— In case you did not know, March 3 is the United Nations World Wildlife Day. This is the day we celebrate wild animals and plants and their unique roles. This year’s theme is Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation. I thought I would share a few photos from my recent visits to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. I also have one image I captured just this morning at home.
The Cerathosia tricolor moth is somewhat of a “local” celebrity. It is primarily found in the Edwards Plateau region of Central Texas. This limited distribution makes them unique within their range. It also helps they are gorgeous. Their forewings are pure white, adorned with scattered black spots. They almost look like polka dots. Now, prepare yourselves for what you’ll see when they fly. Their hindwings are pale, almost lemon yellow. This combination makes them quite eye-catching!
Unlike most typical moths, which are brown or gray, the Ailanthus Webworm Moth has bright orange wings with black and white spots. This coloration makes them look more like a beetle or wasp than a moth. They have a complex life cycle. Female Ailanthus Webworm Moths lay their eggs on the leaves of their host plants, such as the Elbow bush in this photo. The eggs hatch into caterpillars, then spin webs to protect themselves from predators. The caterpillars feed on the host plant’s leaves until they mature, then they pupate in a silken cocoon. After a few weeks, the adult moths emerge from the cocoons.
The “margined calligrapher” isn’t actually a calligrapher, but a type of hoverfly! They’re also known as calligrapher flies. They have a clever camouflage trick called Batesian mimicry. Their yellow and black stripes resemble the warning colors of stinging insects like wasps and bees, helping them scare away predators!
The blister beetles you see below get their name because of a powerful chemical defense called cantharidin. This toxin can cause painful blisters if the beetle is crushed or comes into contact with the skin. Interestingly, this same chemical has a surprising medical use – in small, controlled doses, cantharidin can remove warts! As for the Mexican plum, this is one of the first blooming trees we see in Texas in the spring. You can’t miss them because of their snow-white color and fragrant scent. Pollinators love Mexican plum bushes.
Finally, I had to include this photo I captured this morning. A squirrel seems to have taken over our owl house in the backyard. We will see how long that takes. If the owl comes back, some control issues will be addressed.
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Anne Sandler
Very interesting Egidio. Your insects are very colorful.
Egídio Leitão
Thanks, Anne. I love photographing them.
nesfelicio
Beautiful photos! Interesting facts, too. I like the macro shots, specially, but interesting to know how the “space control issue” turns out.
Egídio Leitão
Nes, thank you for your kind words.
Brad
Gorgeous closeups of the beetles and squirrel!
Egídio Leitão
Thank you so much, Brad.
margaret21
A lovely celebration of some of the smaller creatures that make up such an important part of our wildlife panoply.
Egídio Leitão
Thanks, Margaret. Have a great week!
margaret21
Thanks. You too.
Anonymous
An excellent post, very beautiful photographs.
Egídio Leitão
Thank you for writing. I appreciate your compliment.
Toonsarah
Excellent insect and flower shots – I especially like the calligrapher 🙂
Egídio Leitão
I am happy you liked the photos, Sarah. Thank you very much.
Ingrid
Lovely collection of images, but the squirrel in the owl house is too cute and made me smile.
Egídio Leitão
I am glad the squirrel brought a smile. Thanks for the feedback, Ingrid.
restlessjo
He looks so at home there, but Mr. Owl won’t be impressed! How wonderful is nature, Egidio, and how wonderful are your photos of it!
Egídio Leitão
Jo, many thanks for your kind words about the photos and post. Thank you.
I. J. Khanewala
That’s a wonderful collection of photos to remind us that we don’t have to travel far to see wildlife.
Egídio Leitão
Thank you very much for your feedback, I.J.
boromax
Terrific photos! The blister beetle is stunning; but that squirrel wins the prize. Love it. ~Ed.
Egídio Leitão
Thanks, Ed. Yes, one can’t go wrong with that squirrel’s face.
Tales From My Lens
All the images are perfect for the day. I’m particular fond of the squirrel being so sly taking over owls places. I learned a few things to! Thank you.
Egídio Leitão
Kathleen, thank you for your kind words. I’m glad you liked the post.
Amy
Lovely insets!
Egídio Leitão
Thanks, Amy.
Rupali
Amazing shots.
Egídio Leitão
Thanks so much, Rupali. I appreciate the feedback.