beautiful moth (Ateva aurea)

A few days ago, I was passing by Granny's Garden, a wonderful school garden, and the gorgeous bright Summer-colored flowers were calling to me.  So I stopped to wander among those lovely flowers and vegetables.  I peered in closer.  On a celosia flower, I spotted this pretty-patterned creature I thought was a beetle.  turns out, it's a moth!

Ateva aurea, is an ermine webworm moth from the family Yponomeutidae (means "feeding secretly").

LINKS:
MORE about this moth--Butterflies and Moths of North America (A. aurea is found from the eastern to the midwest USA and dips into Canada and Mexico.)
Granny's Garden School


Wordless Wednesday/Wordy Wednesday--where I linked up:

Create With Joy

A Southern Daydreamer

ABC Wednesday
This week's challenge is the letter F.  F is for flying.




photo by me © 2016   all rights reserved

glorious blooms and bee guides

Many species of  flowers display patterns or "guides" on their petals to direct pollinators to the nectar or pollen they possess.  Sometimes these patterns are visible to humans, sometimes not.  In some flowers, these patterns are visible to humans only under ultraviolet light.  This is the case of many of the "sunflower" type flowers.

(Note that "bee guides" have also been called "pollen guides" or "honey guides.")

Besides the guide lines on flower petals, pollinators are also attracted by flower shape, size, scent, and color.

Next time you're looking at flowers, think of the patterns as landing strips!

LINKS:

Plant Pollination Strategies US Forest Service (an interesting site to peruse--lots of facts on "Celebrating Wildflowers.")

Flower Adaptations for Pollination, a teacher resource guide by Diane Wang

I'm linking up with my favorite teacher, Ms Jenny Matlock, as we work our way through the alphabet.  Please do go visit the other students, for you never know what gems you may find--humor, poignancy, information, visions of far away places, stuff you've never even dreamed of!  Check it out HERE.  You may even wish to join in yourself!  This week our letter is "G."

photos by me © 2009 and 2010