I believe the pair are skippers. Some look like they have four wings, but they don't. Your insect shots are great, especially the mantis. So sad that the bees are dwindling. I hope someone finds a fix for colony collapse. I got a chuckle abut your childhood earnings! Sounds like a fun way to make some change.
We've seen a few praying mantises, but I suspect there are more than I've seen. At least I hope so. I am bad at identifying what I see in the yard, but I think your photos are great and I enjoy seeing your butterflies. Stay cool and have a great day!
Love that praying mantis. The cone flowers are magnificent. Really great shots of them. I never got paid for anything when I was young but my brother used to earn Nichols by rubbing Daddy's neck while we were driving.
I, too, have loads of bumble bees, but no honey bees. Of course, the tenant farmer of the field next to me liberally sprays his field with Roundup. When confronted, he told me not to worry - it "goes away". There is no "away". I digress. When I was a child, I had a praying mantis nest in a jar. It hatched millions (or so it seemed) of tiny baby mantis' and I let them loose in our garden. I've never forgotten it.
I don't know the name. We have lots of honey bees around here now that my son has become a beekeeper. He keeps going out and rescuing hives that other people want gone!
Your photos are amazing. I never knew the name of those Pearl Crescent Butterflies. We always just called them the fast little butterflies. You got pictures of them. Really nice Gail.
I've been wanting to plant flowers that bees love but I'm having a time finding any that have not been treated with toxic chemicals. And then I wonder if it's a good idea to attract them when others in the neighborhood have flowers that are treated with chemicals. When did planting bee-friendly flowers become such a struggle? Your pictures are fantastic!
it worries me that honey bees are even rare where YOU live. Sheesh. Not good.
August 9, 2016 at 7:31 PM
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While watching the Praying Mantis
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She spied me!
These are wonderful insects to have in your garden. As a child I got a nickel for finding one of these and relocating it in our garden. Lady Bugs, the real ones, were a penny apiece. I also earned money by removing potato beetles. The Adult was worth a nickel and the young were a penny apiece. I became rich!
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I am glad to see any pollinators but the honey bees have become a rarity.
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The Cone Flower/Echinacea is now growing its second round of blooms while the others prepare to seed.
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A pair of Pearl Crescent Butterflies, I think, dine together.
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Sometimes I have trouble identifying them, Alex.
If someone knows the right name. please, let me know.
18 Comments
Close this window Jump to comment formGreat photos . . .
Preying Mantis and pollinators . . .
August 1, 2016 at 10:07 PM
I believe the pair are skippers. Some look like they have four wings, but they don't. Your insect shots are great, especially the mantis. So sad that the bees are dwindling. I hope someone finds a fix for colony collapse. I got a chuckle abut your childhood earnings! Sounds like a fun way to make some change.
August 1, 2016 at 11:15 PM
It's ages since I've seen a Praying Mantis...but then again, I've not gone looking, either.
August 2, 2016 at 12:24 AM
We'll just call them bugs.
We've had a few praying mantises, but not many over the years.
August 2, 2016 at 6:31 AM
neat way to make money. :) i think those are a type of skipper, but don't know what type.
August 2, 2016 at 6:39 AM
We've seen a few praying mantises, but I suspect there are more than I've seen. At least I hope so.
I am bad at identifying what I see in the yard, but I think your photos are great and I enjoy seeing your butterflies.
Stay cool and have a great day!
August 2, 2016 at 7:14 AM
I love the coneflowers, my butterflies love them too. Cool sighting of the praying mantis. Cute story and post. Happy Tuesday, enjoy your day!
August 2, 2016 at 7:31 AM
Love that praying mantis. The cone flowers are magnificent. Really great shots of them. I never got paid for anything when I was young but my brother used to earn Nichols by rubbing Daddy's neck while we were driving.
August 2, 2016 at 7:58 AM
Really nice shots! No Manti around here :-{ , but I used to play with them in the Toronto area when I was a kid.
August 2, 2016 at 8:35 AM
I, too, have loads of bumble bees, but no honey bees. Of course, the tenant farmer of the field next to me liberally sprays his field with Roundup. When confronted, he told me not to worry - it "goes away". There is no "away". I digress. When I was a child, I had a praying mantis nest in a jar. It hatched millions (or so it seemed) of tiny baby mantis' and I let them loose in our garden. I've never forgotten it.
August 2, 2016 at 9:53 AM
I don't know the name. We have lots of honey bees around here now that my son has become a beekeeper. He keeps going out and rescuing hives that other people want gone!
August 2, 2016 at 10:37 AM
Your photos are amazing. I never knew the name of those Pearl Crescent Butterflies. We always just called them the fast little butterflies. You got pictures of them. Really nice Gail.
August 2, 2016 at 11:55 AM
Ha ha, I use to collect grasshoppers but it was 10 for a penny. You had a better employer.
Nice to see the back up pollinators doing their job.
August 2, 2016 at 2:50 PM
I've been wanting to plant flowers that bees love but I'm having a time finding any that have not been treated with toxic chemicals. And then I wonder if it's a good idea to attract them when others in the neighborhood have flowers that are treated with chemicals. When did planting bee-friendly flowers become such a struggle? Your pictures are fantastic!
August 2, 2016 at 5:57 PM
Such a wonderful post with lovely images. It is sad how much the honey bees have declined. Breaks my heart.
August 2, 2016 at 5:58 PM
cone flowers, so beautiful and a great attractor of many critters!!!
August 2, 2016 at 8:17 PM
Beautiful photos! You do such a lovely job of capturing nature for us. Coming here is always a treat!
August 6, 2016 at 11:53 AM
it worries me that honey bees are even rare where YOU live. Sheesh. Not good.
August 9, 2016 at 7:31 PM