Backyard Happenings

Taking a walk around the back yard after the summer profusion of growth can show a little of what has been going on behind the scenes. Here's what I saw last week...

You don't know how badly I want this fellow to be the beginning of a beautiful butterfly. Is he? I don't know. Will he turn into a ravenous destructive monster in his next life? I don't know. For now, I find him mesmerizing. He is doing a number on my parsley though!

I asked around and did some research and found out that this one is a Black Yellowtail Larva... at first I thought it might be the dreaded Tobacco Worm (eats everything in the garden and has NO redeeming qualities) but fortunately it was not! The worm has 5 distinct feet; the one above has a few more than that. The yellowtails are customarily found on parsley plants...that's where this guy was!

I was clearing out the sunflowers and undergrowth in the corner of my yard and saw this guy taking a rest on my fence. I had to look closely to see him, at first I thought it was a dried leaf.

...and of course, my first fig crop. I need say no more.