“Between a Rock and a Hardscape”

ESPatch May 28, 2012 8 comments

Just when I thought this Nierembergia had as many flowers on it possible, it produced even more,

at the base of my sotol beanstalk.

A quick update on that beanstalk:

The top of it is now filling up with small flowers to be, and it is packed in there.

Sotols bloom once every few years and can do so multiple times during its lifespan. (Unlike Agaves it does not die after it has bloomed). Also in contrast to Agaves and yuccas, lots of different insects pollinate sotol flowers, yucca are pollinated only by a moth

Tegeticula maculata

and agaves mostly by bats:

http://www.jointheevolution.ca/blog/2010/04/19/sharing-agave-nectar-with-those-who-really-need-it-why-you-wouldn%E2%80%99t-have-agaves-without-bats/

One lone bug,

on one lone Madam Ganna Walska flower in my feeder tank.

Staying with bugs for a moment, a couple of new ones were caught on camera this week in the Patch:

Coming in at the two inch mark and sporting a fine pair of fake eyes and some spray-painted coloration I give you the Click Beetle,

Alaus oculatus

As the name suggests these beetles “click” as a defensive mechanism. When threatened the beetle bends its head and prothorax backward then quickly straightens out with an audible click, launching the creature several inches into the air, though as you see, mine did not get very high at all. I won’t go into exactly how it does this for fear of boring you all to death but I will say this; it does involve prosternums and mesosternums…snort.

The next bug was very shy,

always maneuvering itself to the opposite side of the stem from the camera. I finally tricked it by coming at it with a stick from the opposite side with my camera lying in wait.

Even then, it did not venture all the way around after seeing through my rouse with the most amazing planetoid eyes. This is a Fishfly which belongs to the Alderfly and Dobsonfly group of winged insects. It has most likely been feeding on the tadpoles and baby fish in my pond. Fishfly adults are a challenge to find because they are only around for a few weeks each year.

The rather flamboyant B/Lady has recently started adopting a bug of her own…as a Bob “beauty-spot”.

Moving along:

I have had a few more rock procurement trips this week with no further bog-encounters.

Some of these rocks have interesting features, this one may have a future life as a bubble-fountain.

as may this asteroid.

“There is absolutely no reason for public concern“

Remember this:

Now Kumo…it appears we are all slowly turning into Mexican feather grasses.

“Mulder, Scully – you may want to take a look at this”.

Finally:

Palm grasses are getting ever larger.

Evergreen wisteria is developing the first blooms of the year, you can see where I am going with the brickwork, it will continue under the bench and it will be sunken flush with the DG.

Mmm…smells like Grandmas old cashmere scarf…and I like it.

The appropriately named (size and markings) Tiger Swallowtail,

Papilio glaucas

this is a male on a stand of Buttonbush.

Cephalanthus occidentalis

This is one Hell-Raisingly unusual plant that is actually in the coffee family.

Stay Tuned for:

“Oops! I did it again”

All material © 2012 for eastsidepatch. Unauthorized
intergalactic reproduction strictly prohibited, and
punishable by late (and extremely unpleasant)
14th century planet Earth techniques.

Bizarre image of the week:

Brrr…(wakes up screaming in a cold sweat).

“Jack and the Sotolstalk”

ESPatch May 22, 2012 7 comments

You would not want to loose your footing and slip off this particular beanstalk.

It is also very high, (as beanstalks have a tendency to be after all).

The line down into the adjacent Buddha’s belly bamboo I assume is Naboo in origin. I theorize that the spike is currently being adopted as a high look out / communications tower with neighboring tribes across the street.

“Ach, thats mere like it ESP…Like ah’ teld ye last week…twice the length of a mun, nuthin’ mere nuthin’ less, a spear has tae be twice the leng…“

Haud yer Whisht William!

To climb up this beanstalk takes not only nerves of steel (and a hankering for insects) but also toes that have specially adapted adhesive pads, or…

‘lamellae’

…snort.

Ghecko Foot: Photo by Matt Reinbold

This “super grip” on anoles and geckos is created in the form of an attraction between the molecules of the lamellae and the climbing surface. (Pushes glasses excitedly up on nose bridge)

Stealing the golden egg and circumnavigating down the sotol stalk still proved to be a bit of a struggle for this anole though..

…don’t swallow it, DON’T SWA…

Moving sketchily along…

I said, MOVING ALONG!

Meet my new/old work steed (it has a rather menacing growl)…which will marry nicely with the wayward look of a poorly tied iced-turban along with a parched expression at a stop-light come the summer.

My steed’s menacing growl is apparently much better than its gum-lined bite, especially when trying to gain traction in mud. This is what happened to me on a recent country rock procurement trip.

Note to self: Even a 4-wheel drive is no match for a bog.

Oh don’t you even start!

I ended up getting pulled out of here with a tractor!

The same trip would have been a complete disaster if this chap, lurking under one of the limestone boulders had been a little more awake. This was one very plump ‘striped bark’ scorpion, and that looked like one serious stinger.

Centruroides vittatus

This is the most commonly seen scorpion and the only one found throughout the entire state of Texas.

Scorpions are arachnids but are a little special in that they are viviparous – they give birth to live young (usually about 30 or so) instead of laying eggs. This one groggily disappeared down this crack, I am sure I will come across it again, but it is the rattlers that I am really looking and listening out for.

Oh yes, I almost forgot to mention,

my new/old steed came with some rather classy aftermarket accessories.

If you catch my drift, ahem.

I pruned those two mist flowers (to the right of the stock tank) only a few weeks ago, they are already waist-high again. Feather grasses are almost ready for their bi-annual hair teasing, time to get out the cape once again: https://www.eastsidepatch.com/2010/05/knotty-dreads/

Hoja Santa is also on the rise, as are:

multiple stands of celosia, (there is no sticker, there is no sticker, there is n…aaargh!)

and verbena, which is currently popping up everywhere in my decomposed granite pathways…

…it is one of Lord Kumos favorite colored mattresses after he has had a few cocktails on the feather grasses.

This ‘always thirsty’ hydrangea, (yes I said hydrangea), is doing very well after the rains,

very interesting foliage and bloom structure.

I have mixed feelings about Duranta ‘shappire showers’, the blooms, yes…

but the aggressive foliage requires constant, (vitex equivalent) pruning to keep it in check.I am considering stopping pruning this one just to see how huge it will get.

Like the classic salmon fly that bears the same name and coloration,

Dusty Miller provides a great contrast of silver and gold when it is blooming.

Another more prolific bloomer is

Nierembergia hippomanica violacea

or if that proves hard to remember, cupflower (named for the cupped form of the blooms.)

It blooms like this sporadically through the summer and prolifically after a drop of the wet stuff.

Finally:

Burgundy canna lily, gopher plant and whales tongue agave.

Stay Tuned for:

“Between a Rock and a Hardscape”

All material © 2012 for eastsidepatch. Unauthorized
intergalactic reproduction strictly prohibited, and
punishable by late (and extremely unpleasant)
14th century planet Earth techniques.

Green Thumbs Up for Kids:

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