[tn-bird] a little more on hawk or sphinx moths...
- From: jreese5@xxxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2002 16:53:27 -0500
I had written a column last year that dealt with these insects a bit, i=
f
you care to read it, continue down this message...one "bad" thing, is t=
hat
the tomato hornworm is one species of sphinx moth if I'm not mistaken..=
.
Quiet Riot in the Garden
I sat on the porch eating chilled cantaloupe this weekend and marveled =
at
all the commotion. Squeaking, whirring, wheeling through the air inches=
from my head, hummingbirds battle furiously over the five feeders that =
I
hustle to keep filled. Experimenting to see if they prefer a particular=
feeder or a particular feeder's placement, I've found that certain feed=
ers
empty fastest no matter where I place them. Possibly it's the ease of
access to the sugar water aperture. I wonder if the hummers could stop
fighting for just a minute to fill out a feeder evaluation!
I like to keep tabs on flowers most frequented by hummingbirds. This da=
y's
roster includes lantana, verbena, canna, Salvia coccinea, Salvia greggi=
i,
pentas, and catmint. The bees and butterflies seem to like those, too, =
but
they also pay avid attention to the blossoms on fennel, dill, cosmos,
zinnia. sunflower, hibiscus, and basil.
Another winged visitor seems to be a bumblebee, but something doesn't l=
ook
quite right. The wide feathery antenna give it away as a moth. Sometime=
s
called beehawk, this is a day-feeding hawkmoth protected from predators=
by
its resemblance to a bumblebee. Hawkmoths are an especially interesting=
group of moths, a few as large as hummingbirds. Some species may even
resemble hummingbirds in their feeding habits, hovering and dipping int=
o
blooms..
There were memorable summer evenings at my mother's when we were witnes=
s to
a dreamy rendezvous between hawkmoths and moonflower. Moonflower's larg=
e
white blossoms open up rather quickly at sundown, like time-lapse
photography, and the hawkmoths knew exactly when to be there. They woul=
d
suspend themselves on silent wings just in front of the spreading petal=
s to
glide in for first reward. If you haven't grown moonflower, it's relate=
d to
morning glory and is easily grown from seed. Be sure to put it close t=
o
your house to enjoy the fragrance on the evening air.
An insect resembling a monster hornet tours my porch, but I'm glad to s=
ee
it. This is a beneficial wasp known as the cicada killer. I remember ho=
w
astounded I was the first time I saw one, flying heavily, carrying a de=
ad
insect almost as large as itself. There are also digger wasps that will=
sting to paralyze caterpillars, and then carry them to tunnels in the
ground to feed their larva. Sweet, isn't it, how hard they work to feed=
their babies?
The fastest earth bound creature in my yard must be the fence lizard. =
If I
surprise one far from its hiding area, it runs with a skittering leapin=
g
gait that defies a good viewing. I wish I could record one on video an=
d
run it in slow motion to see what those little legs must be doing to go=
that fast! The fence lizards are grey with heads that are reminiscent =
of
alligators. The five lined skinks are more sleek and streamlined, with=
tails of incredible iridescent blue. I love to watch them hunt insects =
on
the walls. Sometimes the males will pump themselves up and down on thei=
r
forearms like they're doing pushups. This behavior, plus some neck puff=
ing,
is supposed to establish ranking with other males, or impress females. =
I'm
impressed!
A black swallowtail butterfly clings upside down to a stem, being
unnaturally still. When I approach, I see that its wings are limp as we=
t
tissue. I just missed the emergence from its chrysalis, and now the
butterfly must hang in this position until the wings dry and stiffen,
before it can try its first flight.
This is the time of year for the dramatically marked yellow and black
garden spiders. When I approach one, she bounces her web up and down
rapidly like jumping on a trampoline. (You can tell the female from her=
big
round body.) I'm convinced that she wants you to see the web and avoid=
it,
though I have no scientific evidence to back this up. I may just be
sympathizing with all the work it takes to make the darn delicate thing=
!
These creatures make my garden a richer, more interesting place, and I'=
m
grateful they share this bit of earth with me. I doubt they return the
gratitude, however. They just know me as the two-legged animal that spr=
ays
them with cold water and drives that noisy, dangerous lawnmower!
Carol Reese
Ornamental Horticulture Specialist -Western District
University of Tennessee Extension Service
605 Airways Blvd.
Jackson TN 38301
901 425 4721 email jcreese@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx=
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