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| Scanning for larvae among the thousands of potted plants.... |
An update from last week's post on the Black Swallowtail caterpillar that came with us to the Des Moines Farmers' Market on Saturday. I brought him home on a plant specially chosen for him. It was the largest 38 cell available at the time, and although it was a downgrade from the mature Zizia aurea from which I snagged him, I expected the plant would satisfy it for the entire market day. I was incorrect. By 9am the plant had been fully harvested, and the caterpillar was ready to move on to the next. Yes, he kept eating(and I thought I LOVED MY GREENS!). After the downtown show, it was moved safely back to the blooming prairie. Thanks little buddy... Here's another little guy. It's the same species of butterfly at a smaller larval stage!
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| Not quite as cute in this recently hatched stage as the more matured larva, but still, it's a keeper! I found a large hatching of Black Swallowtail caterpillars on the youngest of the Zizia aurea. WHAT A DAY! |
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Now for more fungal life
Mutinus elegans
the
Elegant Stinkhorn
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Will your little buddy be with you at the Farmer's Market again? He sure was a fat little thing and now I see why. I enjoy your blog very much. Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteI read this blog entry a couple of days ago and was out in my garden early this morning pulling some weeds. I wondered what the fly was buzzing about and after I shooed him away, what did I see but an Elegant Stinkhorn. I would have never known what it was, but for your photo and explanation. Tell us more about your marvelous prairie!
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