Assassins

Category: bethie's world | Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 1:23 pm

Well, it's finally butterfly time once again. There's nothing like these flying jewels. Our host plants are full of eggs. Every spring I root cuttings from pussy willows and contorted willows and grow them in a box on top of my storm house. This gives several of the butterfly species some nice young leaves to eat. In the fall I plant the trees or give them away. Everyone likes the contorted willows. It makes beautiful branches to put in a vase. Sunday we had our first large caterpillar, a viceroy.

The butterflies look like small monarchs. We did what we like to call a "worm visit" and keep tabs on our caterpillars. He was fat and sassy and ready to spin a cocoon. I got up early the next day and went to see him. To my horror he was in the grips of an assassin bug.

Well, it was too late for him and assassins have to eat too. In a little while he was sucked dry and dropped on the concrete where a bunch of little ants had him. The next time I came by there was no trace of him at all. I did see the assassin bug the next day still on the plant and evicted him with a blast from the hose.

This blog entry has been viewed 647 times

Comments (3) | Leave a Comment

You're reading one of many blogs on GardenStew.com.
Register for free and start your own blog today.

Comments

eileen wrote on Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:42 pm:

Such a shame about the caterpillar but as you say even assassin bugs have to eat. Hopefully you'll have more caterpillars that will escape to pupate and turn into gorgeous butterflies.

Shanna wrote on Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:14 pm:

That is a shame bethie.I'm sure there will be more.I do love buterflies too.I love to sit on my porch and watch them.I have to watch our cats because they like to catch them and play with them.

jubabe296 wrote on Wed Jul 05, 2006 8:34 pm:

Bethie I'm so sorry about your caterpillar!!I didn't know what an assassin bug was until last year!! I was trying to thin out the dying zinnas and grab a stalk and didn't see the little green looking spider bug!! OUCH!!! Boy do they hurt when they bite!! It scared me soooo bad I saw it and started screaming!! I ran inside and searched on the computer to find out if I was going to die or not!!LOL!!! Well I found out he was actually a good guy but very ferocious!!! Needless to say I leave them be when I come across one and look real good before I grab a stem!!LOL!