pollination fixation

Because I pass by the back garden every day on my way to the barn, I can't help but notice the flurry of activity.  It is covered in pollinators right now.  

I was excited to spot this Snowberry Clearwing moth (in the hummingbird moth family) today.

They are so named for the rapidity with which their wings move, just like hummingbirds, and they also share their ability to hover in midair to feed.  They are really delightful visitors!

Someone less welcomed...but still visually appealing...is the Japanese beetle.  I wasn't too hard-hit by these this year.  It seems like they were around for a week and then gone.  These are the first I've seen in quite a while.

Hello, grasshopper!

Of course, we always have lots of skippers...

...and butterflies!

Butterfly wings are covered with the tiniest scales. It's pretty amazing when you study it closely!

I decided to do some work in the garden recently.  We've had a lot of rain, and the weather has cooled.  We're having mulch spread in a week, so I needed to weed around my plants to make sure that nothing is accidentally covered up.

EVERYTHING is smothered in weeds.

If you don't see a flower, you're probably looking at weeds.

I weeded, laid down cardboard, and covered non-flower areas in mulch.  This is before we decided to hire out the mulch portion of the job!  :)

When Claudia wasn't fussing to get into my lap, she napped in the shade provided by the extra cardboard.

So.  Many.  Flowers.

Sure, most are zinnias, a few sunflowers, and huge swatches of cosmos that are just getting ready to bloom...but I don't care.  There are so many different varieties!

I'm cautiously optimistic about collecting seeds this year.  My little plants have rebounded quite a bit, and although a bit short, the flowers are wonderful!  Another surprise...I did not expect any vegetables this year.  I didn't do any preventative insect work, I didn't provide structure, and I let them grow in weeds.  Yet...

Watermelons and tomatoes and pumpkins, oh my!  I've also been collecting the first of the zucchini and cucumbers.  I've never grown more than cherry tomatoes, a few split radishes, and bolted lettuce in the past, so this is pretty exciting.  As usual, I have big plans for more vegetables and a tidier presentation next year!  Two words:  squash arch.

 

Photo Credit:  animalnatlife.com

Squee!!  

Have a great week!