On a hot morning recently, I could just tell that this red-spotted purple butterfly flew into my driveway with a definite purpose in mind.
“She’s got water over there,” it said to itself.
I was hosing the car off and the beauty landed right next to me on the driveway rocks and began to sip water from the stones. It didn’t appear to think twice about a big person spraying a long snake around. It was thirsty!
I like to think this butterfly was the grandchild, perhaps, of the red spotted purple butterfly that I wrote about last year. It also flew into my driveway where I was picking up fallen ripe persimmons and it obviously had only one purpose in mind then too.
“I love persimmons and I see one right there on that driveway,” it was thinking, and proceeded to nectar on the sweet juices.
The butterfly has conned me into purchasing these little metal flower cups that came with marbles for perches. They are supposed to be watering spots for insects. Small flyers can’t sip from bird baths because they will drown in the deep bowls.
So these are for you, little red-spotted purple! I’ll be interested to see if you or your colleagues take a drink or two.
Neighbor Jenny Johnson had a surprise visitor recently too, a leaf-footed bug nymph that looked like it dropped in from outer space to check out her garbage can.
It does look like it came from another planet, but Maurice Cullen helped me id the critter as the nymph form of the leaf-footed bug that enjoys dining on garden vegetables, as we all do.
Look at those flat feet. When the bug is grown, those feet, particularly those on the back legs, will have grown into what looks like a leaf-shaped foot, thus its name.
Come across an adult leaf-footed bug and you will know right away what it is because of those characteristic feet. Even with their odd appendages, adults can’t compete for interesting looks with their youngsters with their cool red antennae and all!
Leaf-footed bugs are harmless to you and me if you don’t count the veggies they might dine on. It might even be worth a sacrificial tomato or two to take a few ganders at these critters, young and old!