A couple of weeks ago, I found a young assassin bug climbing around on the ruby lilies. It was stealthily hunting any critter that it could subdue with its one long fang. I watched and pondered how that single fang could be so deadly and how the bug caught its prey. The critter was bright orange which would surely alert other insects to its whereabouts so camouflage was not a big help here. The bug went from plant to plant in search of something for supper.
This week, the chive blossoms have lured many insects to the herb garden. Along with the moths and bees, there were a number of assassin bugs sipping nectar. As I watched and photographed insects, a life drama was unfolding before my eyes. One assassin bug eased its way nearer and nearer to a small bee. The bee was so engrossed in the nectar that it did not notice the bug until it was too late. The assassin bug grabbed the bee and started to plunge that fang into it. Again and again, the ruthless act was repeated by the bug. The poor bee tried to twist and turn so it could sting the bug but there was no hope. The assassin bug held tight and soon had stabbed the bee enough to mortally wound it. Then, it began to devour the inner parts of the bee.
While I felt sorry for the bee, I was happy to see that the assassin bug was doing its job. Many folks see these little, orange bugs and immediately pull out the insecticides. I see them AS the insecticide. I figure that I will just let Mother Nature handle this job even though it cost a bee its life.
Since chive blossoms seem to attract a myriad of insects, I am fully considering strewing seeds over the entire hillside! This would be a win/win situation! I would not have to cut grass again and I would be able to butterfly/moth watch while simply sitting in my lawn chair! Things could not get much better than that! I would save about 8 hours a week in cutting time and could spend that extra time enjoying the beauty of Mother Nature!
Early this morning, I glanced out the window and saw a slight movement above the white garlic chive blossoms. The sun was not up yet but I could tell that the movement was a moth. Ok, that did it! I slipped on my shoes and headed out the back door. The mosquitoes were terrible this morning but I was determined to get my photograph. For several years now, a species of moth has been visiting the herb garden but photographing it was never an option. This morning, the moth literally posed for the camera! Right at sunrise, a Scarlet-bodied Wasp Moth flitted over the blossoms. It was gorgeous! It appeared to be dressed in a red velvet gown with black trim at the head and hem of the gown. On the black parts, lovely turquoise gemstones glittered in the sun glinting over the pines! Such elegance! Such beauty! Yep! Well worth the wait!
When is a beetle not a beetle? The answer is simple....when it is a moth! While out in the garden the other day, I noticed about a bazillion insects crawling about the chive blossoms. One insect looked a lot like a beetle. In fact, folks often think the insect is a beetle until they see it take flight. The Ailanthus Webworm Moth does resemble a beetle. It is long, slender and has long antennae. It looks just like some fancy flower beetle but, like I said earlier, it is a moth.
This webworm moth rolls its wings tightly around its body when it is crawling around or resting. This action does make it appear to be a beetle and not a moth. The moth is actually a gorgeous thing! It is bright orange and has rows of white dots that are edged with bluish black. The moth is active during the daytime hours and seems to prefer white flowers (hence my garlic chives!). The only problem with such a pretty little moth is that it lays lots of eggs that hatch into caterpillars. Like all caterpillars they eat leaves. In my garden, this is not a problem as I am willing to share a few leaves so I can admire the beauty of the adults. The real problem is in the way people view things. The caterpillars spin a large, thick web in the tops of trees. There, they while away the hours chewing leaves and growing. The web protects them from predators but it is that web that is their downfall. People see the web as a eyesore and tend to destroy it and all of the caterpillars therein.
The pretty little moth worked the chives in the garden and went unharmed by me. I do not have a problem with Mother Nature and her workings. For the most part, my place is a sanctuary for critters of any sort. (I draw the line with a few, however! Termites...when they eat my house! Roaches....when inside! Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers...when they hatch by the millions...literally! Fruit flies...when I cannot get them to stay out of the kitchen during canning season! Mosquitoes and gnats...when my blood is their supper! Fleas and ticks...same reason!) Most other critters are more than welcome!
I managed to slip out into the garden early this morning and was surprised to see how many critters had taken a liking to the chive blossoms. Usually, the white blossoms are covered with lovebugs but this year there were only a few but joining them was a whole slew of other bugs! Milkweed bugs, ailanthus webworm moths, longtailed skippers, assassin bugs, honeybees, bumblebees and even mosquitoes were busy on the blossoms. Those were the ones I recognized. Many more were flitting and crawling about the flowers. Some, I was able to photograph. Others were far too fast! And then there were those that were too shy to stick around long enough for me to steady the camera in their direction.
Finding so many different critters interested in the chive blossoms made me curious as to their nectar. Is that stuff sweeter than say the roses that were blooming just a few feet away? Does it taste better than the morning glories that fill the fence a directly behind the chive garden? Are moonflowers, lilies and crepe myrtle blooms just not good enough for the bugs? To me, the blossoms always tasted garlicky...these are garlic chives, after all. So what is the big attraction here? If only critters could talk!
