Little Fuzzy Dude

Meet the Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar, looking rather like a fancy toothbrush.  In general, Tussock Moth's have very interesting and charismatic caterpillars. And, with all those fuzzy bits, the prevailing wisdom is not to handle them as they can cause painful, itchy rashes in some people.  I found this little guy on the remnants of a milkweed plant in my garden and plucked the bit of leaf he was one so that I could relocate him to a dogbane plant.  Interestingly, while these cats can eat dogbane, monarch cats can't.  So, I often relocate them off of milkweed so that the monarch cats don't get skunked.  Usually there are a whole herd of these fuzzy little dudes - today I found only this one.  So, his siblings either got picked off by a predator or have wandered off in search of milkweed or dogbane.  A mystery.

It was off to the gym for me this morning where I did my time on the treadmill.  Then home to potter around outside for a bit.  Truthfully, it's so stinking hot and humid out that I didn't last long.  Thank goodness the garden is positively abuzz with loads of critters.

I think Hubs and I will probably head out in the RV this weekend - just have to arrange with a friend to tend my caterpillars as they are all eating voraciously now.  And speaking of caterpillars...I checked on the chrysalis that was on the siding of our house next to the garden this morning.  And, it was obviously time for a butterfly to emerge.  (See Extra)  Sure enough, an hour later I checked again and found a perfect female monarch.  

There are two Bald-faced Hornets who've commandeered one of the hummingbird feeders.  If you click HERE you can see it drinking from the feeder - photographed from about 8 inches away.  And if you look at my blip from last Friday you can see the hornet-mimic fly that looks amazingly like this hornet.  

Still have lots of hummers in the garden but I thought I'd give everyone a break today.  

xo
Debbi