Strength Of The Small

Do-It-Yourself Maintenance Spiders Gardening High Desert

Quiet Afternoon

By JM PerezSeptember 18, 20141 min read460 views

These past few weeks in the High Desert have been quite hectic and like so many residents, I have been praying for more rain. In just a couple of days, Fall will be here.

I was pleasantly surprised in the garden when I found gorgeous delicate clusters of yellow flowers on one of my numerous Mexican Bird of Paradise evergreen shrubs. The plant is drought tolerant to a certain degree and can re-sprout after colder temperatures. I planted them last Summer from seed, in full sun, and they have been thriving ever since attracting hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.

As I was deadheading my spent Roses, I spotted an Argiope Trifasciata (orb weaving spider) hanging head down in the center of its web above a miniature Rose bush. You can clearly see its web linear decoration, zig-zag band of silk structure also known as stabilimentum.

I wondered if it could be the same I captured last month by my garage door and released in the backyard.

*Argiope Trifasciata, a Banded Garden Orbweaver.*

Wishing you all a wonderful day.

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By JM Perez

Spiders Gardening High Desert

Garden Orb Spider

By JM PerezAugust 22, 20141 min read511 views

The Summer vacation has come and gone. The kids are once again back to school and I’m finding it hard to believe that September will soon be here.

Mother Nature has been so wonderful lately that I didn’t get to do much in the garden.
After Wednesday’s light rain however, I had some clean up to do around the house. I spotted a young Argiope Trifasciata (also known as orb weaving spider) hanging head down on my garage door. Argiope Trifasciata is a species of spider found around the world where the habitat is favorable.

The spider is known to make a highly symmetrical orb web and is found in late summer and early fall as temperatures start dropping. Though considered harmless, the Banded Garden Orbweaver might bite if it feels threatened.

Wishing you a great day. Take time to enjoy your weekend!

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By JM Perez

Great Ash Sphinx Moth Caterpillars

Great Ash Sphinx Moth

By JM PerezJuly 29, 20141 min read3K views

As I was collecting leaves from my Raywood Ash tree a couple of weeks ago to feed the Hummingbird Moth Caterpillar we were raising in a kit, I spotted something slightly different on a leave.

Its life cycle is similar to the one of the Hummingbird Moth.

*Hummingbird Hawk-Moth Life Cycle.*
*Image Source: AnimalBook.org.*

On a closer inspection I realized it was a caterpillar similar to the tomato caterpillar. I later found that it was a Great Ash Sphinx Moth Caterpillar (Sphinx Chersis).