Sparkly

This is a Long-legged Fly in the Genus Condylostylus, and a common sight in my summer garden.  They are tiny, delicate creatures which belies their hunting skills.  They prey on gnats and very tiny insects and hunt both on the wing and from perches.  This one landed on the back of my hand and gave me a perfect view, although it was a little awkward hefting a macro lens in one hand while keeping the other hand with the insect perfectly still.  I'm grateful that my shenanigans are generally out of sight of any neighbors!  These little jewels are copper colored (seen here) or bright metallic green usually - very sparkly.  I will put a dorsal view in Extra which really shows the copper colors.  

I also spent some time down in the mountain mint patch in my pollinator garden stalking the Great Black Wasps.  And while I was there, I saw several Giant and Eastern Tiger swallowtail butterflies and a monarch leaving eggs on all available milkweed.  I am trying to use some restraint and not bring every butterfly egg in to be hand-raised.  Goes against my instincts but I have to be realistic.  My 11 little cats on the deck are eating, pooping and growing like crazy; and there are several big fat cats in the milkweed in the garden that I've been watching.  They will wander off in the next day or so and form their chrysalis somewhere - maybe if I am lucky I will spot one.  In August I will harvest more eggs as that will be the generation that makes the epic migration to Mexico. The cats in my nursery now will breed but won't make the journey south - it will be their offspring who migrate.  

It's a little warmer than I expected today, but a nice breeze is keeping it pleasant.  Tomorrow will be a few degrees cooler so I am planning to meet a couple of my birder friends for a walk a marsh area.  We'll meet in the morning to avoid the mid day heat and full sun.  

xoxo
Debbi