#there were a few aphids on the leaves

[crevicedwelling]

I see at least one cool bug a day, and usually many more, but it’s not because I live anywhere particularly rich in strange, wonderful creatures (I live in an unremarkable corner of Pennsylvania, USA) or spend all of my free time looking for bugs (well, just *most* of it). in my experience, finding interesting bugs is less about actually locating them and more about looking closely at tiny things you’d otherwise ignore!

this very long post was compiled over a couple days in late July, although I spent less than 10 minutes at a time searching. there’s a lot of fun creatures just out in the open.

plants are always a good place to start when looking for bugs, and I chose this small fig tree (Ficus carica) with a mulberry sapling friend. feeding on the sap of the fig and mulberry is the first group I’ll take a look at, the planthoppers:

these two are flatid bugs, Metcalfa pruinosa and Flatormenis proxima. flatids are slow-moving bugs that can be approached closely, but once they get tired of circling around stems to avoid you they may launch themselves into a fluttering flight with spring-loaded rear legs.

Aplos simplex, a member of the related family Issidae, also likes fig sap. its “tail” is actually a tuft of waxy secretions, which get shed along with the bright colors when it assumes a lumpy, bean-shaped adult form.

cicadellids, or leafhoppers, are just about everywhere on plants, but can be hard to approach without scaring them.

Agallia constricta on the left is a tiny species that feeds on grass, but many were scared up onto the fig by my footsteps. Jikradia olitoria is a much larger species that does feed on the fig; juveniles like this are curled, creeping goblins while adults’ rounded wings give them a pill-shaped appearance.

this big, pale leafhopper belongs to genus Gyponana. it’s tricky to get to species ID with these.

Graphocephala are striking little hoppers that eat a variety of native and nonnative plants. G. coccinea is the larger, more boldly colored one and G. versuta is smaller but more common locally. they’ll sit on the tops of leaves but take flight if you get too close quickly.

another group you’re almost guaranteed to encounter are flies (Diptera). these are a very diverse group, so much more than houseflies and mosquitoes (though I did run into both)

where I live, any plant with broad leaves is almost guaranteed to have a few Condylostylus, long-legged flies that come in shades of blue, green, and red. despite their dainty physique, they’re agile predators, typically feeding on other small flies.

next, a few hoverflies: the ubiquitous Toxomerus geminatus and a Eumerus that I’ve been seeing a lot of this year (but maybe I’ve just noticed them for the first time). syrphids have varied life histories, but most adults drink nectar and many of the larvae are predaceous on aphids.

the metallic green soldier fly is Microchrysa flaviventris, nonnative here. Coenosia is a fun example of a “fly that looks like a fly,” with big red eyes and a gray body, and you might think they’re just another dung-sucking pest, but they’re actually aggressive predators! this one seemed to have nabbed itself some sort of nematoceran fly, maybe a fungus gnat.

many flies are very tiny, just millimeters long. the first two little fellows are lauxaniids, while the last one, an agromyzid leafminer Cerodontha dorsalis, burrows through grass leaves as a larva.

while moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera) are drawn to plants for their flowers or to lay eggs, many small moths can easily be found resting on or under leaves during the day.

these first two are tortricids, many of which are flat, rectangular moths resembling chips of bark or dead leaves. the apple bud moth, Platynota idaeusalis, feeds on a wide variety of hosts, while this beat-up old Argyrotaenia pinatubana would have developed in an edible tube nest of pine needles.

Callima argenticinctella feeds in bark and dead wood (a resource used by more caterpillars than you’d realize!) while the last moth, possibly an Aspilanta, is a leafminer.

although beetles (Coleoptera) are famous for their diversity, I didn’t find too many on the fig. the invasive Oriental beetle Exomala orientalis resting here can be found in a wide range of colors, from this common tan to to deep iridescent black. the other beetle is a Photinus pyralis firefly, sleeping under leaves as fireflies do.

a few spare hemipterans: a Kleidocerys resedae that blew in on a wind, and below, the mulberry whitefly Tetraleurodes mori feeds on its namesake host. as for Hymenoptera, I saw manny tiny parasitic braconid wasps and various ants attracted to the planthoppers’ honeydew excretions—always worth checking underneath roosting hoppers for things having a drink.

a couple handsome spider boys were scrambling through the fig seeking females, a jumping spider Paraphidippus aurantius and an orbweaver, Mecynogea lemniscata.

and to round it off, a young Conocephalus meadow katydid and a Carolina mantis, Stagmomantis carolina.

there’s 31 species of arthropod in this post, and I probably saw some 45, not all of which stayed for photos. if you walk slowly and look closely, you can see a sizeable chunk of your local biodiversity in under fifteen minutes! of course this will depend on where you live and what time of year it is, but there’s almost always more cool bugs out there than you’d expect, even on just a single plant.

[that-one-weeb-buts-its-the-main]

Ronin raising a baby left at the door-step| pt.1

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Reader: female - the baby

Notes: i live for this man and father daughter content, and also Part One <3

Warnings: Yelling, Baby Y/n throwin punches bc she dont take no shit 👊

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We're gonna go being left on the door step daughter father content here

Left at the doorstep of the leafmans barracks with a little tag that said "Commander of the Leafman army"

Some rookies found you, all bundled up in a hand woven basket.

So they take you to Ronin, whos probably already on his 40th cup of caffine that day

"Ronin!"

"Busy-"

"This is important."

He looks up at his soilders, and tells them to come in.

There they are. With you. No more than a month or two old asleep in the bundle of blankets.

"What? Sanchez finally had her baby? On Duty no less? That woman has to be strapped down for bed rest."

"No...sir. She was at the barracks entrence."

What? Huh?

Did he hear that right?

"By who?"

The soliders shrugged.

Ronin was quick to get up and the soilders handed him the baby.

"Basket had your title on it sir." One spoke, "Does that help identify the parents at all? You know anyone who was havin a baby sir?"

"Just Sanchez." Ronin answered, he too wanted to get to the bottom of this, "Find her and her wife, make sure there okay. Both of you go together."

And off they went, he sat down with you, a big yawn coming from you.

Truth be told he didn't know who this child was or who's it could be.

But he thought it was cute how you grabbed onto his finger, eyes big and gray, your color hadn't come in yet.

Yet he could assume you had been born with that ashy black color hair. You had a pretty decently full head of it after all.

And that's when he saw it.

A pendant around your neck, tucked away and hidden, in the blankets.

Wraithwood.

A product of two worlds colliding.

Then and there he knew he had to keep you safe.

You were innocent in this war and in this world.

The soldiers come back; tell him what he already knows; it's not Sanchez's, and Sanchez is standing guard, pregnant as ever.

"Let's bring her to the Orphanage," one recommended, "They'll know what to do,"

"No," Ronin ordered, "She was left here, for a reason,"

"But sir, she's a baby, no offense, sir, but can you handle a baby,"

"I handle you two, don't I?"

Leafmen that see him leaving are in shock; did him and Tara finally get together? Have a kid? Wait had him and Tara been together this whole time?

Yet despite there stares he holds you close and leaves with you home.

Nod's was home, he putting dishes away; he was always home before Ronin.

"Don't tell me you brought home a baby aphid when you told me no," Was the first thing Nod told him when he seen the blankets.

Nod was quiet shocked when he was shown the baby.

"Who's kid?"

"Orphaned, staying with us just for a little bit. Till we figure it out."

Oh what a lie.

You were staying forever.

Lets just say: the first few days? Shit the first day was stressful

What are they suppose to feed you?

You certainly don't eat ration packets- or quiet frankly....anything

For there luck the old lady next store was real tired of hearing it and knocked on the door.

Nod answers the door.

"Why is that child trying like she hasnt eaten in an hour?"

"She won't eat."

"Move aside."

Props to the old lady coming to the rescue and saving Ronin's ass

"Milk Lily's tend to be the norm, especially when my children were growing up, I'll give you a list of needs and some milk lillies from my own garden to start you off with- Where is your wife Ronin? She must be tired from the bundle of joy."

"There's no wife," Ronin informed, "Someone dropped her off at the barracks."

"Then I can call up my sister. She works at the orphanage. Will that help any?"

Ronin was silent, looking up at the old lady rocking the child, "Im keeping her."

"Well..." The old woman started, "she is certainly cute. I dont blame you... You'll need a few things"

Bam Baby list.

It's just the essentials, really, especially for the age.

The first weeks were really hard on Ronin

Like really hard, hes use to no sleep. But...damn...

They can find both of you sleeping when Ronin has downtime in his office

And sometimes the other soilders take you to play with you.

"She can't walk yet idiot!"

"It's called training for a reason!"

Ronin after weeks of having you: has yet to name you

People litterally just call you "baby"

That's until one day he's coming home with you in a sling one of the soldiers had shown him how to wrap, he's coming back from his Milk Lily farmers.

Nod's not home: as he's on night rounds covering Sanchez's shift- finally she had taken bed rest

So the window at the end of the hall being opened confused him

He called for Nod but got no answer.

So he set you in the basket of groceries: you know. For safekeeping as something sounds in the kitchen.

Before he can even round the corner and into the kitchen he's attacked from behind,

Arms wrapped around him to choke him, hoping to kill him easily and cheaply.

Yet Ronin kicks as he's dragged and manages to grab the dagger that sits on his belt besides his sword and stabs backward at anything physically possible

Into the shoulder and let go he turns to face the intruder

A boggin woman, "Where is it!?"

"I have no idea what the hell you're on about!"

Yet the crying in the background catches ear, and it's a race for the baby. The woman gets there first and gets through his front door.

"Fuck!" Ronin shouts quickly following grabbing his spare bow and arrows at the doorside.

With his skill it was a simple shot and down the woman went. He running to grab you as you cried.

"It's okay. It's okay..." Ronin cooed, "shh...my Y/n...shh."

The commotion grabbed neighbor's attentions as they came out to help

"Ronin, are you -"

"Call the gravedigger..."

"Are you alright? The both of you?"

The people only got a nod as he walked back to his home.

And from that day forward you're named Y/n.

No particular reason he claims anyone who asks in the future

Its a lie, he had been thinking about it for a while

He'd be lying if he didn't get even more attached to you, especially as the months came through: you're eyes matched your hair in orgin: that yellow orange that came from Wraithwood with the midnight hair

As you get older too Nod takes a more brotherly role.

And Ronin finally introduces you to Tara closer to your year old mark.

"I have been wanting to meet you for some time." Tara smiled, lifting Y/n into the air with a smile.

Yet you reach back for Ronin

Totally does not hurt Tara's pride- it really hurt

"She's not keen on new people"

"Oh, she's your daughter for sure then." Tara teased.

Tara was right there

No matter what you were pretty attached to your dad.

Though your first words werent Dada, they were idiot and leaf.

He knew exactly who he had to make run laps because of that

You were an early bloomer, walked early, started babbling one or two words early

He was pretty proud of you.

There was no "big 1st birthday" party for you.

It was just you and Ronin, and Nod, Uncle Finn coming to watch you destroy a pie as you tried to eat it.

Pie is just about your third word.

Finally something more normal.

Besides that, you don't talk very much, even as you grow, and as you grow, Ronin, kinda not by his desires, gets pushed into a Mommy group.

Judgmental mommys are ass mommys

"Well, she doesn't talk yet. That's concerning." A mother commented.

"Y/n can talk when she wants. Isn't that right? Y/n?"

He only gets you hugging him tighter in response.

1000% daddys girl

You come to enjoy playing with his gear.

All of it

Weapons included.

And as your old enough to play on your own with kids your age, you don't

You prefer Older people to younger people: find friendship in the old man that sits on the corner with his coffee in the moring rather than people your age.

100% as you become older and able to play by yourself with no one watching over you (which isnt full true ronins always there somewhere in the background) you can be sure you'd come home with a pet aphid

"His names Charly! But with a Y! I don't like it spelled with ie!"

"Y/n let the Aphid go."

"No way! Charly needs me!"

Charly infact does need you.

And even grows up with you: as he was pretty young when you found him

The Adventures of Charly and Y/n have began

Ronin's the dad that says "were not keeping the aphid" and then becomes bestfriends with said aphid

Honestly? Really proud of himself for once when it comes to you, he's been really critical of himself in the past, seeing you be so loving and caring towards people you love really warms his heart.

Will let you sleep in his bed if you have a bad dream.

Yes Charly can come too

Shit Nods squeezing himself in there too

First day of schooling?

Ooo...he's worried about that one

No Charly to be with you, no one to keep that sass held back a little

Turns out you didn't want to go.

You cried- alot

"I don't want you to go!"

"I'll be back in a few hours. I promise -"

Holding onto him, she cried harder, "No! I don't want you to go!"

Only got you to stop crying with removing the creast from his helmet he had in hand

"See. I'll always be in here." He spoke tapping the metal.

"Really?" She asked, he wipping the big drew drop sized tears.

Ronin nodded, "It'll keep you safe. Like I do."

Y/n nodded as he kissed her head.

"No leafman-" he started

"Is truly alone." She finished as he smiled at her.

"Now. Go. I don't believe in anyone more than I do you."

Turns out school wasn't bad, and you were excited to do it again.

Bad idea on giving you the crest: you simply haven't let go of it

During school hours especially, holding it while your eating: while your at playtime standing alone. Its in your pocket if you have to use both hands

During anytime your at home your more leniate with it: sits at the table by your spot at the table, or under your pillow if you want a good dream, or on your dresser if your drying it from being freshly cleaned and polished.

Alot of kids repeat stuff from there parents. So alot of people ask if your moms Queen Tara

"I don't know Queen Tara." Y/n answered.

"Sure you do! You're her daughter!"

Y/n shook her head no, "she's not! My Dad's My mom and dad!"

"My mama says you're a half breed." A girl spoke up

"I am not!

"Yeah, you have that werid colored eyes because you're from Wraithwood!" A boy added.

"I am not!"

"My Momma said your momma got attacked by your daddy from Wraithwood, and that's why you're a half breed!" A third.

"I am not!"

"Yeah, you are! Momma says that the only reason Commander Ronin takes care of you is because they didn't wanna spread rumors!" The girl again, "the same thing with your brother! Your daddy probably killed his daddy!"

"That's not true! My Dad's My dad! My dad wouldn't abandoned me!" Y/n shouted, "My dad wouldnt hurt anyone!"

"He's not even your dad!-"

Then all the sudden your in trouble.

Like big trouble.

Punched someone in the face trouble.

And Nod's there to get you instead of Ronin

He gets the silent treatment as he walks the two of you home

You can sure Ronin's PISSED when he gets home

He's let you hang around "soilders" for too long

He's actually never yelled at you before.

Then again you've never gone to school before

Watching you physically flinch as he's yelled at you trying to get an answer out of you stopped him in his tracks

He's absolutely floored

Deadstop

What the fuck did you flinch for? Did you think he was gonna hit you? He's never hit you before?! Why would he do it now-

His response is shutting down: nothing like this has ever happened before and his shutting down is building up walls.

Seems you've latched onto that idea after the first time he yelled at you.

You stay away from him: you didn't show up to dinner so Nod brought you some.

Your hiding under the bed.

And he sits against the bed, a plate close enough for you to grab on the floor.

"Whats wrong baby bean?" Nod asked, yet she was quick to grab the food.

"Dad hates me...I'm not even his...." She responded, looking down at her favorite meal made, it only upset her more and she pushed it back out from under the bed.

"Ronin could never hate you." Nod answered, "He loves you, in his own way...sure-"

"Yeah? And I'm not even his."

"Y/n your his everything."

"Then why is everyone saying he hurt someone. And I'm not his."

It takes Nod a solid few mintues to figure out whats actually going on

He's realizing kids are most likely repeating there parents gossip

Which is lies anyways.

But it looks like you need more time than anything

So when he leaves and you're left in your room by yourself with Charly

You end up eating dinner with your hands, your aphid eating off the plate with you

Ronin's surpised to find a plate washing and air dried in the bathroom the next morning.

"Where'd this come from?"

Nod leaned against the doorframe rubbing the tired our his eyes: "Mhm? Y/n's probably."

"On the sink top?"

"Look, be glad she's okay, alright?" Nod argued, "She had a rough day yesterday."

"She had a rough day?" Ronin asked sarcastically, "Nod she floored a kid-"

"Alright. Yeah, whatever." Nod answered, rubbing his face as he slipped away for caffine.

So...with the thought now in his mind he went to go see how your doing.

Sleeping most likeky

Yet he finds an empty bed, and an open window.

"Y/n?" Ronin asked, no answer: and his worry spiked, "y/n-"

Yet the chirp of an aphid caught his attention as it slipped from under the bed to stretch, and Ronin was quick to kneel down and look under the bed.

There you were asleep and hiding, as far back as you could against the wall

So he does what ever dad does.

Moves the bed to get to you.

You're still sleeping when he picks you up

Your head on his shoulder and little legs wrapped around him.

Okay, maybe he wants to hold you like a baby again: it makes him sad almost, how fast you grew up.

You wake up but stay silent: After all your father hadn't held you in quiet a while.

[lullaebies]

Prompt: Aegon and Helaena talking about their respectable dragons together.

Setting: 12-year-old helaena, 13-year-old aegon "Was it to outdo me?" Aegon asks her. Helaena lifts her face from her book. She has just claimed the biggest dragon in the dragon pit, only to come back to the Keep and read her index book on aphids. It is laughable, how she wavers from the most remarkable thing to the most unremarkable, but while she leaves her accomplishment behind so easily, he cannot let go of it quite still. "What do you mean?" she asks, and he frowns. She cannot be so oblivious, can she? "Claiming Dreamfyre," he clarifies, still grouchy all the same. "Did you do it to outdo me?"

He only claimed Sunfyre two months back. They had been on Dragonstone by chance, and he had stumbled upon his dragon at it soared above his head, gleaming gold in the sky. He dared approach it on their last day before leaving, and ventured to find it; only to find it perched close by the castle, nibbling on the fish it caught. He threw Sunfyre some flimsy fish he had stolen from the kitchen, and he knew it a flimsy offering even as he tossed it forward to the wet stack the dragon has brought beside him, but yet, the dragon gave out a few squeaks as he gobbled it up, and lowered itself to sit with both its hind legs and wings on the rock. He has never been accepted quite so easily before, and his heart soared as his body did as he took the skies with the dragon. His claiming of Sunfyre was brave, people told him; and he reveled in it, even if bravery wasn't quite suited.

Father was so proud; if for a brief moment. Mother lost half her wits when she heard about it, but hugged him tightly telling him she was glad he was okay. Even grandsire gave a reassuring pat on his shoulder then. It's been a while since, but it had been his pride; that such a beautiful dragon chose him, that all would know and see them as glorious. And now Helaena has claimed Dreamfyre, a dragon of size and history, and all hail it thrice as grandiose as they did him. "No," Helaena answers plainly. He stares her down; that's not enough. "Then why?" he asks. "You never even cared to go the pit before. If it's not because of that, why?" He sounds pathetic, wanting to cling to his claiming so much. But now they'll all forget his successes for a bigger one; just the way the sun diminishes for the moon to rise. Helaena puts down her book, closing it neatly on the table. "I thought... you seem so happy, with Sunfyre," she says. He tilts his head. So it was because of him? "More at peace, too." "And what about it?" Aegon asks, almost defensive. She looks down. "I thought that just like you found a friend... perhaps I could do so, too." She finally says, clutching onto her dress's skirt. Ah.

Aegon licks lips that had gone dry. Yes, his dragon made his days lighter; and for all her oddities, he supposed his sister needed a friend, too. It gnaws at him slightly; they grew apart, but they have been friends, once. Once they were close friends, even. Aegon looks down too. "I see," he says, but the silence is odd, and he doesn't like it. He speaks again. "And Dreamfyre felt like a friend?" "She greeted me with her very own song," Helaena smiles then, pearly whites showing. Only she could interpret some chirps as songs; but perhaps that's why Dreamfyre accepted her altogether. "And purred when I got my hand on her snout." "Dragons don't purr," he retorts. "Only cats do." "She did." Helaena answers decisively, pouting. He bites his inner cheek slightly, as an idea comes to his head. "Prove it to me tomorrow?" he asks. Helaena snaps her head up to him. "We can go riding them now." "Okay," Helaena says, some giddiness to her hand movements as she nods at him. "I'll tell her to sing you a song, then, too."

He hums. Perhaps Sunfyre will enjoy that, too.

[thestudentfarmer]

Hello and Good day,

Today I wanted to give some garden updates!

⭐️Things that have Sprouted ⭐️

🌱Dill. 🌱Cilantro l

🌱Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes)

🌱Melons (sugar baby) 🌱 Honeydew (Barnyard mix)

⭐️Planted & Direct seed⭐️

🌻Ginger root. 🌻Gladiolus bulbs

🌻 Swiss chard 🌻Carrots

🌻Green beans (bush variety, Blue lake) 1st planting. (4 planned in total)

I still need to plant a few more things but currently I'm held back by lack of wood, soil and the rising heat coming in. Thankfully the sun's staying out later now too, so that should be useful

Also

my Plans currently for those curious about the beans planting cycle. As I mentioned intentions is 4 total plantings.

When the greens beans 1st planting sprouts and is a little more grown, I'll be seeding the other side of the bed with more beans, same variety. 2nd planting, when they sprout, i intend to direct seed the space around the 1st planting with a few more bush type, with a third planting to try and draw out our homes' fresh harvest. (Plus, if the first doesn't do so well, we'll at least be able to hopefully still see some sort of harvest)

_____________ _______________

Also thought this was pretty cool and wanted to share, as ya'all know I've been growing broccoli and letting it go to seed.

I cut, collected and set aside the branches si thought closest to having usable seed and~

Found ladybugs!

This one's fresh hatched I believe, some of the hatched ones were red, but most seemed a bright orange (like when butterflies emerge and dry out)

I've never seen the stage between the ladybug gator and the ladybug too. Figure most haven't, particularly those in urban and inner city areas.

This one was just resting next to the empty shell.

Some lady gators chilling. They look a bit spooky but at this stage they eat more aphids than in the adult stage. And as I learned from a web search they eat more than just aphids??

Apparently they eat aphids, scale insects, insect eggs, mealy bugs, leaf hoppers and cornworms among others? Which awesome if so!

Even if the great broccoli seed experiment doesn't work this year or next I'll likely leave a few up again, even if solely for the ladygators and future ladybugs and other beneficials in the garden.

We also found what we believe might be a buckmoth caterpillar? We aren't absolutly certain given everytime I've seen 'em, it's on a hollyhock and not what is their usual food sources? It is Possible a bird brought it over for a snack and went blegh too lol.

We know at least bare minimun it's a stinging type of caterpillar so we'll be cautious as we proceed with care of the Hollyhocks.

That's it for now, Thanks for stopping by :)

🌱🍃Happy Homesteading and Gardening🍃🌱

4.29.2024

[learnwithmearticles]

Butterfly Weed

Butterfly Weed, two things that are appreciable on their own as well as together. This is the common name of Asclepias tuberosa, a perennial native to New Jersey and a beautiful addition to a garden. Keep reading to learn some specifics about this beauty.

[Image I.D. A close-up photo of a Butterfly Milkweed in bloom. The flowers have five close-together orange petals and the plant’s green stems and flowers can be seen behind them. End I.D.]

As a perennial, Butterfly Weed, also called Butterfly Milkweed, needs only to be planted once, and will then be able to re-flower every year. It blooms in late spring to early summer, around June to August. 

Along with being a native species to the east and southwest of North America, this flower has many environmental benefits.

Butterfly Weed flowers are a useful source of nectar for many pollinators, including butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. Monarch butterflies can also use the leaves as a place to lay eggs.

This plant is tolerant to drought, and it grows deep roots that are very beneficial to strengthening soil against erosion. 

The best way to include these in a garden is to start from seeds. They need about three months of cold temperatures without moisture, so planting in the fall is ideal. They might take more than a year or two to bloom, but once established, they can be left alone. Additionally, they are not the favoured nourishment for deer or rabbits, so they are likely to be left untouched. They might occasionally require watering to remove aphids, though.

History Bit

Another interesting fact about this plant is its historical use as herbal medicine. 

Reportedly, several Native American communities would use the roots of Butterfly Weed to treat respiratory illnesses like pleurisy and bronchitis. This is why this plant is also sometimes called pleurisy root. During the 1918 influenza pandemic, pleurisy root was one of a few medicinal plants used to help patients. Physicians at the time reported that it was very useful for chest pains and serious coughs.

Additionally, in some Native American communities, seed pods were sometimes boiled to be eaten, and the soft parts spun to make candlewicks.

Ultimately, Butterfly Weed is not only a gorgeous flower to have in a garden, it also comes with many benefits to soil and wildlife. If you’re looking to diversify your yard in the east or southwest of North America, this plant is a very good choice.

Additional Resources

1. https://www.jerseyyards.org/plant/asclepias-tuberosa/

2. https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/asclepias_tuberosa.shtml#

3.https://www.tnnursery.net/blogs/tn-nursery-blog/the-history-and-benefits-of-butterfly-weed#

4. https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/butterflyweed/

5. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/cpb1958/48/7/48_7_1017/_pdf

[asjjohnson]

Broken tulip

Of the tulips at my house, my favorite is a peach colored tulip. It hadn't bloomed for a few years, but this year there were three buds and I was pretty excited.

Except the last of the three to bloom wasn't solid peach.

As far as I can find out, it has Breaking Virus, which can infect both tulips and types of lilies. It's spread through aphids sucking the juice from the leaves and infecting other flowers as they continue to feed. Like mosquitos.

I dug up my peach tulips, and separated and threw away the striped bulb and a small clone it was already making (the leaves are also subtly striped, so I checked the flowerless bulbs for signs of that).

The other two blooming peach tulips wilted after I replanted them, which is sad because they'd just started blooming. If I could go back and do it again, I would've tried tying a bag tightly around the diseased ones until the others died out and made it safer to dig up, or tried harder to only dig up the infected ones without nicking them with the shovel and potentially spreading the virus. (Though they were very deep in the ground and it took me a long time to even find the bulbs at all.)

I need to remember to check my lily type flowers when they bloom later, and check all my tulips next spring to see if there's any more infected ones (and even if nothing else is infected, there's still a chance of healthy flowers getting infected from someone else's infected flowers).

Anyhow. If you have tulips or types of lilies, and one or more of them looks 'neat' one year, then it could be a virus that can infect the rest of them, or even other flowers in the neighborhood.

[askwhatsforlunch]

Growing and Gardening: Growing Potatoes

I had attempted to grow potatoes before, and even harvested a few; but no attempt was as successful as this year’s! And I’m not even done digging yet!

It all started on a cold January day. A local farmer was going around neighbourhoods in my town, selling his produce. A bit pricey perhaps; but excellent quality, and because he only sold in large amounts, I ended up with some twenty-five kilos of potatoes (in addition to fifteen of carrots, ten of white and five of red onions!)

It kept rather well in the garage, and the vegetables were delicious. But even in the dead of Winter, there are so many potatoes two people can eat!

Thus they started shrivelling and growing sprouts! Perfect, I thought; then, I could plant them!

And so I did! On the 29th of March, I prepared the place I would plant them in, a large iron garden bin, where I had grown and harvested the last of the Mesclun. One thing to always remember when growing vegetables is to rotate your crops; you cannot grow the same type of vegetables in the same spot two years in a row. The previous crop will have taken most the the nutrients they need, leaving very little left in the soil, and your next harvest, if any, might not be as bountiful... Luckily, different crops need different nutrients from the soil they grow in; hence the rotation. Tubers (like potatoes), for instance, will appreciate a soil formerly hosting brassicaceae (like cabbage, kale, etc...) or leafy greens (like lettuce or spinach).

I tilled the soil thoroughly, and mixed in good soil and compost to amend it. I left it for a few days.

Then, on the 4th of April, I planted my sprouted potatoes. I had eight (8) of them, and arranged four (4) on two levels, so the bottom ones would not be right underneath the top ones. There was about 15cm/5.5″ of soil mixture between both levels.

I covered them with about as much soil mixture (15cm/5.5″). I watered thoroughly. It is also important to have a good drainage, if you grow potatoes in a container, or they will rot. A few years back, I had hammered in four holes in this iron bin, and it wasn’t easy; but very much worth the effort! 

Then, I watered regularly only when the April showers were scarce! After a couple of weeks, potato stalks and leaves were starting growing in the bin.

And after a month and a half (on the 16th of May), they were tall and luscious and very leafy!!! From then on, it is very easy to take care of them. Water when the soil gets dry to the touch, trim the leaves a little when they become yellow.

You can also sow herbs at the  feet of your potatoes. They may improve their taste and protect them against aphids. Cilantro and thyme are good companions. I only managed a very small bunch of Cilantro. Because they are in a bin, and the Cilantro stalks are significantly thinner and smaller than the potatoes’; they do not get as much light as they would if you planted and sowed in a Veg Patch.

That said, harvesting potatoes in a bin is heaps more convenient! You know where they all are; you just need to dig them out!

I dug about 840 grams/1.85 pound New Potatoes (harvested about three and a half month after planting); and left the greenest, leafiest stalks in the bin to harvest later, and perhaps have bigger spuds! I might also try to sow more, as there is enough light for it now!

I am so happy with this harvest of small (some really tiny!) to medium Garden Potatoes, though. Their skin is thin, and once scrubbed, don’t they look pretty?And their flesh is beautiful and tasty!

[skelevision]

I've been gardening with my mom a lot lately!! We're getting rid of a lot of the grass and replacing it with a garden, mostly indigenous plants. Been fascinated with all the life in our yard. I'm still pretty new at identification and overall Bug Knowledge™, but I'm trying to learn as I go. Found a couple grubs in the soil. If the one on the right's a caterpillar I have no idea what it was doing underground, but it doesn't seem to have any prolegs so! I don't know. One on the left I can't quite identify either. At least I know they're both larvae of some kind. It felt kinda sticky, probably because of the hairs. Tossed 'em both over the fence just in case. Someone else's problem now.

On the left: a thrip landed on me at one point. It was so ridiculously small I couldn't resist trying to take a picture. On the right: European paper wasp! Its ass is NOT native to Washington. Was chill, watched it eat a bug for a while.

I also found a bunch of aphids on a maple I was pruning. Didn't take any pictures. They were all the flying type, and I didn't know aphids had a flying variety so I had trouble identifying them at first. I learned that both male and female aphids have winged and wingless varieties within the same species! Neat! Was interesting watching them all lining up on the veins of the leaves to get the sap. Went to a few sites to learn about them but the Wikipedia page featured a strongly worded rant on how terrible aphids are. lmao.

WORLD'S FASTEST CROUTON-BEE

Lastly we have the yellow-headed bumblebee! A few of these guys have been buzzing around the yard lately! I saw one climb out of its hole in the ground, and that was when I learned most bumblebees nest underground! It's nice to know we have a hive near our house. I hope they enjoy what we've been planting.

Not pictured:

the pillbugs and earthworms I find everywhere, go OHHHH LITTLE GUY about and then place somewhere nice where we're not working

the centipedes that mom freaks out about because one bit her and it hurt badly, so I move them as soon as possible away from her

[warcats-cat]

Saturdays

Read on Ao3 here!

A/N: Hi friends!! This one is special to me, based on one of my favorite Sanders Sides AU's to date! Its a very cute au belonging to @muppenthings called the Floof AU! Basically, Logan, Janus, Virgil, and Patton are small and fluffy creatures similar to a bug-hedgehog hybrid, living in a human Roman's prized rose garden. A gargoyle version of Virgil is also there, having been gifted by Remus and now spending his time protecting the garden from threats. I HIGHLY recommend you check it out! It is very very cute. 

As always, please let me know if I missed any tags!

---

“Patton, you have a ladybug on your ear.” Logan chirped. His own ear twitched, almost sympathetically, imagining the itchiness of the smaller insect. However, Patton seemed unbothered, smiling excitedly back at Logan.

“She’s my new friend!” Patton chirped back. Logan tried to roll his eyes, but couldn’t help his own fond smile. Patton wiggled and tapped his feet a few times, and then began to wander away to show the others.

Only Patton. Logan shook his head, still smiling, and began the slow but worthwhile climb up the corner rose bush. It had been seven days, which meant their human Roman had (most likely) set out a snack for them. Logan wasn’t sure what was so special about the seven-day cycle, but it was certainly not an offering he would refuse.

Virgil and Janus should be rousing from their sleep soon, and Patton would bring them along. Logan would never be so rude as to start without his hivemates, but it was exciting to be the first to see what was out. The path up the rosebush was familiar, easy to climb (if rather tall for them) and comfortable under his feet.

He stopped momentarily, finding a small colony of aphids, and taking the time to carefully pick them off the flowers and leaves. Roman was especially attentive with his prized roses, and these were the soft lilac ones that he already had so much trouble tending. There were barely any aphids; they must have found their way into the garden overnight.

Luckily, they wouldn’t spoil his treat.

Looking down, Logan saw that Patton had managed to wake Janus, who was climbing up behind Logan. Their long back fluff twitched and danced, expertly avoiding snagging on thorns or smaller branches. They chirped a simple greeting up to Logan, who chirred in return.

Virgil was less awake, leaning against Patton tiredly as he was nudged towards the bush. If he wasn’t careful, he would miss his own treat.

Logan smiled to himself and continued climbing, reaching the top with ease and moving carefully onto the familiar ledge.

Sure enough, the smaller house-opening (which Roman called a window) was opened just a crack, and Logan could see the inner mesh had been lifted as well. Roman had cut a slit in the mesh, so Logan and the others could enter and exit the den as they pleased.

Janus was a surprisingly frequent visitor; they enjoyed the large den’s coolness on especially hot summer days, and Roman had built a smaller version of his large den, and left them interesting things to explore and play with (although he had never returned the strange and wonderful glowing rock-thing that Logan had so enjoyed. And his efforts to bargain for it had gone unanswered.)

Roman himself was sitting at the window, looking out into the morning sunshine and sipping his flowery liquid (tea, Logan reminded himself. Roman called it tea.) The mesh opening had been lifted, and sure enough, Roman had set out a few small dishes of treats for their seven-day offering.

“Hello” Logan chirped, noticing Roman’s bright eyes on himself.

“Good morning, Muppets!” Roman said to the four generally, as Janus and finally Patton and Virgil joined Logan on the ledge. Patton cooed in lieu of a greeting, knowing Roman couldn’t understand them anyway. Virgil simply grunted, making his way quickly towards the dishes, looking for sweet water to make a mess in.

Janus walked past the offerings entirely, their intentions fully fixed on the little set of brushes that had been mounted on the window. Janus very rarely partook in the seven-day offerings, spending the time brushing out their long tufts of fur in a way that the Logan and the others simply couldn’t manage with their own tongues or paws. They did this almost every morning, and Roman was meticulous in keeping the brushes clean for them, which it was clear Janus appreciated in their own aloof way.

There was a splash, and Logan turned to see that, indeed, Virgil had once again plunged his entire face into his little dish of sweetwater. Logan and Patton would have to help him groom his face again, but Logan smiled despite himself. Oh well.

Patton had been left a soft loaf, just smaller than the size of his own head. He received one every fourth cycle, and Patton performed his own excited dance for Roman in thanks before tucking in. Roman has eaten a much larger one once while sitting with them for a picnic, and a few pieces had broken off and fallen for Logan and the others to investigate. Patton had snatched up whatever he could, allowing the others only the barest nibbles; it was perhaps the only time Logan had ever heard him growl.

Roman chuckled above them, sipping his tea again. “Someone is excited for snickerdoodle day.” He said softly, only really to himself. Logan heard the fondness in Roman’s voice, though, and began to purr to him, sharing the happiness. Roman was human, and couldn’t answer the sound, but he was family none-the-less.

Janus did turn for a moment to answer Logan’s purr, reinforcing their sentiment. The low rumbling sound ended as they nodded to each other, Janus turning back to their brushes and Logan finally going to investigate his offering.

The little dish was filled with a deep purple goo, little pieces of fruit mixed within. Jam.

Logan almost always received a dish of sweet goo, every time a different fruit. He didn't think he would ever tire of the sour-sweet flavors. Today was blueberry, the little fruits soft in Logan’s mouth. They didn’t crunch like crickets, but they almost popped, especially the little ones. There really wasn’t anything like them in the garden; even aphids were just a little too hard.

He took his time licking at the offering, savoring each bit. He was careful to keep as much of his face clean as possible without wasting a drop. Not that Logan was unwilling to share with the others, but truly, he wasn’t a fan of messes anyway. This was his treat, and he would enjoy it in his own way.

Roman proceeded to tell them about his upcoming day. He called offering day Saturday, and it was usually the day he spent either outside tending the garden, or inside his den making strange messes on sheets that he called paintings. Logan secretly hoped Roman would spend the time outside today, so their whole hive could bond.

Logan looked over to the others; Janus had finished their brushing, and was carefully nibbling on a small cut of something savory which Roman called chicken. Janus had never been one for sweets, but Roman had discovered very quickly what each of them liked, and provided in carefully measured abundance.

Another sign of a good hive-mate.

Today, Roman was bringing his colorful messes outside to ‘enjoy the sunlight’. He chattered above the four of them for a bit, sipping tea and watching them enjoy their offerings. Logan looked over to find that Patton was now sprawled stomach-up on the dish where the loaf had been, Janus was licking their delicate paws, and Virgil remained face-down in the bowl, apparently blowing bubbles. Logan licked at the last of his jam, and moved to nudge at Patton.

Patton purred in lieu of saying anything; his stomach was full and it was likely he would nap where he was for a while. Meanwhile, Roman finished his tea, and expertly set it inside and out of Virgil’s reach, before leaving the window for a moment. Looking back into the garden, Logan could see that Stone-Virgil was now awake as well; at least, as awake as that one could become.

“Saturday, already?” Stone-Virgil called in to Roman. Roman made a loud humming noise from his kitchen, fetching the most curious offering of all.

Logan had never seen Stone-Virgil eat, and as far as he and the others knew, Stone-Virgil simply didn’t. Logan didn’t know just how Stone-Virgil stayed alive, but as acting protector of the garden, it wasn’t really Logan’s place to question. Still, Roman came outside through the larger den-opening which he called a Back-Door, bringing the seven-day offering for Stone-Virgil.

This offering was a stick, which Roman set carefully on a strange-looking plate with a hole in its center. Roman produced a tiny fire in his fingers, burning the top of the stick for a few seconds before blowing it out again, producing a funny-smelling smoke. Stone-Virgil offered Roman a small smile in thanks, but otherwise left the stick of smoke alone. He would do this every Saturday; and Logan wished he could ask Stone-Virgil what the stick did, and why didn’t he eat it?

It didn’t even seem like one of Janus’ brushes! Or one of the other toys! They both just left it there, until it stopped smoking a few hours later, and Roman would take the dish and the leftovers of stick and ashes back inside his den, never to be seen again.

Logan nudged Patton again, who interrupted his own purring to chirp, roll over, and bat the top of Logan’s head lovingly with one of his paws.

“Will you just nap today?” Logan chirred.

“Maybe.” Patton squeaked sleepily. His eyes were shut, and the sunlight was at a perfect angle. The garden was quiet, and the pests had been cleared. It would be the perfect day for a nap.

Logan rubbed cheeks with Patton, wishing him a good nap as the other rolled back onto his back, and moved over to where Janus was watching Virgil with feigned disinterest. Their fur was carefully brushed clean, and they offered a polite tap of their heads together before deciding Logan would be enough to keep Virgil from making himself sick, and Janus began the careful crawl inside to hide away from the early summer heat.

Logan poked Virgil’s side, which made the other squeak indignantly and lift his head. All of the fur on the front of his face was totally soaked, and within an hour or so it would become sticky if he wasn’t cleaned. Logan couldn’t help a giggling trill at the sight of his hive-mate.

“Can I help you?” Virgil grumped, rubbing a paw over his face and licking some more sweetwater off.

“You’re going to be sticky.” Logan informed him, earning an eye roll.

“It’s my treat. I get to do what I want.” Virgil responded petulantly. Logan trilled again, standing up on his hind legs and placing his fore-paws on Virgil’s head, licking at a tuft of fur that he knew Virgil wouldn’t be able to reach with his own paws.

Virgil grunted, muttering about cleaning himself later, and gently but firmly pushed Logan off. Logan huffed fondly as Virgil once again shoved his face into his dish, and left the other to his own fun.

Roman was bringing his supplies out into the garden while Stone-Virgil was watching something outside the walls with deep interest. Logan whistled as Roman walked past a second time, getting his hive-mate’s attention long enough to jump onto the human’s shirt and climb to his shoulder. Roman was startled at first, but as Logan settled himself, the human laughed his own deep rumbling chuckle. They ambled back to the center of the garden, where Roman had set up a thin wooden structure on which he had set one of his stiff fabric things.

“What should I paint today?” Roman asked, tilting his head towards the shoulder Logan was standing on. Logan tapped his front feet a few times, before chirping,

“What is paint?”

Roman still couldn’t understand him, so an answer was not likely forthcoming, and instead, Roman hummed and smiled, saying “Alright, that sounds good.”

Logan shook his head, wondering if Roman thought they couldn’t understand him, and clicked a few times in the back of his throat as if to agree with Roman anyway. Logan settled himself on the smooth fabric of Roman’s shirt, using his middle two paws to gently anchor himself without causing damage to the shirt or causing himself discomfort, and watched as Roman began to mix colorful muds of some kind or another.

The day passed easily like that, with Roman occasionally chattering nonsense at Logan and slowly creating a picture on the stiff fabric in front of him. Stone-Virgil patrolled and tended to the others as he saw fit; at one point he even brought a rather unwilling looking Virgil and a contented Patton to the stone dish that he and Roman both called the bird bath and set them in the shallow water. Virgil grumbled but didn’t struggle as Patton helped to groom his face and fur, and then the pair busied themselves splashing about in the water.

Janus was also retrieved, but they preferred not to get wet if they could avoid it, and sat on a little ledge near the rest, where they could all whistle to each other and enjoy the company.

Stone-Virgil and Roman talked of human things; of Roman’s brother Remus, of work, of threats to the garden. Something called a competition was coming up where Roman would be taking a few of his roses for some human reason, and they would have to be given extra care in the meantime. Logan made a note of this to tell the others later in the evening.

The sun slid slowly and smoothly across the sky above, and finally, Roman’s painting was taking shape. It was of them, it seemed; Logan and Patton, and Janus and Virgil. All of them as they had been after their offerings had been eaten. Patton performing his tapping dance which he had done in the morning. Janus delicately licking their fore-paws. Logan leaning back on his hind-paws, licking at a tuft of Virgil’s hair, while Virgil’s tongue stuck out. It was cute, Logan decided. It was amazing that their human could re-create the memories so beautifully. Logan leaned his head slightly, bumping into the side of Roman’s neck in affection. The human wouldn’t know exactly what it meant, but Logan knew he would still somehow understand. Their big, strange, wonderful hive-mate knew they loved him. He was family now.

Logan found himself wondering if they could spend next Saturday in the same fashion.

[undisclosedstories]

5 More Days

(TW: physical harm, details of abuse, intended murder, and bug people) 5 more days…

Another cigarette dying, another being put out in his hand. Both a wince and a grin appear on his face, the pain means nothing if he can feel something. Looking back outward, he pushes down the smile that barely existed on his face while Deadbolt finely observes the terrain. Deadbolt shuffled around, feet finely placed on the ground in seemingly predetermined locations. Deadbolt takes a deep breath, as he fights himself over taking out another cigarette, lucky for him someone else came to assist in that. 

“Sup fucker” Maverick steps out of the building, looking toward Dennis with fake hope in his eyes. Dennis nods silently, cursing to himself over how Maverick can get away with being so relaxed, but he has to be perfect. Maverick was one of the most trusted workers there, so maybe it makes a little sense that the jacked moth can get away with being so mellow. Maverick walked over getting very acquainted with the guards' personal space. “A little butterfly told me that you’ve been struggling with your job.” “What gave you that idea?” Deadbolt tries to stand up for himself, but that was a major mistake. A few others of Aphid's personal squadron round the corner, seemingly with a bone to pick with Dennis. It starts to make sense to Deadbolt now, this was an order. An order from the butterfly above them to rough him up. At least, that’s what they called it in the military, what Dennis knew it as, is human suffering. Maverick grabs Dennis by the collar of his shirt, throwing him into the grassy terrain with a hard thud. The muscular moth then puts his spiky boot on Dennis’ head, intending to inflict as much pain as he could. “Learn your place, Dennis, you figure it out, or you die trying.” Maverick moves his foot off his head, leaving corduroy lines across his face. As Dennis tries to stand, a swift kick is sent to his guts, and as fast as he got up, he buckles to his knees once again. 

“Damn, he just doesn’t know when to give up does he?” “Stop trying, you’re just going to hurt yourself more” “Stay on the ground shitbag. We won’t hurt you as much if you listen.” Surrounded by harsh voices and violence, and time and time again, he rises. Deadbolt’s body screams in pain and he rises still. Maverick and his posses can only attack him for so long, and until then, he’ll keep trying. The beratement continues until one of the steps out of the crowd. The green-horned lithard moves over to Dennis, bending down and grabbing him by the hair on his head. With a single groan, Louis pulls the bloodied security guard up to his height. Louis smirks sadistically as he whispers into Dennis’ ear “Wish your parents were around to help you hmm?” He extends Dennis’ body away from his own and drops him to the floor, looking around at Maverick and the group. “Come on, let’s give the failure some space.” The group walks off, leaving the battered Deadbolt on the grassy floor. Deadbolt sighs exhaustedly as he stands up again, holding his stomach in pain from all the blood that may be coming out. He looks to the clock nearby, checking to see how long he’ll have to remain like this. “5 more days…” 5 more days of staying out from dusk to dawn, 5 more days of standing and staring off into the greater world, 5 more days before they can even choose to give him medical attention. 5.

More.

Days.

[elminx]

As of the end of August 2023, I am caring for 42* houseplants (including propagations since they require separate care).

Of these 38 are in what I would call my permanent collection.

My oldest plant (the plant that I've had the longest) is my spider plant. My newest plant is a Dragonfruit Cactus. My oldest plant (age since propagation) is my Hoya publcalyx which is rumored to be 20 years old. My plant that is still in water is a NOID cane begonia. I'm feeling fairly lucky at the moment because I have very few "problem" plants. I have a Peperomia caperata that hasn't ever thrived in my care (it's in the three-leaf club) and my Cyclamen has been battling aphids off and on all summer. This is better than when I last recorded a planty update in December and I was having problems with the peperomia plus by aloe and jade props. The succulents have spent the last five months outside in my shaded backyard and they will likely remain there for another month or two more. I think that the higher light and harsher conditions helped to harden off my babies and I'm hoping has made them much more resilient. I intend to pick one of my three jade babies to keep and see if anybody wants the other two. Grow light space is going to be at a premium.

The only thing in water at the moment is the NOID cane begonia that I picked up right before I went on vacation. The prop was on more than a foot of cane and I wanted a more compact plant so I chopped the plants at the tops and am now rooting 12 top cuts and the canes by themselves. In other words, some people are getting begonias for Christmas this year.

I'm working on figuring out what types of plants I want to care for. There are a few plants that my partner is attached to that I'm keeping, but otherwise, I'm being very intentional and trying to find and keep plants that my house and I get along well with.

So far my favorite genius is Hoya though Scindapsus and Bogonia are in the running. My favorite plant during the month of August is my Begonia Flamingo Queen who has been producing an amazing display of salmony blooms all month long. The runner-up is my newest African violet who also bloomed for the first time (she's bright pink and has ruffly flowers!). You might sense a theme there.

My favorite non-flowering plant this month is my Hoya carnosa Krimson Queen because I love watching its leaves emerge with gorgeous variegation.

The growing season has treated my plants very well this year.

Without accounting for the two mature Golden Pothos in my care, the plants with the most growth were my Begonia Flamingo Queen, my Cebu Blue, and my NOID Hoya whose new growth started turning red this month (it wasn't red earlier in the summer?).

The height of the summer has past us now and it is already starting to cool down some at night. My plants get better light in the spring and in the fall so we're going into ideal sun positions but the plants will lose the high temps that they've been enjoying. The humidity tends to stay high through most of Autumn here, so hopefully they will get that for a bit longer, too.

Winter is coming. It's being predicted to be a cold and wet one for us here in the Northeast. I know that I need to acquire at least one more set of grow lights as my taller plants can't fit on the plant stand anymore. I think that I know what I am going to do and I can share more details once I've completed the project if people are interested.

I also need to plan to bring the houseplants that have been living outside all summer back in. I'm very paranoid about bugs so each plant is going to keep a thorough pest treatment and I have a quarantine zone, so that SHOULD be worked out.

The snakes have their own zone of the house anyway, so I'm not concerned so much about them but all my other succulents need to go back onto the top shelf of the plant altar. I think that there's enough space on my plant stand plus the northeast corner of my living room to get grow lights on all of my plants but...we will see.

This winter's other experiment will be to see whether I can grow golden pothos in my Northern windows. (I live pretty far north so in the dark times they get very little light) I'm also training of the two to grow up my walls so we'll see how that goes.

My easiest plants are the snakes and the dragons (Sansaveria and Dracaena). My highest maintenance plant is my Flaming Queen because she's been thirsty and dropping flowers constantly. My cheekiest plant is my NOID Hoya which grew a tendril away from the grow light and onto the shelf above where I keep my witch supplies. The best variegated leaf goes to my Hoya australis Lisa. The best green leaf goes to my NOID Hoya.

I have spent $110 on houseplants this year. The most expensive houseplant I bought was a Philodendron painted lady that I bought at a reasonably mature size for $25. The least expensive plant I bought was the Dragonfruit cactus which I got for $4 by using a coupon.

I bought seven houseplants and traded for or otherwise acquired another 14 cuttings on top of that.

I'm feeling pretty full on houseplants just for space reasons. Eventually, all of my Epiprenum and my Scindapsus should be mature enough to hang in my windows but until then, some of them need to vie for table space. A woman to whom I just gave a Rosa rugosa bush said she might drop me off a cutting from her Hoya, but, otherwise, I might be done for this growing season.

My goals for the year were: vines for days, harden off the jades, rehab the aloe, Grandfather cactus, growth on the Krimson Queen, to propagate the Monstera and the Peperomia, and to get more comfortable with watering. I'm feeling pretty good about all of these things.

*I am not counting either of the two avocado pits that I am trying to root since neither has any progress yet

[jonnysinsectcatalogue]

Asian Ladybug (Larva & Pupa) - Harmonia axyridis

Let this showcase demonstrate just how much this beloved insect changes as it metamorphoses from larva to pupa. Though the images are ordered as larva, pupa, larva, etc. they don’t correspond to each other. These insects were photographed in separate locations, and it’s not very likely that the larvae would be able to walk north several street just to pupate on a specific tree when others are nearby and very suitable. Even the rose bushes that the larva explored are a suitable location for pupation (as can be seen in this earlier video), especially since Aphids tend to aggregate on the shady side of the leaves. They make a nutritious, convenient and soft-bodied snack for a developing larva and for a hungry Ladybug adult. With regards to the former, after eating and molting through several instars, it will attach its rear to a suitable location and molt into a developing pupa. If you find one early enough, you may see bits of the larval shell clinging to the front of the orange-colored pupa.

It’s good to see many individuals sharing a location while pupating. I was able to spot around 15 on the tree, but there were likely many more dotted around. Given the condition of the pupae, a new wave of Asian Ladybugs will likely emerge soon. I’m not calling it a certainty, but my reasoning is that from the images I’ve cross-referenced for this post, the darker the pupa gets, the sooner the adult Ladybug will emerge. The initial molt appears are orange, darkening with black patches and markings in the weeks of development. Ironically the darkening doesn’t correspond to spots developing on the adults as they emerge bright and spotless, needing exposure to air and sunlight (and a few days) to develop spots, but this could vary on a form to form basis. If you go looking for pupae, be prepared to look for Ladybug sized cases and not for large structures that would be Asian Ladybug larva sized. Like many of the other prominent insects that undergo complete metamorphosis, the larva’s body will be larger since it needs to store fat and nutrients for pupal development (and these larvae can grow quite large relative to the adults). Hopefully my finger provides enough scale to give an idea of how big a larva can get, but would you believe they can grow even bigger? Aphids and other soft-bodied insects beware!

Pictures were taken on June 11 and 15, 2023 with a Google Pixel 4. Happy first of Summer!

[thestudentfarmer]

Hello and Good morning, its Time for a reply blog :)

@boondogs I absolutly will share when I find a good way to get rid of the squash Beetles. I've had issues with the beetles every year I've planted zuchinni, grey squash or yellow squash (even for a Few different pumpkin varieties) Honestly i totally spaced on trap crops for this pest issue! I've heard of them and used a few times but mostly for aphids.

If you wouldn't mind sharing, is it hubbard squash your using for your trap crop?

I looked up some other trap crops too, nasturtium, catnip, garlic, onions, radishes, marigolds, calendula, and tansy are a few mentioned. I've used marigolds on school crops before for other pests [potato beetles mainly] and they were both beneficial for removing pests and good food for pollinator species (plus they are edible, can be used for tea and in soap-making) in addition to being just pretty plants.

Last time I wanted to try neem oil, ive heard it works to smother the eggs and bugs? But wasn't able to find any when i needed it. I do have some spray neem oil now so I'll be testing that out when they show up again.

A recent one I saw, works on the eggs mostly. Take a lighter, the super mini torch type works best. Flick it on and burn the eggs. I've done this twice with other eggs that look like pest eggs. A little burn is better than a total infestation.

Another tip from a gardener friend, is to go out in the morning while it's still pretty cool, maybe even dark out with a bucket of soapy water. Flick every adult/younger life cycle into the soapy water, if possible cap and shake so they can't escape. It works, if you get all of them bit is very time consuming and physically tiring with large amounts of plant. For this method, try to cardboard placed out the night before and turn over in the morning, will help a lil bit.

Unfortunately since where im at doesn't really get freezing temperatures (very rarely frosts even) the leftover nymphs/adults that are leftover don't die. Squash bugs overwinter as adults under plant debris (this is why solarizing and keeping the garden clean is important, I'd like to leave the leftovers for soils amendment but cant.) Soil clods,rocks, log piles and buildings are all potential hibernation spots.

I've been avoiding squash plants for awhile because of this. Which sucks cause most squash-plants can provide a lot of food for fairly minimal input. As soon as I've got dirt for the new bed tho I'll likely be planting a few zuchinni.

🌱🌱Happy Homesteading all 🌱🌱

[aisling-saoirse]

Fagus Grandifolia - American Beech

The American beech is an incredibly distinct and beautiful tree. Found in Forests East-of-the-Mississippi from the southern-most regions of Canada to Louisiana (with an alleged subspecies found in Mexico). The American Beech serves an interesting habitat niche typically growing in complete shade, outdated terminology in ecological sciences refered to beech (and maple) as a climax forest species, meaning they are able to outcompete any other sapling in full shade of mature woodlands. Any decent scientist interested in ecology will reject the concept of climax species as nature does not reach a state of stability/equilibrium.

The bark itself is very thin and tight with few fissures, and extremely smooth in appearance. The tree is popular amoung disrespectful hikers as a point to carve names into the bark (which, yes, damages the tree), one can often find initials ripped into the trunk. Beech are extremely sensitive to draught, it is a moisture loving species with very shallow roots, images above are taken in a draught year. The trees hold their leaves in wintertime, its not uncommon to see ghostly orange and white leaves rusting in the winter winds. The trees also produce a large husk (forming on the last image) which contains 4 pod shaped nuts, these are edible and allegedly sweet (I've never eaten them as I always find them too late).

The horrible condition of the leaves I'm showing are indicators of disease, like other notable American trees, introduced species/diseases from abroad are quickly wiping them out (scaly bark fungus, beech leaf wilt, aphids). The added stress of the draught is making them less resistant to fighting these issues. I made this post today because I noticed about all of the Beech I encountered in New Jersey and Pennsylvania were in extremely poor or dying states. This is after years of watching them fight disease, the second year of climate change induced draughts appear to have done them in. Sad to see them go if such is their fate.

[stepfordgoth]

As if I don't have enough stupid bozo the clown type shit weighing on me right now, I am (probably unnecessarily) feeling so incredibly guilty about something that just happened in the garden oh my god

Back story: I've been afraid of flying insects, ESPECIALLY butterflies and moths, for my entire life. Some of my earliest memories are of nightmares I had when I was very young about butterflies chasing me, about butterflies flying out of my dead relatives' caskets and landing on my face, stuff like that. As an avid gardener over the last few years, I've been consciously working on that fear and I'm at a spot now where I can observe butterflies, moths, bees, etc in my garden with fascination and gratitude, and I rarely get startled by fluttering/flying near me now (as long as it's, like, not right in my face and I'm already aware that they're there. I do still get startled sometimes but I feel like it's not really because I'm so afraid anymore, it's like I've trained myself over the years to be easily startled. But I'm working on it)! In fact there are a few butterflies that I see every single day in my garden, and I watch them from a distance and think about how cool it is that I've created a garden with so much life in it.

Anyway this morning I was in my garden doing my little tasks, and lately I've noticed that something has been munching on my broccoli leaves. I didn't mind it too much though because I knew I've already made the main broccoli harvest of the year and that anything else that grows from the plants is extra and won't be nearly as much as the main harvest anyway, so let some garden residents have a munch, whatever. Today though, is the day that I make the final small harvest! So I was doing my thing, picking broccoli stalks, and I decided that after this final harvest I'd just pull up the plants and be done with them, until I plant seeds for the fall broccoli crops in a few weeks.

Well, under one of the broccoli leaves, I noticed two large caterpillars curled up together. "Cute but gross," I thought, "I bet they're the ones munching these leaves." I'd read about caterpillars being pests on broccoli so I pulled that leaf off and tossed it in my brush/green discard pile without thinking too much about it. After the harvest was complete I pulled up the two plants and set them on the ground near my garden. Then I thanked my garden (I always do!) and went inside to wash the broccoli. While picking I'd noticed a bunch of black spots in the nooks and crannies of the branches but I figured it was either dirt of aphids, and either way they'd easily wash off.

So inside, I was washing and inspecting the broccoli and I found a few of the clusters had this weird sticky goo in the center.....? And I found a few more caterpillars. And I was immediately like "Oh FUCK THAT, I am NOT bringing this shit in my house" and took them back outside, with a bowl of ice water, and continued the washing out there. But 3/7 of the stalks I harvested had so much goo and gunk (as well as caterpillars) that I was like "nope, into the discard pile with ye". And I walked those stalks back over to the pile near my garden..... Where I noticed one of the white butterflies that I see every day in my garden fluttering around the pulled up broccoli plants on the ground. I stood there and watched for a second, not really understanding why that butterfly cared so much about the pulled up plants when there are so many flowers in bloom elsewhere in the garden but then I realized........ Oh my god I bet those caterpillars were her babies. And I just destroyed their food source and their home in one fell swoop by pulling up those plants. Why didn't I think of that at the time???? Now I just feel so guilty. I'm trying to do LESS harm! I'm trying to be kind to pollinators and create a healthy mini ecosystem! And I just killed what is perhaps a whole generation of butterflies who were delighted to be in my garden. [Muppet voice: GUILT.]

Not gonna lie I stood there for a second and watched this butterfly and I cried a little. I'm so sorry I killed your babies and their home and food! I thought they were bad guys! I'm still learning!!!!

[adleryoung]

"Now then," I said, turning back to Rebecca. "Where are you having trouble in the book?"

"Here," she explained, indicating the page. "The text of the Overspell appears again."

"What of the passage before it?" I asked leadingly as I quickly skimmed the text. It was a much-debated section among Mephitist scholars, which seemed to be an excerpt from an unrelated lecture on insects.

"I have an idea what it might mean," Rebecca shrugged, "but so far my theories have been wrong."

"I'll let you in on a little secret," I whispered conspiratorially. "Our own theologians are somewhat baffled by this passage, so your theory might be closer to the mark than you think. Let's hear it."

"Okay, I think Reynard is saying that those little ladybug-fairies like the ones betting on the Raccoon Monster … they work for you, I think? Anyway, he's saying that they are sorta like semi-divine messengers of Fuma and should be treated with due respect rather than overlooked like they usually are."

"It's an interesting and plausible theory," I admitted, after staring at the page and thinking about it for a few seconds. "One which I doubt the learned doctors ever proposed. Most elves actually don't seem to be very aware of the existence of Ixies. However, after observing their behavior for many years I would find it very difficult to believe that they were sacred envoys of the Lady. I think if you look a little closer, you'll find that Reynard is talking about feral beetles. It's a subject that seemed to obsess him in the final chapters of the book."

"Hmmm," Rebecca murmured as she flipped back a few pages and re-read. "Yes, I see. I was thinking too magical and ignoring the more obvious, mundane interpretation. AHA! The Overspell text is gone and I can read the next section now!"

"Excellent," I beamed. My student was doing so well! "I'll leave you to it then."

"Wait, my Lord," she blurted hastily. "That spell you cast on the Raccoon Monster … will I be able to do things like that? I don't mean the Orgasmic Touch specifically - though it could be quite handy - but just magic in general. Will I be able to do magic for real?"

"Well …" I mused thoughtfully. Was it possible for lowfolk to perform magick? According to the tales, it was. They were never as powerful as elves, of course, but lowfolk were reputedly able to learn basic Gramarye. The Old Crow was said to be quite competent at spellcasting, and a fairly advanced alchemist. "It's possible. But you have a lot to learn first."

Rebecca grinned with delight and resumed her reading.

Now at last I could resume my very important conversation with Vernier. As I walked past Burnside, she sighed and mumbled something that sounded like "More hot sauce, Cletus."

"I win," one of the Ixies called out.

"Delirious babbling counteth not," another protested. "She must be fully awake."

"Get off her!" another Ixie demanded. "Thou'rt cheating!"

"So is yon bird, yet thou protestest not."

"The bird hath not placed a wager and thus standeth not to rob me of my hard-earned aphids!"