Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar

Was out in the yard looking at the milkweed and seeing how my cucumbers were fairing when I came across this little guy.

Then I found this bigger one on the ground. So in the interest of science and my own need to know I brought it up on the deck so i could take photos and look it up.

There was another one, so I guess this year its the year of Tussock Moths and not Monarchs, which is too bad. Hope I get a photo of one when it grows up.

Persistent spider

So this past friday night i was actually home and was on the deck. I noticed this small spider who had built a web over one side of the deck and picnic table. The next morning/afternoon came out to find no spider or web. Tonight i was on the deck and saw the same spider (significantly larger) building a web in the same general location and waited till it had finished to get a few pictures of it.

I am not certain but i do think it is a Barn Spider (like the one that had built a web in the back deck area last year). I can only assume that it rebuilds the web every night. Either birds, bats or people knock it down by morning.

I will try to take more pictures as it grows. Hopefully it will continue to build the web and nothing will kill it in the meantime.

Here is a picture of a Swallowtail Butterfly on Beebalm

First Spotted Touch me not flower

A few pictures of a Female Ruby Throated Hummingbird

It seems i have created a monster

Native plants make me happy!

I took these pictures actually mid to end of June but forgot to upload them. I also wanted to wait until i could identify them. And with the help of the wonderfull people at wildlifegardeners.org I think I can correctly state what they are. Sorry the photos arent of the best quality, it was windy that day. I found these flowers in the protected open space on the south side of hwy 96 on the NW side of Snail Lake.

With the help of wildlifegardeners.org we have identified this as Stachys palustris or marsh hedge nettle. Its native to MN. http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=STPA

This we think is Packera paupercula or balsam groundsel. Which is also native to MN
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PAPA20

Here are some other pictures from that day.

I snuck up on a white tailed deer. I got a photo before it ran off.

Some painted turtles on a log in the pond behind the community center.

Some kind of Grebes i think

Painted Turtle

One of the lil bunnies in my yard

The last time I saw the only monarch caterpillar in my yard

Speaking of monarch caterpillars, i only have seen one this summer. I have made sure to keep as much milkweed in the yard and even in my veggie beds as possible. I havent seen another caterpillar in at least a week or more. 

Some sort of spider

And a pic of the lil bunnie. he got tired and laid down for a nap.