Virginia Creeper Sphinx Moth
This morning when doing my balcony look around I saw this fellow. I know nothing about moths. A quick search lead me to believe it is a Virginia Creeper Sphinx Moth (Darapsa myron). I'm not really sure if it's alive or not since it's been where it is for many hours now and hasn't moved. Maybe that is a normal thing for a moth to do. It's funny how gardening opens your eyes to things you normally wouldn't notice. If I didn't garden I wouldn't bother looking up the name of the moth or even take a picture of it really. Now I get excited to see any good bugs show up on my balcony (I wish the spider mites and aphids would disappear though). I haven't seen any bees recently. Since all my grape hyacinths are past their prime the bees no longer visit. I have other flowering plants but maybe they just don't like them as much.
Evening Primrose
My Evening Primrose has been blooming. I love these flowers a lot. It's a wildflower around here but I actually haven't seen many like the one I have. What I have seen is the same thing Oenothera speciosa but mine doesn't even get as pink as the others around. My Evening Primrose stays white white and then when it wilts and curls up it gets a light pink. The others around by the highways and in the fields are pink very pink when they are open. I'm not sure why mine isn't as pink it's wild too and was plucked from the ground.
Hibiscus Rose
I had a nice display of 3 blooms of the Hibiscus Rose at the same time. It was nice to see. They have since fallen off and now only one is open with 2 more on the way. I love the color of the blooms. They really brighten up that corner of my balcony. I should maybe put them closer to the railing so all passerby can see. I need something tall to go in that corner and the Hibiscus fits the bill. Once my taller plants get growing like my bougainvillea and statice then there will be more interest. I still think I need even taller plants. I'm slowly trying to build my courage on getting taller plants. I'm a person who loves small things. 18 inches sounds like a lot to me but doesn't look like much from the walkways. I wish it wasn't getting too late to keep starting seeds. I just need to find seeds I can start in summer.
7 comments:
Love the sphinx moth. Maybe they just sit still like a sphinx. Thanks for commiserating although I had to laugh when I read sunny disposition as I have been pretty cranky and mentioned to my husband that I understand 'not guilty by reason of insanity'. The hibiscus is too beautiful also. If you are going for big get some of the big elephant ears. They'll show up pretty well.
Love the flowers they look great. Your shots are incredible.
As for your aphid/spider might problem, try Neem. Its a great organic product that the aphids hate. Also in between the Neem recommended sprayings use a soapy water mix in a spray bottle. That will help get rid of the aphids.
Beautiful blooms, beautiful moth, great shots!
The photographs are wonderful, not sure about the moth - it wont lay eggs and have caterpillars that eat your plants will it? I lost all my Fuschias last to an Elephant Hawk Moth's brood!
Wow, what great shots of those flowers. The hibiscus is just beautiful.
My goodness, you have been busy with the camera. I love the hibiscus. And the gardens above are beautiful. I read about the trimming of the roots too. One day when you do get a big yard--you better have a big bank account cause you will have lots and lots of plants. All this knowledge and love of plants that you are storing now while you are young is going to pay off as you get older. You are way beyond your years. You have a wonderful insight into the world of plants.
Excellent photography for your beautiful flowers!
Post a Comment