Tropical Stray

The tropics are in full swing this labor day weekend!  Everything from festivals to picnics, beaches, boating, fishing, BBQs, family and friends is the norm this holiday.  Even the weather made an entrance and thankfully strayed back toward the sea.

Courtesy www.weather.com

Hurricane Earl

courtesy http://www.weather.com/

Atlantic tropical region is fairly quiet

aside from a possible tropical depression

and Tropical Storm Hermine in the Gulf.  

My family and I, aside from a local festival on Friday night, opted to stay home.  Shocking, I know!  No boating, parties, or crazy hoopla for us this weekend.  Instead of straying out, we stayed in.  It was hot and we worked hard in the yard (in between pool dips, of course), after all, it IS LABOR DAY weekend in the US.  My hard labor did not go unrewarded...

This handsome fellow is an Esmeralda Longtail.

He's a visitor to this neck of the woods...a Tropical Stray, if you will. 

Every year, butterfly residents of the areas south of the United States meander north into the extreme southern portions of the US, typically Texas and South Florida.  They're called Tropical Strays.

This interesting speciman is native to Brazil. 

It's host plant is the Beggar Ticks,

which S Florida has plenty of.

I wonder if this species is starting to take up residence in this region?

It's dark brownish black body caught my eye

as it's iridescent blue-green sheen caught the sunlight. 

 I especially like it's long tail. 

This lad must have been hungry because he didn't mind

the camera lens while he rolled out his long tonge for

 some tasty nectar from the lantana.

You can find more Tropical Strays here. 

Courtesy of www.nearctica.com

This is a photo of one of my favorites,

Cramer's Eighty-eight, named for the "88" pattern

on it's underside.  So cool!!!

Back in my yard, I noticed quite the racket
going on at my Dwarf Powder Puff bush. 

It was alive with flying and crawling critters. 

It looked as though the bush was in motion! 

Upon closer inspection, I saw what the commotion was all about.

APHIDS!!

I almost paniced.  The bush was infested!  Where did they all come from under my watchful eye?  How could this have happened?!  BUT (the big BUTT), thank the merciful Lord, the troops were not sleeping.  Not only were they on duty, but they sprang into action and went straight to work!

I couldn't ask for a better army.  These soldiers will have this problem under control in no time!

Impressive how the various military divisions work together for the better good.  The wasp does not seem to mind the various flies, ants and assassin bugs.  They work as one unit, ridding the bush of the enemy and feasting on the carnage.

On a light, cheerful note, I witnessed a happy little mockingbird busily going about her morning routine.  This specific morning, she enjoyed a shower in the rain drenched tree branches.  She shook so the rain droplets from the overnight rains would shower her with water.  When finished, she moved to her dressing room where she primped and styled herself. 

The lighting was difficult as the sun was rising behind her,

but it would be rude to capture anything other than a sillouette

during this time of private grooming.

This morning, I enjoy the last day of my long holiday weekend. 

I must head outside now to see what nature has

instore for me today.  She never disappoints!