bugs I keep seeing fluttering around in the yard. I too thought they may be from the cotton wood trees. Ha.... I hate the knats, mosquitoes and biting flies the worse. The bugs are so bad this year that I must put on bug spray before I enter the yard or I am sure to get a bite. Ouch... Spiders are worse then I have ever noticed in the 10 years we have been here...
ReplyDeleteThat mock orange is incredible. Your pup is looking well!
ReplyDeleteSomehow a rainbow and Luna fit together very nicely! So pretty, the both of them. Didn't you find egg cases last year too?
ReplyDeleteThose praying mantis' are so awesome...glad you got the watch!!!
ReplyDeleteLove your Mock Orange! Not so sure I have ever seen one.
Dear Lisa,
ReplyDeleteRainbows and baby mantis! Gifts from the universe.How wonderful you were able to see the babies emerge from the egg case!
I can smell the mock orange all the way to my window...
I use lavender oil to keep the biters off
when I weed. We also have lots of bugs!
Fun post.
Sherry
Lisa, that was so cool I had to show it to Bear. She doesn't like beasties though so she wasn't as impressed as I. Oh well. I think I need a mock orange, and I can't wait to see you too my dear friend. Next week!~~Dee
ReplyDeleteOh WOW... praying mantis hatchlings! How totally cool! I'm so glad that you got to see them--and share them with us. :-)
ReplyDeleteThese are fantastic! Are they butterflies?? How neat.
ReplyDeleteI'm loving looking at all that's blooming around your place. So pretty.
Mantis are awesome but fierce little creatures. I once hatched a case of them in my class. If you don't get them outside fast enough, they eat each other! How fun that you got to watch them meet the world. :o)
ReplyDeleteGreat Photos!
ReplyDeleteThey are such amazing insects! Always a blessing when you find them like that ;-)
Sounds amazing to see but I'm not a buggy person and thank goodness we don't see these up our way. Trimming over hanging ivy with spiders and other small critter dropping down on me has given me my small bug quota for the year – haha ;-)
ReplyDelete