Making Friends At the Frog Pond

   It has been a while since I have last written anything but, perhaps, this is the start of a regular thing again.  I am gradually starting to feel like my "old self" after a bit of a stressful ailment.  Doctor's orders said "No being out before dawn or tromping through the creek bed without someone else in tow."  That did not set well as both Son and my husband would rather take a leisurely approach to the morning and neither have the time to traipse in search of some critter or odd mushroom.  My ailment, once again, left me to the "Realm of the Small Gardens" where I adjusted my crown and tried to carry on with the day as best I could.  After 6 months of treatment, those rules are starting to loosen a bit which elates me!  

  I did get to go out to the Frog Pond this week to pull a few of the over abundance of water hyacinths.  Those things are relentless!  Thankfully, they contribute a good bit of nutrients to the compost so not all is terrible.  While there, I had a visitor.  A Praying Mantis decided that my shoulder was the perfect perch.  This thing was HUGE!  I guess the mosquitoes in the pond are a tasty treat so I was happy about that.  What I was not so happy about is that these critters will also eat my baby tree frogs!  I am quite sure that the mantis dined upon a few of those, as well.  It is understandable that the mantis must eat to survive but I would prefer it did not eat the cute, little froglets!  After a bit, I gently lifted the mantis off of my shoulder and let it crawl to the wild petunias on the outer edge of the pond.  There, it can patrol the area without worry. 

  For those who think that the Praying Mantids only eat other bugs, there is a great deal of study showing that they eat anything that they can overpower.  If it moves and the mantis can subdue it, that critter becomes breakfast.  The froglets, tiny lizards, spiders...anything is fair game to them!  If you can look closely at the photograph, you will see their front legs are quite spiky which allows the mantis to get a good grip.  Their patience, stealth and strength usually give the insect the upper hand when hunting.  One this size (a good 5 inches in length) eats whatever it wants.  Hopefully, I will find oothecas (egg cases) soon! Carry on, Beautiful Mantis!  It was nice meeting you.

Giving Up Is Not An Option

   Early this morning, I headed to the little Frog Pond to see if our resident watersnake had returned.  Since I could not find her, my thoughts turned to other things...frogs!  The green treefrogs and American toads were singing their beautiful songs last night so the pond was full!  One, in particular, caught my eye as it was far up on one of the grasses.  That was big for a green treefrog!  I admired it for a bit before ambling back to the porch.  As I went passed the storeroom, another critter caught my eye.  A cicada was struggling to keep ahold of the siding as it morphed from its underground phase to its full adult stage.  The poor thing had half pushed its way out of its shed and was dangling precariously backwards!  Its grip on the siding had failed.  The poor thing was not able to right itself from this awkward angle causing it to not be able to finish its job of pulling from the old exoskeleton.  It was stuck.  While this situation was bad enough for the critter, I knew if it fell, things would be drastically worse.  A cicada has to hang vertically for its wings to form and dry. 

  Just as I was pondering whether I should go against Son's advice of never interfering with nature, the poor cicada dropped to the ground.  Oh, geez!  It had fallen right near an ant nest!  Poor little fellow!  Without thinking about that sage advice, I put my hand down next to the critter and allowed it to cling to me.  Now what??  It was time to find a safe place for our friendly critter.  Ahh, yes!  The small, potted quince tree would have to suffice as a temporary "hospital" for the bug.

  The little guy seemed well pleased with its new location and clung to the bark like a boss!  I kept watch on the progress and offered the occasional "moral support" that was needed to finish the process of molting.  It was an amazing experience to watch as the wings unfurled and then were inflated (yes, they inflate) then harden.  This took about an hour. During the hardening, I was a tad worried about its right wing but, in the end, the wing was normal. The adult cicada was gorgeous! Soon, it was able to take flight!  I look forward to hearing its call (or rather the calls of hundreds in the treetops).  I guess I will just have to take it that one of those calls is from the rescued critter.

Unfounded Fear?

   When you are fishing around in the Frog Pond trying to pull out some of the spent water hyacinths, the last thing you need to see is a snake.  For me, it is enough to make the work pause while I determine the type of snake.  Here, we have all kinds...both venomous and nonvenomous so it is always a wise move to verify what type is nearby.  There is absolutely no need to put yourself in danger if said snake is apt to make you wind up in a hospital but, on the other hand, there is absolutely no need to quit work if the snake is a friend.  (Unless, of course, the work was not something you wished to do, in the first place.)  Anyway, the snake was identified and the clearing of hyacinths continued.  This was merely my friendly watersnake so there was nothing alarming...at least, not for me.  The snake may have not appreciated this "monster" messing in its domain but that is a different perspective, altogether.

  Finding the snake in the little pond made me ponder just how many folks are terrified of ANY snake.  I have literally seen people have panic attacks over a black racer so I can only imagine how those same folks would have falsely identified this critter as a cottonmouth.  Where did this intense fear originate?   It cannot be contributed to just a phobia as their stories tend to be a bit on the wild side.  "Snakes are all "poisonous."  Nope...while there  may be "poisonous" snakes somewhere...they are extremely rare and...you have to eat them to be affected by the toxins.  Now...there are "venomous" snakes around here but not ALL are in that category.  Most are nonvenomous.   Then I hear,  "Snakes hunt you down to bite you."  Huh?  Why in the world would they do that?  If a venomous snake does bite you, it is because you invaded its territory.  (Like me wallowing in the Frog Pond.)  A snake has more sense than to waste its venom on something that is not going to fill its belly and, trust me, our snakes are not going to eat you.  They cannot.  They physically cannot.    Finally...they resort to "The only good snake is a dead snake!"  What foolishness is that?  All snakes do good things by keeping other critters in check.  Without them, think of how many rats, mice, insects and other critters would be crawling about the place.  Plus, killing anything just because you do not like it is never the right thing to do.  Live and let live...in peace.  It just makes me ponder. 

 

  Perhaps this is a thing passed down through family members.  Pop made sure we could identify venomous snakes over nonvenomous and to let all live if entirely possible.  Possibly, the fear of snakes is a learned thing simply because no one ever took the time to teach kids which to not handle.  Maybe it was just easier to "scare" kids into not messing with any snakes than to take a few minutes teaching them.  Who knows?  Also, there is a big cultural thing that portrays all snakes as "evil" which is a bunch of crock.  To my experiences, humans are the only species that can possibly be called "evil".  Snakes get a bad rap just like crows, ravens, black cats and even goats.  Those poor critters have been splatted across history as being bearers of bad luck, misfortune and even death.  Once again...a big NOPE.  Some folks just have to create a justification for their own silliness.  Critters are not evil.  Snakes are not evil.  This does not mean critters cannot be dangerous but a bit of commonsense should come into play somewhere.  That said, had my snake been an actual cottonmouth (or any other venomous snake), it would have been removed from the Frog Pond simply because the pond is so near the back door.  The watersnake can stay but I do warn visitors that the critter is there simply to avoid any panic attacks.  Me?  I did get those water hyacinths thinned even with my friend having to be shooed off of some that needed pulling.  It obliged and I continued.  We are a pretty good team!

Arrival of the Toads

  To me, there is nothing better than spying a couple of toads in the gardens.  I try to leave their "dens" (small dugout cubbies) so the critters feel at ease and will continue to reside amongst the vegetable plants and flowers.  Their voracious appetites for bugs works wonders in protecting the plants.  Not only will toads munch down insects, they will quickly down slugs and snails which makes me (and the plants) all the happier.  So, the toads stay...along with frogs, lizards and non-venomous snakes.  All of these are a true gardener's friends.

  On either side of the house, there is a small pond.  One, I named the "Frog Pond" for obvious reasons.  Frogs and toads love this safe place to gather, mate and lay eggs.  It is not uncommon to find thousands of tadpoles hiding under the lily pads and water hyacinths.  The other pond is much smaller so is named "Puddle Pond".  Puddle Pond is merely a catch pool for runoff from the house eaves.  I concreted a small "stream" alongside the length of the house and then down the hillside just a wee bit.  This small pond also has become a haven for treefrogs and toads. Once again, the hyacinths provide a thick protection from predators so the frogs and toads feel safe.  Both ponds are within the gardens so my critter friends do not have far to go to find their dinner.

  This is the time of year for those billion or so tadpoles to start morphing into their adult selves and leave the safety of their watery homes.  One has to be careful when wandering the gardens simply to avoid stepping on these tiny critters.  They are no bigger than a pea and, since the toads are dark in color, hard to see when in mulch.  Thankfully, they are a bit "squishable" and can pull themselves back together if I make a misstep.  

  One such tiny toad was making his exit from the Puddle Pond when I was out and about.  The tiny critter hurriedly hippity-hopped up the concrete "stream" to the chive row where it quickly disappeared under the leaf mulch.  The sighting caused me to smile as I whispered out well-wishes to the wee one.  Now, hopefully, it will avoid the ribbon snake that lives about ten feet further down that stream and the black racer that lives under the plant arbor just to the outside of the chive row.  Be safe, Little One!  You have a big chore ahead of you keeping my garden free from pests!

Patrolling the Frog Pond

   As I was out cutting grass near the Frog Pond, I became aware of the dozens and dozens (if not more) of dragonflies buzzing about my head.  The critters seemed to be everywhere!  I love these things!  The dragonflies were busy darting about the place as they were patrolling the pond and garden.  Here, they were obviously finding plenty to eat with the myriad of mosquitoes, deer flies and other pesky things that would be after my blood as I worked.  I fully appreciate their efforts to keep the area at least somewhat free of the little bloodsuckers.  

  While most of the dragonflies were either green or blue, one in particular caught my eye.  A most beautiful, bright red one would occasionally rest on a dead twig of the satsuma tree.  This critter appeared to be a Red Saddlebags Dragonfly due to the bright red patches on its wings that supposedly resemble saddlebags commonly used on pack animals (mules and horses).  This dragonfly belongs to the skimmer family and is highly territorial which may account for its high perch and its constant darting even against the other dragonflies.  It would pick a target, take flight and then be back on its perch in a matter of seconds.

  Speaking of taking flight, dragonflies are masters!  Their wings can move in different directions allowing to critter to be able to fly up, down, right, left, forward and backwards.  I believe they are the only critter other than hummingbirds that have this ability.  One odd thing that confounds me is that, while a hummingbird's wings beat at around 70 times per second, a dragonfly's wingbeat is less than half that at approximately 30 times per second.  I would have imagined the wingbeats to be near the same to achieve the agility both have.

  The sighting of Captain Saddlebags made me realize that there was nothing to do but stop mowing for a bit and watch the show of him patrolling his territory.  Yes, this is a male as he is bright red whereas a female's colors would be a bit more subdued (almost a rusty color).  I marveled at his agility and persistence.  I sat in awe at his endurance and dominance.  I fully appreciated his appetite for the biting critters that soon brought my stillness to an abrupt halt.  Those deerflies made their presence known so it was time for me to get back to work and not be a still target for their bites.  Carry on, Captain Saddlebags!  Keep the Frog Pond area free of the biting pests.

Same day...two seasons?

   You hear a lot about the crazy weather, as of late.  While it appears that the whole world has been having its share of weird weather related occurrences, it has really has not changed.  Weather has always happened.  What changed is that we are now bombarded with up-to-the-minute "news" about everything.  In other words, we have media overload.  Years back, weather happened everywhere on this old globe but there was not this instantaneous barrage of sensational news headlines to keep us "informed" or rather over informed.  I am not sure it is going to make my day any different if I hear of a rainstorm halfway around the world just as it will not be of importance to anyone on a different continent that the Bayou had an ice storm.  Media overload does nothing but create panic and raises the stress levels.  It is not needed.

  Still...closer to home...as matter of fact...IN my home, it appears that we have had two seasons in one day!  (Now isn't that of the utmost importance?)  I was in the kitchen baking up a batch of Bayou Cheesy Crackers when I noticed the view outside of the kitchen window.  Ahh, lovely!  It was nice to see the deep green leaves of the citrus trees as they are finally looking better after our winter.  Then there were the bright green leaves and red blooms of the Buckeye tree!  Those blooms looked fiery in the bright sunshine!  Springtime was definitely in full swing!  How lovely!  My eyes turned to the other window in the kitchen.  Uh, oh!  The view from that window appeared to be in the dead of winter!  How can that be?  The windows are only about two feet apart yet the views were in such contrast!  The left window showed a happy springtime view where the right one showed browns and grays of winter. 

  Actually, the left window overlooks a part of the yard that was quite dismal just a few weeks ago, the citrus trees had taken a beating but with a lot of trimming and hard work, they are now making a comeback.  The yard is alive again...well, some of it.  The right window overlooks the small Frog Pond backed by the canebrake.  The cane did not fare as well as the other plants and trees.  It is still brown and quite dead looking.  The 500+ canes will need to be cut back and ground for mulch.  Hopefully, new shoots will sprout from the rootstock.  The cutting is something that should have been done weeks ago but other things got in the way.  Now, I hate to do it.  Several birds have nested in the dead canes and small critters have dens among the roots.  All are raising their young and I do not have the heart to disturb that.  The canebrake will have to wait for a more opportune time to be thinned.  

  Still, I found the contrast interesting...on the left, the life only spring can bring and on the right, the death left behind by an unusual ice storm.  Perhaps, I am the only one to view things in this skewed way but, in all fairness, I was not feeling the best today so maybe it is just the brain that is skewed and not the view.  Oh, and yes, I do have hardware cloth on the window (and soon the others).  There are a few of the critters that live around here that stop at nothing to raid a kitchen.  Mere window screens are no match for them!

Another Near Miss

   I have to admit that early this morning, Mark came in like a knight in shining armor to slay the dragon that was a bit to near.  As much as I hate to kill snakes, if a cottonmouth is too close to the Little Bayou House, it has got to go.  My eyesight is not the best by natural aging so any venomous snake in the Small Gardens is a threat.  This morning, I was pulling grasshoppers off of the petunia plants near the little Frog Pond when I had "that feeling".  Looking down near my feet under the petunias was someone that was definitely not the nicest of friends.  Within seconds, the cottonmouth slid down into the water of the pond and turned to literally glare at me.  I guess I disturbed its morning hunt for frogs.   Thankfully, Mark was nearby and came to my rescue!  He trotted off to get the "snake-grabby-things" from the greenhouse while I kept a watchful eye on the snake that was now a mere three feet from where I was standing.  Moments later, my "Knight in Shining Armor" had the serpent clamped in the jaws of his weapon and I was safe!

  Actually, I am more concerned for others that come to the Bayou.  Visitors may not act as calmly as I do which causes a snake to strike.  A snake rarely wastes its venom on someone or something that it does not deem as a threat.  Had I flailed about while screaming, chances are the snake would have reacted to my (unnecessary) actions.  Also, with venomous snakes, I worry about the grandkids.  Kids, being kids, may not notice as snake that is so well camouflaged.

  The snake was disposed and all is well.  I just wish they would learn to stay down in the marsh where they belong.  Then, we could both live in peace.  All non-venomous snakes are quite welcome to live in the Small Gardens.  I have no qualms about sharing that space with them!  Still, I am thankful that Mark was there to come to my rescue!

The Wise Froglet

   If you watch the wild animals that live around you, it becomes apparent that it takes a lot of wit to survive.  Every day, there is a battle to find food and stay safe.  In a sense, it is a never-ending battle.  To my way of thinking, critters are a lot smarter than most people think.  Humans are always touted as "the smartest" or "wisest" but once you get to really studying the lives of critters, you will see that...well...that is probably just not so.  Humans may be smarter in some instances but animals have us beat in many ways.  Not many folks would ever stand a chance of survival in the wild.

  This morning, I was watching as a box turtle slid into the Frog Pond.  She does so daily as she is hunting tadpoles to fill her belly.  There has been competition in the pond lately as a water snake is in the same search.  The defenseless tadpoles seem to be the underdogs in this pond life.  They are soft and squishy with no defense mechanisms going for them whereas the snake and the turtle are stronger, faster and better protected.  I am starting to feel sorry for the tadpoles.  It seems that my once billion or so frogs are fast dwindling to predators.

  As soon as the turtle slid into the pond to forage beneath the waterlilies, a slight movement on the far side of the pond caught my eye.  One tiny froglet had climbed out of the water and slowly made its way up the stem of a Mexican Petunia  (Ruellia Simplex).  I shifted my position to get a better look at the tiny frog.  The little one was still morphing from being a tadpole as it had a tiny tail.  Even at that wee age, the frog knew it had to vacate the pond to escape being eaten.  It sought the supposed safety of land versus the dangerous water.  Little did it know that now it had other predators to fear.  Cats, coons, snakes, birds, lizards, other frogs and many other critters would be on the lookout for an easy meal.  Poor little froglet would have to learn how to hide and learn that art quickly. 

  Being a frog for only minutes, the little critter was already pretty smart.  After sunning for a brief time, it carefully made its way to the blackberry vines.  It clung to the bottom of a leaf in the midst of a veritable fortress of thorns.  The little frog could gain strength here and perhaps even catch a few tiny flies that were visiting the (past prime) berries.  Hopefully, the froglet will stay safe and that circle of life can continue.  In the meantime, a lot of its siblings were being chased relentlessly in the pond.  Life in the wild is not easy....critters have to be smart.  Good luck, tiny froglet!  You are going to need it.  I wish you well.

Tiny Critter In A Big, Scary World!

   Early this morning, Son and I were out doing a bit of yardwork when he called out to me.  "We have another snake in the pond."  Thinking the water snake that I just so carefully moved to the marsh had somehow made its way back to the pond already or perhaps another cottonmouth had invaded our territory, I asked "What type?"  His response went something like "Dunno.  But it is tiny."  Well, that left me with no other option than to go identify our wayward snake.  

  Sure enough...it WAS tiny!  An eighteen inch ribbon snake floated on the still waters of the little pond.  Ahh, so that is where my baby frogs have gone!  Son and I watched the tiny, slender snake as it made its way from the water hyacinths to the edge of the pond.  The little thing was not frightened of us which causes me a bit of worry.  That rascally cat may just catch the tiny critter.  Bat has been known to tackle much larger snakes....even venomous ones. 

  Hopefully, the ribbon snake will stay in the middle of the pond among the hyacinths and waterlilies.  There, it would be safe from any larger predators.  Everything from the cat to raccoons would pounce on this wee one.  Stay safe, my friend, stay safe!

Not a Pond Friend or...Bat is My Hero!

   The last post was about a lovely watersnake that visited the Frog Pond.  I was sure in hopes to see the snake stay as I am rather fond of most snakes.  I had even called the critter a "friend".  Then...another visitor and something that may not have ended too well for me.  If it had not been for the intervening of another friend, I could have been quite ill right now. 

  Yesterday morning, I opened the back door to let the cat out for his morning prowl.  He usually bounds out and heads to the Frog Pond to investigate what changed overnight.  This time, it was different.  He leapt off the deck and froze.  He did not move a muscle but only listened.  He sensed something was not right.  Thinking that the bobcat may have been still nearby after his nightly patrol, I stayed on the deck sweeping the dead leaves that had fallen from the pear trees.  Bat, the cat, did not move.  

  Finally, I decided to walk around a bit to ease the cat's mind.  He went to the far side of the Frog Pond and I stayed on the path between the pond and the house.  I was barefooted so I was careful about how I stepped on the gravel path but obviously not too observant.  A tablesaw covered by a tarp was alongside of the path.  Son had not had time to put it back in the shed the night before but, little did I know, that something was lurking under that tarp.. Suddenly, Bat barreled across the yard and under that tarp.  A huge tussle was taking place just inches from my feet!  Just as I was about to lift the tarp thinking I had to rescue some hapless critter, a snake slithered from underneath.  Bat's attack was ruthless as he chased the 3ft+ snake toward the pond.  Several times, the snake turned to face the cat but Bat was too quick and would leap behind the snake.  As soon as the snake got into the open where the morning light was a bit brighter, I realized that this was a cottonmouth.  "BAT! COME!"  I yelled for my sweet cat!  He was having no part of listening as he focused on his attack.  The snake made a hasty retreat for the small concrete pond.  Bat darted underneath the house once he realized that he could no longer continue his attack.  My heart sunk as I fretted over Bat perhaps being bitten but I really had to figure out how to get the snake out of the pond.  (I have a sweet little niece coming to visit and I sure do not want a moccasin anywhere near, if I could help it.)

  Knowing that the pond holds a little over 600 gallons of water and was filled with water hyacinths and lilies, I was in a quandary.  Keeping watch on the snake lying atop some lilies, I eased around the back side to pull the hose from the fountain.  At least that would drain some of the water making the exit of the snake a bit harder.  Then with a 5 gallon bucket, I bailed...and bailed...and bailed all the while keeping an eye on that snake.  Ugh!  This is way too much work on an old lady!  Finally, I felt comfortable enough to rush inside and call to Son to get out of bed and come help get the critter! 

  As much as I hate killing any critter, this one sadly had to go.  Son pinned the snake to the bottom with a flat hoe and I flipped it into the 5 gallon bucket.  That done, the snake was "taken care of" and disposed.  That...was no pond friend.  Now, my attention could be turned to my heroic cat!  Where was Bat and had he received another snake bite.  He was bitten (dry bite) by a cottonmouth just about a year ago and was quite sick for a few days.  I called...and hunted.  Finally, Bat came.  He looked none the worse for wear and after a thorough examination, I found no bite marks.  I sighed with relief and hugged my protector.  Oh, Bat!  You are truly amazing!   What a hero!

Pond Friends

   Sometimes you can go your whole life without seeing something that is supposedly rather common.  There can be several reasons for this not excluding the "seeing but not identifying" or the "overlooking the obvious".  I have a tendency to try to identify everything that is in my realm.  The Bayou offers a plethora of critters and plants...all which interest me.  It goes without saying that I do misidentify some and always am open to receiving any definite identifying marks if I am incorrect.  It helps me to learn.

  While out pulling the overgrowth of water hyacinths from the little Frog Pond, I came across the cutest snake. At first glance, I knew it was not a cottonmouth so I felt safe being knee-deep in the same waters with the critter.  I finished my chore with the snake not making an effort to move except off of any plant that I grabbed.  Finally, I was able to step out of the pond, grab the camera and get some photos of my new-found friend.  I figured I could call it a friend after spending an hour or so together in the same shallow pond.  We were now friends!  After looking closely at the little snake and then later at the photographs, I became even more excited.  From all the information I can gather, this is (hopefully) a Mississippi Green Watersnake!  Why does this make me so excited?  These snakes are relatively common but I have never actually seen one up close and personal.

  With the snaky in the pond, I am noticing less and less frogs.  My little snake friend will soon be huge and the pond will be void of the froggies.  Perhaps, then, I will have to rename to oversized puddle as "Snake Pond" and be happy with the new resident.  Although I shall miss the frogs, I welcome this new friend.  Froggies can move over to Puddle Pond with its Pebble Creek.

Take A Few Minutes To Be Kind

   With the summer's heat kicking it in high gear, most outdoor chores are attempted at daylight.  This morning saw me doing some trimming around the little Frog Pond and down around the blackberry vines.  It took nigh on three hours of cutting to finish the task that I had in mind to do but I was determined to keep at it.  While trimming near the little pond, I had to push deep into the ruby lilies.  Once there, I had to linger just a bit to converse with a sweet friend.  On one of the large lily leaves sat the cutest frog ever found!  Even though I was pushing that weedwhacker right up under the critter, it never moved.  It was a good ten minutes beforeI realized the poor thing was there. Once I did, I slowly moved back a bit as to not frighten it any more than I already had.  I felt bad as this must have been a pretty terrifying thing for the froggy!

  Turning off the machine and setting it aside, I decided to "apologize" for the disturbance.  Actually, that apology was more like a photo session but I did calmly talk to the frog.  Hopefully, it understood that I was after the weeds and not it!  Sometimes we all need to be reminded to check our surroundings before just plowing in.  I have a tendency to not do this.  In reality, however, it could save a life...a critter's...or even your own.  Had there been a cottonmouth hiding there instead of a frog, this might have been a different story altogether.  Folks, be careful and simply be aware of your surroundings.  That is always a good thing.  Happily, Froggy was none the worse for wear after this incident!

Super Tall Ferns!

   I am always pondering what plants I can get for free as free is always good!  Let me wander back into the creek and my whole vision is nothing but how I can use the plants in the yard.  This usually finds me heading back the next day with a shovel and wheelbarrow to dig up anything interesting.  I am a firm believer that you should always leave some healthy plants behind as to not deplete the beauty of that area just to transfer it elsewhere.  This comes from my herbal use and is called wildcrafting.  You never take all.

  Yesterday, I wandered to the creek and found ferns!  Huge ferns!  Almost as tall as me ferns!  So, a bit of research was done today to see if these would do well if transplanted.  The ferns in question are Cinnamon Ferns or Osmunda cinnamomea.  They get their common name because of the cinnamon colored spore bearing fronds.  These ferns have always intrigued me just because they get so huge (up to six feet tall!).  In my study, it became apparent that, like most ferns, Cinnamon Ferns need a lot of water.  Well, that can be arranged!  A large pot set in the Frog Pond would suffice.  As soon as I feel well enough or as soon as Son has a free day, I do think it is time for a Cinnamon Fern to move up the hill a bit.

Underwater Spiders!

   This yardwork is about to get the best of me.  I am tired.  Today besides clearing a lumber pile left from storm debris, I cleaned Frog Pond.  That was no easy task.  I am having second thoughts of even having the little pond.  Perhaps it is time to get a few loads of dirt and just fill it.  No more cleaning...but that means no more frogs.  

  While I was knee-deep in the mucky-yucky water, a light movement to my left caught my eye.  Yep, a huge fishing spider was skipping across the water's surface.  The spider made it safely to the pond edge so there was no worries.  Not that I needed to fret over the spider as it is adept at taking care of itself.  A bit later, a thought came to me as I watched the spider cling to the slippery edge.  Perhaps I should extend a helping hand.  As soon as I dipped my hand in the water to lift the spider, it dove underwater!  I was able to watch the spider actually crawl on the pond's bottom!  How neat was that? 

  This is a six spotted fishing spider.  It is known to live around ponds and marshes.  These spiders can actually stay underwater for about a half hour!  Last week when I cleaned Puddle Pond, I was literally accosted by hundreds of baby fishing spiders!  More care had to be taken with the tiny critters than this larger one.  I felt bad that some surely met their demise due to my sloshing around in that pond but, hopefully, plenty of them survived. They are neat critters and are good to have in the gardens.

Cool Critters!

   While wildlife abounds here on the Bayou, I have to admit that lately I have been smitten with the dragonflies.  Perhaps this is due to the swarms of mosquitoes this summer and the dragonflies fancy for them but I find myself back by the little Frog Pond or next to Puddle Pond more than I should be.  I am mesmerized by the dragonflies!  It seems that there is something magical about these creatures.  They appear to be delicate and fragile but are some of the most fierce hunters (for their size).  They can out maneuver any other flying creature and, in a single snap, have their prey.  They hunt while on the wing then rest on a twig as they await their next prey to enter.  Fascinating!

Cool facts!

 ...Dragonflies have four wings that they can control separately.

...Dragonflies can fly sideways and backwards.

...Dragonflies' heads are basically all eyes.

...Dragonfly larvae can live up to two years underwater.

...Dragonflies can eat up to a hundred mosquitoes during a single day.

...Dragonflies actually catch their prey with their feet.

The Wrong Spots

   So here is one for you!  Have you ever really looked at a fishing spider?  You know, up close and personal looking at it?  The sort of "in your face" closeness?  I have and they are beautiful!   

  This morning, I spent my time pulling hundreds of water hyacinths out of the Frog Pond.  Those thing are beautiful but so very invasive.  While they may clog up ponds and other waterways, they do have one good use.  They make grand fertilizer for the garden and that is the only reason I keep them in the ponds.  The things grow relentlessly so I have a steady source of free fertilizer!  It was while I was doing that chore that I found my lovely friend.

  About halfway through the task, I noticed that I had disturbed the spider.  She was not real happy that her home and hunting ground were growing smaller and smaller with each plant removed from the pond.  My sloshing soon chased her up the side of the pond and onto the old tarp that I was using to haul the plants to the compost.  There she sat.  Well, that ended that!  Not wanting to hurt my friend, I left off work and started spider watching. 

 

  This was a Six Spotted Fishing Spider. One might think that the name comes from the white spots on her abdomen but, if you check, you will find there are more than six spots.  Well, now!  That is confusing!  Maybe this was not a six spot but an eight spot or even a ten spot...depending on how many spots there are.  Nope.  She was, indeed, a six spot!  I was just looking at the wrong spots.  If you are brave enough to check under the bottom of the two and a half inch spider, you will find that she has six dark spots underneath.  Those white spots are not the cause of her name. 

  Nope.  I did not harass the spider to merely count her spots.  I shall take the experts word for it.  This lovely spider shall not be bothered any further.  I shall let her live in peace.

Bullfrog Morning

   While I was still sipping that first cup of coffee, the frogs serenading me were starting that slow decline in their activity.  Not long after sunrise, they would quit for the day and seek shelter in the cooling shade.  There, they would hide from the world for the day only to start their "business" come nightfall.  Most frogs prefer to be nocturnal simply because their skin dries so quickly.  The nights are cooler and more moisture is in the air.  It is then that my froggy friends will be busy patrolling the gardens for those pesky bugs!

  It was just after the sun started peeping over the pines that I found one large bullfrog still on "night duty".  He was slowly making his way back to the Frog Pond after getting his belly full of bugs.  Since there was not much else to do, I decided to watch the bullfrog for a few moments.  He seemed to be boss of the frogs in the pond.  I noticed how the much smaller tree frogs made sure to stay far from the bullfrog as they would have become prey for this voracious feeder.  Contrary to popular belief, frogs do not eat just insects.  Large bullfrogs will eat anything they can overpower.  The frogs are vicious predators that will swallow, not only insects, but lizards, smaller frogs, small snakes and even hummingbirds, if they get too close.   

  Mr. Frog made his way back into the dark waters of the Frog Pond just as the sun started shooting beams through the garden.  His duties were over for the day.  Time for rest.  He just had to find a safe place for a nap or, he too, would be prey to some larger creature.  So goes life on the Bayou.

A New Favorite!

   Well, I think I just found my new favorite insect!  While out this morning, I noticed a tiny damselfly flitting about the Frog Pond.  Oh, my goodness!  I was so in hopes that this beautiful, little insect was careful not to get too close to those old frogs! Thankfully, it stayed far enough away to avoid being zapped by a froggy tongue.  I watched the damselfly for a few minutes then decided I needed to learn a bit more about this graceful creature.  After snapping a couple of photos, I headed back inside to do some research.

  All I read was just about what I knew already.  Damselflies are related to dragonflies.  They are much smaller with small eyes (in proportion to their heads) compared to the dragonflies large eyes.  Damselflies lay their eggs in fresh water.  Their nymphs have voracious appetites and seem to love mosquito nymphs and bloodworms.  These creatures fold their wings back on their bodies when at rest.  Damselflies work together to catch swarming termites. 

  Wait!  What??? Termites?  Yep!  It seems that adult damselflies love to eat the soft-bodied termites!  Oh, my goodness!  I love this creature!  The Mississippi Gulf Coast has been seeing an increasing amount of termite swarms each spring.  Those critters literally can shut down the town as people go into hiding with lights out.  Millions of the termites take to the skies in the early evening and get into everything...hair, clothing, nose, ears, eyes...ugh!  Now, I find that the damselflies eat termites and I am determined to find a way to attract more to the place.  I would much rather have those than termites...ANY DAY!

Smile of the Dragonfly

   Yesterday seemed to be a day filled with dragonflies.  It was odd since most were blue and most were happily flitting about the Frog Pond but nary a one near Puddle Pond.  It always delights me to be working in the midst of these darting critters.  I feel as if they are protecting me from mosquitoes and deer flies.  Plus, the dragonflies are just so pretty...voracious predators but pretty just the same.

  Now a quick question.  Have you ever taken a few moments to truly look at a dragonfly?  I mean truly...closeup...inspect?  They are wonderful creatures that are perfectly made for flight and catching prey on the wing but today's inspection is more personal.  Dragonflies all seem to have a huge smile!  (Yes, I know...human traits given to critters and all that.)  Still, they have the appearance that they are just plumb enjoying life!  

  Dragonflies supposedly symbolize living freely and, by the looks on their faces, it agrees with them.  Perhaps that is what it takes to be happy.  Being free-spirited can be a good route to happiness.  Let things go and just enjoy what is before you.  Dragonflies obviously have that down pat!  Smile, folks, it does everyone a load of good

As Cool as a Dragonfly?

   Today was full of chores even though I felt like I should have stayed in bed.  The past week has seen me feeling quite poorly.  The body is getting old and has to have the brain reprimand it sometimes.  "Get up.  Get moving. Get better."  Good thoughts, anyway.  So, I got up canned peaches, did the laundry and swept the floors before daybreak.  Then, it was out to pick plums before the squirrels and coons got them.  Seems such a waste that they will not eat the whole fruit.  One bite and drop.  Frustrating, to say the least.

  While picking the plums, I noticed that the Frog Pond was completely being overrun by the water hyacinths so that became the next chore.  Pull out about half of the plants and compost them.  The pond would be a much happier place after being unclogged.  While there, a blue dragonfly kept flitting about my head.  Finally, it came to rest on the top of a dead branch of the small willow.  By this time, the sun was beating down upon us both.  I was sweltering!  So a break was needed.  Sitting on the old bench beneath the plum tree, I had the perfect view of the dragonfly.  

  Have you ever taken note of how a dragonfly perches itself on a branch?  Usually, the critter is horizontal with wings spread (always) but if the day is extremely hot, they take a different position.  The tail is pointed straight up and at the sun!  Unusual but effective as a method of keeping cool.  By pointing the tail at the sun, it reduces the surface of the dragonfly that the sun can hit.  The dragonfly literally stays cool by "making itself smaller".  Not that it changes size but it reduces the surface where the sun hits.  Smart critter!

 As I sat there pondering heat, dragonflies and chores, it hit me that I needed to get myself out of that heat and get a drink of cooling water.  Perhaps the next chores should be done indoors.  Folks, stay hydrated and cool!  It is hot out there!