Got my Geek on

After dousing myself with mosquito repellent, I ventured out into the garden to see what I could find.  The goldenrod (solidago) is positively swarming with pollinators right now - bees, wasps, flies and probably a few other things.  This little guy caught my eye though because I don't see a lot of the feather-legged fly species here.  As you can clearly see from this photo, he's aptly named having big hairy back legs.

While I have recorded two other species of feather legged flies in my garden, this is the first Trichopoda plumipes I've seen.  He's a bit of a wasp mimic which probably protects him from predators.  He is also a parasitic species with females laying their eggs in stink/shield bug species.  


I also found something I'd been fearing - several monarch wings under the buddleia bush.  I carefully inspected the bush and finally found the culprit - a huge Chinese Praying Mantis.  Unfortunately, I was unable to capture her before she dropped down into the thickest part of the shrub.  I'm not entirely sure what I would have done with her but I'd like to think I would have moved her someplace else.  They are usually found on flowers at this time of year, patiently waiting for bees or butterflies to stray within their reach.  And while I like mantids, these are not native and they can demolish a lot of bees and butterflies.  I'll be keeping an eye out.


Thanks for all the kind words about Claire.  I guess I'm feeling a bit more settled with it now although I Still really regret not having been able to say goodbye.  


SIL is coming over for dinner tonight - I'm making turkey meatloaf with ricotta (which makes it very moist) along with roasted potatoes and green beans.  


And tomorrow Hubs and I are scheduled to be jabbed with a third dose of Pfizer through the care facility where MIL lives.  There has been so much confusion about the boosters but the state of NJ has approved them for residents of care facilities as well as paid (and unpaid) healthcare workers and caretakers.  And anyone 65 and over (me) is also eligible now.  So off we will go.


Dark with nuts today.


xo
Debbi