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I despaired of seeing any Praying Mantises in the garden this year after the depredations of a "landscaper" on April 20 and another round of mowers and blowers this month, but look who showed up! These little mantises are about an inch long and are inhabiting a Black-Eyed Susan plant that was not in the line of fire of the overzealous landscapers. I was even more thrilled to see a green one on the Miscanthus, even bigger than these guys. Maybe I will have backyard entertainment after all this summer from their antics!
Milkweed has such pretty flowers! Despite this part of the yard being scraped down to the dirt, the Milkweeds came back with a vengeance. They have been a playground for Ladybugs for the past few weeks.
This Privet plant will always remind me of the end of school. In June, it puts forth these clusters of flowers that look like tiny orange blossoms and which perfume the air. Something has affected my ability to smell such things (maybe the high blood pressure pills) so I can't enjoy them as much as when I was younger. A new Privet bush turned up outside a building at East Seventh & Crescent, and this is a photo of one of the flower clusters. This building's grounds also have Viburnum, which also has a lovely scent in May, and a pretty shrub that I believe is Deutzia.
I took a photo on the way home from the Memorial Day ceremonies. Look around and enjoy the flowers in your neighborhood!
--Bernice
You know I love your nature posts! I'm so glad the mantises have returned. I still have never seen any in my neighborhood. It was good to see you tonight!
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