Author: Betty Hall

4th generation Cecropia moth

I’m happy to report that a 4th generation of the 2012 Cecropia moth has arrived. I had an early morning call from my friend, Jannine Baker, who was surprised and delighted to find that her first Cecropia moth had emerged. This moth is the equivalent of the great-grandaughter of the original moth found by my friend, Amanda, in 2012. My thanks to Jannine for sharing her photograph.

Jannine's cecropia 5-15

Last year, several folks reported 3rd generation Cecropias emerging from the first week of May through early June. I will be watching my Cecropia cocoons, and encourage others who have cocoons to do the same.

16 new neighborhood trees!

I’m delighted that we now have 16 new trees (10 different species) in our small neighborhood. These were all bare-root trees ordered and delivered by arborist Stacy Borden (The Tree Man). Bare-root trees generally cost less, are easy to plant, and grow quickly. This was the scene as neighbors gathered and Stacy began his 30-minute planting demonstration.

Digging the hole
Stacy’s demonstration begins with digging the hole

The following photos are a summary of Stacy’s demonstration. Continue reading “16 new neighborhood trees!”

Early blooms and buds

I’m having great fun checking the backyard for spring flowers. The blooms and buds are small and there aren’t many of them. However it’s quite obvious that spring is springing!  Here’s a sampling of what I’ve found so far.

Collage of early spring flowers in our backyard

The buds are beautiful on their own, and I enjoy watching them open into blooms. I’m delighted to watch the ‘plant parade’ once again, and I hope you’re enjoying some signs of spring also.

P.S. I’ve recently created photo galleries of pollinators and moths on my website, and added new images to other galleries. I’d be glad for you to check them out.

Red maple flowers

I’m convinced spring has arrived. Spring peepers are peeping, and red maple trees (Acer rubrum) are blooming.

I’ve enjoyed the subtle color of maple flowers for years, and I’ve recently discovered how intricate and beautiful they are. I often see the small blossoms high overhead or from a distance, and they’re easy to overlook. These are male flowers as seen from the ground.

Red maple male flowers

Continue reading “Red maple flowers”