Today, I headed to the garden to plant okra. I had one spot left to dig a single row so that was going to have to do for the moment. A few steps after entering the garden gate, something bright caught my eye. Of course, I whipped the camera in action and proceeded to photograph a critter in the middle of the pathway. Since I had broken my glasses a few days back, I thought I had found a lovely moth! In fact, the colors were so similar to the Scarlet-bodied Wasp Moth, I figured that the thing was another critter that would not do major damage in the garden. Wow. Was I wrong! Without those spectacles, I making a huge mistake.
The critter that I so patiently photographed was the bane of most gardeners (at least those who refuse to douse their plants with harmful chemicals!). The "pretty" critter was a moth alright but not the one I thought. I had just spent ten minutes photographing a Squash Vine Borer Moth!!!! Yep! This was one of those critters that insists on laying its eggs inside the stalk of squash plants. There, the egg hatches and the larva munches on the inside of the stalk while being hidden away from all predators. Ugh!. And to think...I just lifted the critter up and put it on the jasmine vine!
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| Scarlet-bodied Wasp Moth |
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| Squash Vine Borer Moth |
After the photo session, I realized my mistake. Looking at the photos, I could clearly see the critter was not one that I wanted in the garden. Out I raced to hunt down that Squash Vine Borer Moth! I searched and searched the jasmine vine to no avail. I was just about to resign to the fact that there would be no healthy squash plants after today when I spied that critter on a rose bush!
I am happy to say that at least one Squash Vine Borer Moth will not be laying eggs in the garden. Goodbye, Garden Pest! Your mimicking trick did not work this time! Those fuzzy legs gave away your true identity! (Just so you will know, folks, under those top wings, the Squash Vine Borer Moth has the clear "window-pane" wings like the other moth. Blue thorax and fuzzy back legs...dead giveaway!....Oh, and make sure to have glasses handy if you wear them!)
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!
