BEAUTY AND THE BEAST IN ONE NEAT LITTLE PACKAGE

When we went on a walk the other day, ending up at the Walney Visitor Center, what I was looking for were butterflies. I didn't see one unfortunately, not even skippers, but there were lots of bees, a few milkweed bugs and an interesting, pretty little creature that you can see in my next photo. I found it on a milkweed plant. I thought to myself what a little beauty. When I got home, I found that this was Beauty and the Beast in one neat little package.

What I read surprised me and I was disheartened by my find. It is an Invasive Spotted Lanternfly nymph. What strikes me is that they are the most beautiful insect but horribly destructive to crops. Because they are an invasive pest in Virginia, local agricultural departments strongly encourage residents to destroy them.

These nymphs go through four developmental stages (instars) and I am getting all this from Google). The first three are black with bright white spots, while the final stage turns bright red with black stripes and white spots. They are wingless, powerful jumpers and feed on plant sap, excreting a sticky substance called honeydew.

These are their four distinct stages: nymphs hatch from over-wintered egg masses in late April or early May. They grow through molting stages (instars) before transforming into adults in mid-to-late July.

1st to 3rd Instar: very small about 1/4 inch wingless and black with distinctive white spots.

4th Instar: larger (about 1/2 inch) and bright red with black stripes and white spots. This seems to be the one I found.

Diet and Damage: nymphs use straw-like mouthparts to pierce the tender stems and foliage of over 70 plant species, extracting nutrient-rich sap. While feeding, they excrete excess sugary fluid called "honeydew", mentioned earlier. 

Sooty Mold Threat: the excreted honeydew coats surrounding plants and surfaces, promoting the growth of a thick black "sooty mold" that blocks sunlight and can harm or kill the host plants.

Jumping ability: because they don't have wings yet, nymphs can't fly but they have strong hind legs and will jump and hop rabidly when disturbed.

Here's a YouTube on how we can take steps to get rid of them and there is plenty of other information online if you have found them in your area. 

The following photos were on Wikipedia here and where you can see the adult. Quite beautiful as you can see from the middle photo at the bottom.

According to a study done by Penn State, this YouTuber says they have caused $50,000,000 worth of damage, and the loss of 500 jobs per year.

This was only my second introduction to the Spotted Lanternfly. The last one I saw was an adult in a Winchester shopping center three years ago. I had no clue as to what it was but I remember thinking it was one of the most beautiful moths I had ever seen. However, it isn't a moth despite its moth-like wings. It is actually an invasive planthopper that belongs to the order Hemptera (which includes true bugs, cicadas and aphids). Moths belong to the order Lepidoptera. And now I know.

Have you seen them in your area?

Thanks for looking and hope you are all staying cool in all this heat. To those of you on the other side, hope you are staying warm.

ANN'S 4TH OF JULY CARD PLUS...

A few things today but first of all I wanted to share and thank Ann for her lovely 4th of July card. It's beautiful. All the components go so well together, a lovely color and pattern combination. 

Thank you Ann! 

Whenever I think you can't send anything prettier than what you have sent before, you do! It's beautiful!

I enjoy Ann’s blog too. It’s called Ann’s Snap Edit Scrap and you can click here to visit. 

I also want to thank everyone who sent me a birthday card, family and friends, and to everyone for your birthday wishes. It was lovely getting all of them.You are all very special and kind.

Not only that, but many of you gave great advice on my birthday meal. I still can't quite believe that ever happened. Not even a cheerful countenance and pleasant conversation saved that dinner, and letting me know what you would have done, gave me a clearer mind about it all. But there you go, into every sunny day a little rain falls to remind us not to take these things for granted. The lady avatar above I put together a few days later just for fun, and the eye rolling gave me a smile. It was like looking in the mirror, wink, wink! 

I was given a lovely birthday gift, which I will share later when I have it set up. The gift I can show you now are these. A pair of dangly earrings that I saw the other day and were a birthday gift to myself. I couldn't resist them. They are just costume jewelry, nothing expensive but I was drawn to them. Just for fun I tucked them into a sunflower for the photo.

My birthday flowers from Gregg, son and daughter-in-law. Those put a smile on my face too. I have separated them into vases and placed them around the family room.

I am a little late answering your comments. Over the last few days I have felt slightly under the weather. I went out in the heat and think I overdid it, even though I took my container of water with me to stay hydrated and wore my sun hat. I should have known to turn back earlier but I can become laser focused when looking for those butterflies! I have been out a few times to get some exercise, but today I knew better and made it a very short one. 

We went over to Walney Visitor Center to see if we could see butterflies but didn't even see a Skipper. A few bees and... 

a couple of interesting insects. The one below looks like the kind Ginny identified the other day, a milkweed bug. There weren't many but I expect they will soon be abundant. It seemed to be very taken with the milkweed pods.

I saw a hummingbird but not close enough to take a photo. It was for the mind's eye only and what a treat. Everywhere there have been mushrooms. Must have been all that rain we've had!

That's it for now. Thank you again for your delightful 4th of July card Anne, and everyone else for my birthday cards, wishes and great advice. Thank you for helping me feel better after my birthday post. You are all the best!

Take good care of yourselves, don't stay too long out in that heat like I did. I wish you a wonderful rest of the week.

SILVER-SPOTTED SKIPPER, WILD BERGAMOT AND CRIMSON BERGAMOT

An area we often go to has a garden bed in front of the old house full of flowers for pollinators. I was hoping to see butterflies and I did (sort of), but not the kind I was hoping for. The lady closing up the visitor center saw me looking and started chatting to me. I asked her if she had seen any butterflies. She mentioned a couple of swallowtails earlier in the day but there were none to be found. I instead found Skippers and I was delighted that they appeared for a little while. I am hoping once it gets warmer, I will be there to see other flutter-byes. 

This was a Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus). Skippers are a type of butterfly and belong to the butterfly family Hesperiidae, but there are a few generalities about skippers that set them apart from other butterflies. They are much smaller, usually with wingspans no more than 1-1/4 inches. They also have short, stocky bodies compared to butterflies and fly much faster, reaching speeds of over 30 mph while flying. (Butterflies clock in between 5 mph and 12 mph.) 

Skippers in general get their name because of their fast, darting flight pattern, which makes it look like they are skipping through the air. The Silver-spotted Skipper get its name because of the striking, metallic-silver patch on the underside of their hindwings. This particular type of Skipper is widely regarded as the most recognized and widespread skipper in North America, stretching from southern Canada down into northern Mexico. 

This one landed on a Wild Bergamot flower, also called Beebalm. It is native to North America and naturally widespread across the continent, covering most of the United States and southern Canada, ranging from the East Coast to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. These looked a little past their peak blooming time, but the little skipper was happy.  

I very much enjoyed finding information online about these flowers and learned that Wild bergamot has been a plant of cultural significance, particularly among Native American tribes. It was commonly used in ceremonies and believed to have protective and purifying properties. One remarkable legend speaks of wild bergamot being used by the Lakota people as a spiritual safeguard during the Sun Dance, one of the most important traditions for Plains Indians. 

Above is the Crimson Bee Balm, also native to North America. Its colors can be brilliant crimson, scarlet red or deep pink. It is also called Oswego Tea because early American colonists and Native Americans brewed its fragrant leaves for tea.

I hope you have enjoyed looking, thank you so much for visiting!  I wish you a very enjoyable continued week.

HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE - FROM OUR LAST VISIT T0 WALNEY VISITOR CENTER

You can enlarge all the photos for better detail and an easier read.

I have always enjoyed an old Black Walnut Tree that is situated not too far away from the old house (now the visitor center). It stands about 100 feet tall. I had to be careful where I walked on the grass and finally chose to go back to the pathway. The seed pods lay everywhere, and they were approximately 2 inches in diameter, many hidden by long grass - bumps and ankle twisters. I also wouldn't like to be under that tree when one fell. Like we wouldn't stand under a tree during a thunderstorm, we shouldn't be standing under trees when we see dozens of seed pods lying on the ground. It made sense to move out of their way. Below you can see Gregg's photo as he holds one. They seem quite dense and heavy.

I think someone had placed the following in a row. Children would be automatically drawn to them, adults too if we are anything to go by.

They will decompose eventually, turn black and leave behind a hard-shelled nut that is edible after processing. If you know enough to do that, you will be rewarded with a nut that is considered a superfood. It has a high protein and healthy fat content, rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. A great source of polyunsaturated fats, omedga-3s, fiber and manganese, and are linked to benefits like improved heart health. So, there you go, if you know what you are doing, it would be fun to plant a walnut tree, whether it be black walnut or the regular kind. The regular walnut offer overall more antioxidants. Best to read all this yourself, plenty info online, or even ask your doctor or a nutritionist if you would like more info. Interesting website here that shares its health benefits. Maybe you grow them yourselves and can offer some experience. 

These trees can last between 200 and up to 250 years old. The productive life for walnut trees producing nuts in orchards is typically much shorter, around 30 to 50 years.

There are 21 species of walnut trees in the world. They are found across the Northern Hemisphere, from Europe and Asia to North and South America. The English walnut is one of the most commercially important species, known for its edible nuts, and another important species is the black walnut as mentioned in my blog post. Black walnut is also prized for its lumber.

 I also read that all species of deciduous trees 

can grow quite tall, that they have leaves made up of 

multiple leaflets, and are also monoecious, meaning 

they produce both male and female flowers on the 

same tree. 

The plant in the photo above called Wingstem. It is 

native to North America. As I have gone on long 

enough about the walnut tree, I figured I would just 

leave the link for you to read if you would like to 

know more.

And that's where I end this post.

MILKWEED PODS AND SEEDS AT WALNEY VISITOR CENTER

 In the front garden bed in front of the old house, now the visitor center, there are several Milkweed plants. There is an initiative to plant Milkweed throughout North America, to help save the Monarch Butterfly. This simple looking plant could be key to saving our much-treasured Monarch. 

The Milkweed is vital to the survival of Monarch butterflies. They lay their eggs on milkweed and the caterpillars feed on the leaves, making it the only food source for them. There are over 100 species of Milkweed in North America and while the plant is toxic, some insects can tolerate its sap and benefit from its defenses. 

I was happy to see the milkweed floss that had escaped from the pods. I haven't seen it in this stage in I can't remember when. They were a beautiful sight to see, especially with the sunlight on them. 

Milkweed has a history of helping humans also, from weaving to medicine, and its fluffy seeds provided fiber for life preservers. Another interesting website on medicinal benefits can be found here. 

Milkweed seeds are attached to the silky hairs, forming fluffy parachutes that allow them to be carried by the wind for dispersal. 

The large pods are called follicles. These are stuffed with tiny seeds, each bearing a bunch of silken, fluffy hairs called the coma. When the follicles ripen, they split open and the seeds are carried off in the wind by their plumes of fluffy hairs. 

The pappus, the fluffy hairs making up the coma, are hypoallergenic and super soft. They can be used for making allergy-free pillow stuffing and blankets. 

They were also used in life preservers during World War II when the makers were no longer able to get the material from the Kpok Tree.

That's all for today's post. It has been interesting for me to find out more about this plant.

Thanks for visiting and 

I hope your week has gone well.

THE TATARIAN ASTER

 I have seen asters before but never identified them specifically. I was taken with these which I saw at Walney Visitor Center yesterday (10-5-25). They were in the flower bed at the front of the house.  

In my search for its ID, I came up with the Tatarian Aster (you can click on its name to learn more and by all means, let me know if you disagree. I am always learning here). A lot of the plants have long passed their blooming, but it was still a pleasure to see what was left. Even those that had lost all their petals and leave dried out, were beautiful. 

"Tatarian aster is deeply rooted in Eastern folklore and traditional practices, often featured in ancient texts. Its robust presence symbolizes endurance and resilience, echoing through poems and songs that celebrate the tenacity of life despite the challenges. Unfortunately, specific legends are scarce due to the tatarian aster's humble aesthetic and lack of flamboyance compared to other floral species."...from my plant app Picture This.

Tatarian Aster is native to Eastern Asia, with its natural range including Siberia, Mongolia, northern China, Korea and Japan. It has a long history of use as a medicinal herb in China and an edible vegetable in Korea, but is now primarily cultivated as an ornamental in other parts of the world, including the United States. It was introduced to North America and other areas in the early 19th century, where it is now widely grown as a garden plant.

Planted in the full sun it will withstand a wide variety of soil types, though it prefers good drainage. Lights soils may lead to it spreading in the garden a bit too rapidly. This plant can be considered somewhat weedy.

It tolerates the heat and humidity of southern summers well and is an excellent choice for a late-season pollinator plant, providing nectar for butterflies, moths, bees and other pollinators when many plants are finished blooming. This is a tall plant, best used at the back of a wide border or in a naturalized area. You can find more at the link I provided above.

Thanks for looking everyone. 

I hope your week is going well.

A FLOWER OF THE COTTON PLANT

This post was originally written in 2011. In more recent visits I haven't seen this plant, so I am glad I have these to remember them.

Sharing again from my archives, this is the flower of the cotton plant. I was very surprised when I walked through the garden near the visitors' center at Walney to find these pretty blooms. I was even more surprised after discovering the blooms were from a cotton plant. I had never seen one before and in pictures had only seen those fluffy balls of cotton before they are harvested.

I have since learned that there are several species of 'wild cotton' (cotton that grows uncultivated in the world). They have been found in Australia, Africa, Arizona, Central America, Lower California, Brazil, Mexico and other tropical countries and islands.

Because of problems with their refinement, they are not economically feasible to use. Through genetic assistance and breeding, today's cottons have evolved from these 'wild' sources and are more processing friendly.

Currently there are five prominent types of cotton being grown commercially around the world. They are Egyptian, Sea Island, American Pima, Asiatic and Upland. Because of their need for a long, sunny growing period with at least 160 frost free days, they are grown between latitudes 45 degrees north and 30 degrees south. The major producing countries within this region are the United States, People's Republic of China, India, Pakistan, and Republic of Uzbekistan. Also, Brazil, Australia, Egypt, Argentina, Turkey, Greece, Syria and other produce significant but lesser amounts.

In the U.S. there are 14 major cotton growing states that produce Upland Cotton. They are Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Some cotton is also grown in Florida, Kansas and New Mexico.

American Pima Cotton is grown in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. All these states form a region in the United States called the Cotton Belt and have three things in common, lots of sunshine, water and fertile soil, very important to growing a good cotton crop.

I found all my information and a lot more at this website.

Thank you for visiting and as always, I hope you have a great day.