Pear Condemenium

This pear tree died several years ago,

I left it for a perch for any bird that might be interested in nesting there.

Obviously, it has had previous occupants.

Then today, three or four bluebirds showed interest in the dead tree.

I started getting excited.

They checked the dead tree and its surroundings.

 I was sure they would nest in such a “perfect” place.

Well, it turned out they didn’t stay and use any of the holes for nesting.

I still keep my fingers crossed and hope they … or another pair return.

Wonders Never Cease

 Common Milkweed

Four common milkweed plants grow beside the back garage (which will be torn down this summer).

A few insects visit the flowers,

and a white crab spider hides on the underneath side of one of the leaves. The spider can change colors to match the color of the flower it’s on.

Spider Egg Cases?

I’m not sure if this “line” is for spider of eggs, are spider eggs, or they have spiderlings in each small wooly mass?

These were small and tricky to photograph.

I’m not really sure what’s in the white fuzzy small masses. They don’t look like eggs to me. I wonder if each is a spider egg sac?

Monarch Chrysalis

On one of my walks around the backyard looking for spiders, I found a monarch butterfly chrysalis in an old garage that will be torn down soon.

I watched the chrysalis— daily, waiting for the butterfly to emerge.

Then the chrysalis turned slightly darker.  I expected the butterfly to emerge soon … It did, but I wasn’t there to watch it.

Obelisk Position

I was out early this morning for my daily spider hunt.

Then I got side tracked by this dragonfly in its obelisk position. This position reduces the amount of sun/heat on the dragonfly.

Red Eared Slider

A  red-eared slider

“There’s a turtle in the back of the backyard,” shouted my husband.

I didn’t have any problems catching up with it. The angle it was walking toward the house made it easy to get close for taking pictures.

The male and female red-eared sliders both have a red patch on the side of their head.

They mate between mid-March and mid-June here in southern Illinois, and are active until mid October.

Spiderwort

 

Spiderwort flowers bloom among my other spring wildflowers.

Two clumps of them grow in my spring wildflower garden (between the pine and hackberry tree) where they attract small insects.

An occasionally breeze blew this flower and made it look like a flying “butterfly.”

There are several species of spiderworts (Tradescantia)

… and this one posed to have its picture taken.