Escape of the (not so) Wee Beasties

A week or so ago, I wrote about the caterpillars that I found on one of the mango trees which I decided to try to rear to see what the adult is.  I started with 6 caterpillars and put 3 each in 2 different containers with leaves from the mango I found them on.  Since then half have died, but 3 are thriving; 2 in one container and 1 in the other.  When I checked on them this morning they were doing fine.  I was a little concerned about the container with 2 not getting enough air exchange, so I left the top off.  At about 1:30 all was well when I showed them to a visitor, but I did not take the time to replace the lid.  You know what happened next...  

While out taking compost to the box around 3:00, I stopped to get some fresh mango leaves for the beasties.  But when I looked in their container I saw that 2 had made their escape!  I needed to find them so Max didn't wind up on the bad end of a close encounter with them.  I didn't see them on the veranda floor, which I checked first so I didn't accidentally squish them.  I didn't see them on pots or plants next to where their container was; I didn't see them on the screen, or on the wall.   I kept looking and found the 2 of them within about a foot of each other and only about 8 feet from where they started.  Each one was on the side of a plant pot, one fig and one diffenbachia.  I collected them on the fresh leaves, being careful not to touch them with my fingers at the risk of suffering from their stinging hairs, and took the opportunity to get some new photos. 

Its little head is usually retracted into its body.

Another good view of the head.

The grey hairs belong to the cat, but all the black and brown hairs are the hairs of the beastie.

Here is the other escapee with the usual lowered head position, all the better for eating.  Now that it is bigger, it can eat through the thickness of the whole leaf instead of just vacuuming up the surface layer of cells.

They are big enough now that I can replace the plastic with little holes that I was using for the lids, with screen.  Don't want them to get away again - I still haven't been able to ID them.  I'm sure they are dead common around here.  I bet at the plant nursery they can help me out.

Dawn (again!) and Wee Beasties

How can I not take pictures of dawn when it is so spectacular?  

 

 

I found a group of newly hatched, tiny, caterpillars on one of our mango trees.   I think these wee beasts grow up to be big, leaf-crunching beasts.  I am trying to rear them to see what they turn into.   I'll try to ID them.  In the meantime, I am keeping them supplied with fresh mango leaves.  The one below is already 2 or 3 times as big as was when I found them.

Look at those wild hairs!

 More as they grow...

Flowers, Fruits, and Insects

It was a bright, sunny day today with a nice breeze.  A good day to wash clothes and get them on the line to dry.  After getting the clothes hung, I decided to have a wander around and take some photos of various plants that had caught my eye over over the past few days.  One of the brightest spots was this big yellow flower on a sort of morning glory-looking vine.  I don't know what it is, it grows wild along the edge of the marsh.  

The insects seem to like the glands at the center of the flower.

While getting that shot, I noticed that the leaves were infected with a rust fungus.  The undersides of many of the leaves were covered in spore-bearing pustules.

The leaves seemed unaffected by the fungus.

 I had also noticed that the pricklypear cactus (Opuntia sp.) was flowering.  Numerous buds and spent flowers were obvious.

You can see the shadow of my clothes on the line.

Tomorrow, this tightly closed bud will open.

 

Wish I had gotten this shot yesterday; it looks a little wilted here at mid-day.

 

I was struck by the intense burgundy color of the new leaves on this mango tree.  

The variety is white mango.  It hasn't fruited yet, so I don't know how they taste.

 Behind the mango, at the edge of the marsh are these massive ferns.  They are over 7 feet tall!

 

What looks like burned tips is really the spore-bearing portion of the fronds that are covered in velvety spores.

 Summer before last, or maybe even longer ago than that, I planted a Moon Flower Vine at our house in Minnesota.  It grows wild here!  The white flower to the left is one that was wide open last night.  They open for only 1 night.  I want to plant some next to the cabana so I can see what pollinates them during the night.  There are 2 buds on the right side of the photo.  This too, is in the morning glory family.

 

We planted this tamarind tree about 6 years ago.  It got a rough start and was moved to several different spots before we found a place it likes.  It is beginning to bear pods in significant numbers.  These will fill out and when ripe contain large hard seeds covered in very tangy paste.  I love to eat them straight off the tree.

 

Last week this lime tree was covered in blossoms and now there are clusters of little fruits.

 

And some bigger fruits, too. This tree bears small numbers of limes throughout the entire year.

 

Another citrus tree we planted, a sweet orange, is putting on new growth and will flower soon.  The aphids on the new growth are being tended by ants.  We will wash these off with soapy water from our grey water system.  Otherwise, the trees won't bear many fruit.

 

I love to walk around and see what is growing, blooming, fruiting, etc.  Never a dull moment here in the tropics.