At first glance, I thought this was a dried up, spider slurped husk of a butterfly, because I could not see any abdomen. Then, when I leaned in a little closer, the "dead" gulf frittilary butterfly rose up and flew over to ...
... a passion flower vine where the spiky orange Gulf Fritillary caterpillars were busy munching away. These passion flowers are really over the top.
They look like some alien beast to me ... probably a result of too much Star Trek as a youth.
Hah! As If you could EVER have too much Star Trek ... well, not that new stuff, but the Kirk era.
Am I off topic?
Thought so.
Just to the right of the mangle of passionflower vines and grape vines, a Golden Orb Weaver (Nanner Spider) was having a great day netting careless butterflies.
So much drama in a roadside clump of vines.
So many clumps ... so little time.
16 comments:
Thanks again, FC!
Never to much Star Trek!!!
Scott
Love those passion flowers :) I personally can never look at a pepperoni pizza without being reminded of the Horta :)
That Passion Flower is beautiful..and native..
www.wildlifearoundus.blogspot.com
My passion flower was doing beautifully in a pot, but after potting it in the ground it died. Now it is just a brown crispy critter. That's a first! Usually it is drying out in the pot that kills them!
Do you ever enter photo contests? Nature's Best Magazine is having one for backyard photographers and I think some of your shots would be good entries. Here's the link, in case you're interested:
http://www.naturesbestphotography.com/contest2/entry_1.php?cid=114
FC,
So many clumps..so little time"
I'm still laughing.
Patti
WV: vomenat
Vere's that vomenat? I needa drink!
The passion flower is awesome, I like the way it looks!!:) The spiders I can do without! Never was a spider person!
Aaahhhhh, so many of my favourite things in one post. Looks like the spider is having a good eats kinda day.
A vine is a veritable smorgasbord... orgasbord... orgasbord...
I love her web design! Very cool.
I can smell the passionflowers from here. Memories of my grandmother's house. Beautiful photos except the spider. I don't like those giant things especially when they are across a riding trail!
That passion flower is nothing shy of awesome!
Also thanks for the gratuitous spider photo! ;-)
FC,
The passion flower was awesome. Then you ruined it with a gross spider. I had a spider catching butterflies in my yard. Now he isn't, enough said. I still owe you those bamboo pictures. Too much football and gardening last week to get around to it. I will send them out this week. My photography will pale in comparison to yours.
Thanks for the flower and butterfly pictures.
Billy
The spider is quite the collector- two different species in the web (Gulkf Frit and Viceroy).
Anon,
You are welcome!
Liz,
Totally! Never too much Trekness!
Sharon,
Poor misunderstood Hortas.
LOL! Live long and prosper.
Carol,
You betcha! Just a roadside weed!
Nfmgirl,
Watch for hanging fruits on fencelines, They will be full of seeds.
Wren,
Thanks! I haven't but I freelance a few.
Patti,
heehee, Now I'm laughing. Great word verification pun!
Lisa,
Spiders at the end of a ten foot pole = just about right.
Sophie,
Charlottes Web!
Dani,
You think she knows HTML?
Cathy S,
Their days are numbered as summer wanes. Soon I can run with Bear without dodging 6 inch long spiders!!
ThunderD,
Hey thanks, the flower did the awesome part! You should plant some of these along your fence!
Billy,
Looking forward to it! Beauty and the beast above.
Doug,
She needs a black light.
We started Gulf Fritillaries in our classroom last Tuesday. By this morning, two were making their chrysalises, and eggs were hatching teeny caterpillars. The kids are so excited and I, who have done this for years, am excited too.
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