Cool but Clunky

THE children have discovered in our garden what they have dubbed "the coolest bug ever". It's a wheel bug. He caught our attention noisily flying around our back patio and we transferred him to a bug box with a magnifying lid to examine in closer detail. These creatures are often called "assassins of the insect world" thanks to their chosen method of feeding, which involves using their long beak to pierce soft-bodied insects like caterpillars with dissolving enzymes, then sucking out their insides. How charming. Sometimes the females even feed on the male after mating. The cannibalism was not a trait I shared in detail with the children, but we did observe that it moves very slowly and jerkily and has of course that huge and strange "bumpy hump" on its back. Big, clunky, and indeed pretty cool. 

The Most Amazing Thing

THE other day we noticed a green caterpillar on one of the tomato plants. Having plucked it off ready to deposit elsewhere, we realised that the tomato plant was nearly dead anyway so the caterpillar might as well enjoy the last few leaves. So we put it back. Imagine our surprise when the next day we found it tucked cosily in a cocoon! In fact there were two of them! Two days later the plant was indeed dead, as was apparently the second pupa. But the first pupa still wiggled when gently prodded, and one part had turned brown inside its opaque, silky home.

On my return from a trip four days later, Emma greeted me with: "Mama! The most amazing thing happened!" It seemed that the pupa had transformed into a moth, which Emma had discovered drying its wings next to the empty cocoon. It had flown away by the time I got home, so we didn't get to photograph or identify the moth or butterfly, but it could have been a diamondback moth.

Pupa, Chrysalis or Cocoon?
A pupa is an insect undergoing transformation. If it is a butterfly pupa, it is called a chrysalis and is surrounded by a hard casing. Moth pupas most often change inside a cocoon of spun silk, though some species burrow into the ground. Pupas of other insects change inside the exoskeleton of their final larval stage, or in a nest or shell.

Birthday Butterflies

LOOKING back through old posts, I'm reminded that Emma received a "bug hotel" for her third birthday. Now rather the worse for three years of weather, it has nevertheless provided much interest to us and a home for many insects.

I'm not sure if it's coincidence that one of Alexander's favourite presents on his third birthday was a butterfly net and bug collection box! He has spent hours outside trying to - often successfully - catch various insects, which he then stores in his special jar with a magnifying lid. Happy birthday little bug catcher!

Grrr! said the Tiger

WE tried for ages to identify this interesting fly we found on our window screen. It was on something white and we couldn't tell if it was feeding on bird droppings or if it was some kind of nest/egg collection. Whatever the white patch was, the fly was quite attached to it. We picked the fly up to examine it, and it flew away, then a short time later was back again and even returned the next day.

It was quite large - maybe 2cm. Plump and black, with a fuzzy body, huge eyes and a curious pattern on its wings. We couldn't tell if the wings had patches of white or patches of see through.

Finally a few days later we found a picture of the tiger bee fly Xenox tigrinus . Emma astutely pointed out that tigers have stripes not spots and why wasn't it called a leopard bee fly? Apparently they lay their eggs in the nests of carpenter bees and their hatching larvae then eat the bee larvae. The white stuff on the window screen wasn't eggs, then.

Baby Birds

WE'VE been lucky enough to see an number of baby birds
this spring and summer. A slight movement caught our eye in the garden, which turned out to be a tiny fluffy bird cowering under a bush in our garden, freezing whenever we came close but bravely venturing a few hops if we sat quietly for long enough. Our gourd bird box has hosted not one but three sets of baby wrens. They tweet so loudly when mama arrives with food, you can hear them right across the garden. A robin nest high up in a tree is just close enough to see little beaks clamouring for food whenever a parent flies close.

But Emma wins the award for the best bird discovery. She was sitting on our front steps when she noticed a little bird clutching the side of the step. On closer examination there were two of them, baby Northern Flickers. These are a kind of woodpecker and we watched them over the next two days as they progressed from hopping on the ground and step to clinging to the house wall, then climbing up the wall and finally taking their first flights. Amazing to observe!

The Things You Find

STICKING out of a hole in a log was a little thing wiggling. We pulled it out carefully as it appeared to be stuck. It looked like a cocoon. Suddenly it made an audible pop! and a fly crawled out! It was so unusual that Emma decided to draw it in her nature journal.

The notes in the picture describe the insect and were dictated by Emma: fuzzy bits on its head, big black eyes, long grey body with orange stripes, delicate wings, 6 legs with 2 little feet on each leg.

We never did discover the identification but it was exciting to witness its birth!

Wood Sorrel Tea

WOOD sorrel, with its lemony flavour, is said to make good tea. So we decided to try that out. Gathering enough wood sorrel in our garden was not a problem, and we soon had a large bunch simmering away. Add sweetener (we used honey), pour into a glass and... well what do you know, it's red! Bear in mind that this was a green plant with a yellow flower. But it was very refreshing, especially cold with ice.

Toasted Caterpillars

ALEXANDER pretending to be a bird who is camping and toasting caterpillars over a fire like marshmallows. Since it was a real caterpillar, I jumped up to stop him from actually putting it in his mouth, which caused him to console me: "Don't worry Mama, I not really a bird. I a little boy. Little boyd no eat caterpillard." Funny! He went on to instruct me all about what birds eat and what caterpillars eat and how we shouldn't eat things that other animals eat because we will get tummy ache.

What do caterpillars do? Nothing much but chew and chew.
What do caterpillars know? Nothing much but how to grow.
They just eat what by and by will make them be a butterfly.
And that is more than I can do, however much I chew and chew.

First Foraging of the Year

TODAY we harvested from our garden - and we haven't even planted our vegetable garden yet! The plants we harvested are often called weeds, which, as 'plants growing in an undesirable place' (i.e. the flower bed) they were to us too. 'Undesirable plants,' however, they were not.

Yellow wood sorrel has compound leaves divided into three parts, each shaped like a heart. In England it's also known as cuckoo sorrel, because its small yellow flowers bloom when the cuckoo sings. The delicate leaves close at night and supposedly when it's about to rain too. Most of all they have a delicious lemon flavour and are great for snacking.

Chickweed is one of the most common edible 'weeds' and has a tiny white star-shaped flower. The leaves and flower buds are hairy. It's very nutritious and a good addition to salad.

And today we found some tiny shoots of pokeweed! See here for previous adventures with this leafy green vegetable. I have to admit this is more fun to harvest than to boil twice, but somehow it is reassuring to know that we can eat from the garden/the wild just by knowing what to look for. However far so many "foods" in the supermarket are from their original state, it is still possible to eat the healthy way of our ancestors. Providing, of course, your backyard is not sprayed with pesticides :-)

Photo credit: www.all-creatures.org and Emily Porter

Spring Scents

EVERY spring our whole back garden is imbued with an incredible scent. It took me a while to figure out it comes from a huge holly bush right at the back of the garden. Holly is typically thought of during the winter months, particularly around Christmas, but the splendour of its blooms and their fragrance also make quite a spring statement. Holly is a dioecious plant, meaning each plant is either male or female. Only the females bear berries, and only when a male plant is located within about 30'.

This tree of ours is male, its flowers having the honour of pollinating several female holly bushes elsewhere in the garden so that they may develop the familiar red berries. The clusters of tiny white flowers grow along the branches, their scent attracting bees and winged creatures of every kind, who are all too eager to buzz to the next holly and deposit a dusting of pollen.

Some more holly facts:
-There are more than 400 species of holly
-If not pruned, some species can grow as tall as 60'
-Berries range from red to black and yellow in different species
-Berries are mildly poisonous to humans, but have been used medicinally for many years
-The tea Yerba Mate is made from a type of holly

Sandhill Cranes

THE sound started gradually. Frogs? Insects? Birds? I couldn't quite place it and couldn't tell where it was coming from... until I thought to look up. Hundreds of birds flying very high up in the sky, all in the same direction. I could barely make out the shape except for a long goose-like neck and short tail. Could I be witnessing the migration of the legendary sandhill cranes? I went on a local birdwatcher website and sure enough, there had been many sightings throughout the day.

The sandhill crane is a large grey bird that lives in wetlands and marshes. It has a wingspan of up to 200cm.

Dem Dry Bones

THOMAS came across an antler-less deer skull while hashing, and brought it home. While researching how to clean it up, I came across this young man's blog. I followed Jake's instructions, and soon we had an interesting addition to our backyard.

We wondered why it didn't have any antlers (bucks lose their antlers every year after mating season - between January and April) and made him new ones from branches. We played "hunt the deer," trying to creep up on a "deer" who had his head buried in yummy grass and could be alerted to his hunters' presence by hearing alone. We discovered the jawbone as a musical instrument. Jawbones (usually of mules, horses or donkeys) were used for centuries as percussion instruments. Though we didn't remove the jawbone, we did notice how the teeth rattled and made a pleasing sound! Our deer was even invited to a tea party, where he enjoyed sand cake with worm icing.

The skull was played with in many capacities and shown off to friends for many days before Basil (the labrador) could no longer resist the temptation... and ate it.

Intimate Bird Moments

SITTING quietly outside watching the birds, we were delighted when first a chickadee, then a tufted titmouse and finally a nuthatch flew over and nibbled at the feeders right over our heads. We sat until our behinds threatened to freeze to the metal patio chairs, captivated by the little creatures flying back and forth. The whole time they kept a watchful eye on us, but obviously considered the chance for a tidbit more important than the risk we posed.

Another day we were inside when a strange seagull-like cry enticed us outside. It was a red-shouldered hawk sitting atop a tree in the back garden. They circle the neighborhood now and again, and seeing them semi-close is a treat!

Snow and Ice and All Things Nice

A huge winter storm took the US by - well - storm last week, causing chaos in those parts of the country more familiar with sunstroke than snowploughs. While snow fell only once, consistent low temperatures created a thick layer of ice, and residents were urged to stay off the streets as much as possible.

For a whole week, we drove nowhere, and what fun we had! Snowmen, snowballs, melted maple syrup over shaved ice, frozen fingers, hot chocolate, excavating ice-entombed treasures... but most of all sliding.

Sliding on our fronts, on our backs, on (off) our feet, on cardboard, on plastic, in the laundry basket, down the driveway, down the hill in the park, skating across the patio and even on the grass. The strange white stillness broken by giggles of delight.

Our Christmas Tree's Next Life

IT must be a funny life, that of a Christmas tree, as tree lives go. Most grow for eight or more years in neat rows on Christmas tree farms with regular watering, fertilization and pruning. Not exactly your natural forest environment. Then just as they reach their prime, they are cut from their roots and loaded onto a lorry for a grand, if short-lived, adventure. Their ultimate destination is a family home, where they become the central decoration for the Christmas season, adorned with ornaments, twinkly lights and glittery garlands. After just a few weeks of glory, the decorations are removed and the tree is cast back out, destined for the chipper.

We are keeping our tree around a little longer. He's moved outside and now instead of baubles, his branches hold sprigs of berries and little bags of nuts, seeds, fat, cheese rind and other goodies. We admire him more than ever, and little winged visitors flock by the dozen to shelter in his branches and enjoy a meal.

Birds, Birds, Everywhere

WE have gradually developed a full buffet for birds in our back garden with a tray feeder, two upright feeders, a suet feeder, several pinecone feeders and a special sock feeder of thistle seed for finches. And they come! So far, we've seen:

• Northern Cardinals (tray feeder)
• White-Breasted Nuthatches (most frequent visitors to the pinecone feeder, also suet feeder)
• Pine Warbler (pinecone feeder - infrequent)
• Red-Breasted Woodpecker (upright feeder)
• House Finch (upright feeder)
• Downy Woodpecker (suet feeder)
• Mourning Doves (ground, tray feeder and they even try to balance on the suet feeder - very funny)
• Chickadees (upright feeder - infrequent)
• Carolina Wren (ground underneath)
• Dark-Eyed Junco (ground underneath)
• Song Sparrow (ground underneath)
• Blue Jays (ground underneath)
• Eastern Towhee (ground)
• Eastern Bluebird (suet and upright feeders)

We also see on the lawn and flower beds American Robins, Thrashers, and now and again great flocks of Red-Winged Blackbirds and Starlings. We like to sit at the back door and just watch. Sometimes we try to draw them...mostly we just watch.

Wild Insects

WE'VE come across some interesting insect life in our back garden: first, a little bug that looks somewhat like a ladybird in size and shape, only it's brown and squared off at its tail end. This turns out to be a bean plataspid or kudzu beetle, a new arrival to Georgia that feeds on kudzu. Plenty of that around - not in our garden but close by. The beetles sit mostly in our vegetable patch - particularly the sweet peppers - and huddle in twos or more. They're apparently quite a threat to agriculture, but they don't seem to have wreaked too much havoc on our little garden so we've let them be.

The next discovery I first thought was a fungus - threads handing from a dead pine needle suspended in a tree. But after much research, this turns out to be lacewing eggs. They are laid on hair like filaments, said to prevent the larvae from cannabalizing each other. The larvae are so voracious that they have been considered for biological insect control. Curious!

The final, less pleasant, find was a nest of thousands of little black flies. I have yet to identify them, but they looked like fruit flies and swarmed all around us at dusk. The nest was around the base of a tree and was a seething mass of emerging tiny flies. Creepy and crawly, to be sure!

Beanpods, Acorns and Autumn Finds

WE'VE had so much fun collecting nature items this Autumn and finding different ways to use them. Acorn people, leaf fairies and crowns, doll food from nuts and berries, pinecone animals.


One of our most surprising finds was a gigantic seed pod. We've still not managed to identify it, but it is about 30cm long! It was used in many different ways; I believe it was its role as tractor ramp that caused it to finally give in and beg to be returned to the earth.

Amazon Girl

JUST because we don't have a stream in our back garden doesn't mean we can't make one with a hose pipe. This works particularly well if you run the water over an area of bare earth, and clay makes such lovely red mud! Just the thing if you want to hide or swing through the trees like Jane of the Jungle.


(Come to think of it, these are the knickers that Emma always puts in Alexander's drawer. She says she knows it's 'clean dirt' but she doesn't like them now they're not white any more.)

Bubbles!

WHAT better activity for a hot summer's day with friends than blowing bubbles! We made our own bubble mixture with washing up liquid, water and glycerine and left it overnight to 'cure'. Then took the soapy mixture outside with a collection of implements from around the house. After trying a few, the children had fun running around looking for more things with holes or circles to experiment with. We had drinking straws, cookie cutters, funnels and various toys and tools. Then we made paper bubble blowers and after a bit of practice, even the toddlers became experts! Finally, our team of intrepid bubble blowers piled into the paddling pool for a bubbly washapalooza!