Celebrating the ordinary
My friend, Amanda Cawby, noticed something unusual in the road one night. Not sure what it was but afraid it would be run over, she stopped to pick it up. To her surprise, it was a Cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia), another of our large silkworm moths. Cecropicas typically have a wingspan of 4-6 inches.
In mid-May, my friend Connie May brought me a tiny yellow-and-black caterpillar to raise. For four weeks it ate tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) leaves and grew to be two inches long.
I especially liked its yellow “booties” and red spikes. Continue reading “Promethea moth”
Royal catchfly (Silene regia) is another native perennial that has done well in spite of our prolonged hot, dry weather. It’s been blooming for over a month and continues to provide a much-appreciated bright spot in the backyard. It’s especially striking when backlit by the morning sun.
Continue reading “Royal catchfly – another drought-resistant native”
Goodness, it’s hot and dry. It is a challenging time for plants, wildlife, and gardeners. I previously blogged about why purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) are one of my favorite perennials. They’re now proving to be one of my most drought-resistant plants and attracting the most visitors, including this orange sulphur butterfly (Colias eurytheme).
