flowers and creatures

It's always interesting to walk among flowers and see what else is visible. I love the Cherokee Sunset variety of Rudbeckia hirta; apparently a tiny caterpillar likes it too.

a tomato hornworm & a wasp

I was volunteering in the gardens of the Stevens-Coolidge Place Wednesday morning when one of the staff members pulled several of us to a section of the garden housing a self-planted tomato plant. Usually we pull up or move plants that don't belong but somehow this tomato stayed, growing wild among the dahlias.

Matt grabbed us to share an interesting caterpillar. A tomato hornworm was perched on the plant, covered with tiny white oblong obtrusions. It turns out that these are cocoons of parasitic wasps.

This was my first introduction to a tomato hornworm.

"Tomato hornworms (Manduca quinquemaculata) are a serious problem for tomato growers. These caterpillars have a large appetite and can quickly defoliate a tomato plant. If you find hornworms in your tomatoes, simply pick them off and drop them in soapy water. However, if you find a hornworm with white oblong obtrusions, leave it!

The white obtrusions are actually the cocoons of a parasitic wasp. A female wasp has laid her eggs under the skin of that hornworm. As the eggs hatch the larvae actually feed on the hornworm insides. The larvae eat their way out of the caterpillar and spin the cocoons you see. Eventually adult wasps will emerge from the cocoons and the weakened hornworm will die."

Source: ugaurbanag.com/tomato-hornworms-and-parasitic-wasps/

inland waters

While I love walking on the beach at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, the inland side of the refuge also makes me happy. When I headed to the coast yesterday the sky was clear of clouds; later some clouds appeared to decorate the landscape.

morning, Parker River

More of the beach at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge has reopened. The section where the least terns continue to nest is still closed, but I was able to walk south from parking lot 3. That's one of my favorite walking spots in the refuge.

I arrived two hours after high tide to find an active (and loud!) ocean. It was a day of watching the water as I walked; I'm lucky my feet stayed dry!

The sight and the sound of the ocean provides a sense of calm.

red

Sunflowers wear different colors; this one shows petals of red.

overgrown

As I walked by old mill buildings in Lawrence, MA, this door caught my eye. It must no longer be used as a means of egress.

The green of encroaching ivy pops against the red of the door.

fading

Some flowers continue to bloom and others are fading. This morning I saw two echinacea in the same garden plot, one wearing strong signs of decay, the other continuing to wear bright colors.

dahlia, opening

I continue to be amazed at the variety of dahlias that decorate the garden.

This beauty in pink is partially open; it will be good to visit the garden again in a day or two to check its progress.

vegetables

While I tend to focus on flowers, the local garden also showcases vegetables.

I like the patterns in both the shapes and the veining of the leaves.

sunflower morning

A sunflower greets the day in early morning light.