Hawk Moths

When the hawk moths show up... Very excitin'!

These babies are huge!

Hawk moth visiting the 4 o'clock flwrs.

They enjoy the cleome as well.

The above sphinx moths are the Manduca Sexta, AKA the dreaded tomato hornworm...

 I found a tiny hornworm this morning...

Not sure who this smaller moth is...

Want to observe the show in your own yard?
These moths start diving into the flowers at dusk... Just about the time "jeopardy" comes on the tv...

I've observed them also visiting the datura blooms and the crinum... matter of fact, I saw one actually pulling the petals open on one of my crinums!

Seems like they'd be into the brugmansias also... unfortunately... I keep forgetting to check...

 They go all the way down in there!

 Occupado....

Caterpillars, butterflies, birds, other stuff

 Buckeye butterfly and caterpillar... The cat is using agalinis purpurea as a host plant.

These treefrog tadpoles are too cute...

Wild sunflower with bee and goldfinch...

I have video posted

Clearer pic of goldfinch.

 Fresh coat of paint on the house...

I really like this combination... even though the hibiscus wants more water than it's gettin, and the snake cotton is perfectly adapted to the droughty sandhill environment...

Trippy... I wish I'd been able to get more pics of this particular hawk moth...

datana caterpillars decimating sumac.

 Swallowtails and salvia...

I think these guys are tigers... seeing a lot of black tiger swallowtails this year....