The end of May through early June would normally be when the garden is at peak. Not this year. Instead of flowers, we bloomed with millions of caterpillars. They came, ate all the leaves from the maples and oaks, then disappeared. Either they are all in cocoons awaiting rebirth as moths … or — maybe — they are really gone. I have a professional coming tomorrow to look around. He should be able to tell me more.
NOTE: They were in cocoons. Since I wrote this 24 hours ago, there are a lot of moths. Lots and lots. And if we don’t do something to stop them, they will lay many eggs to make more little caterpillars … so spray we must!
Meanwhile, it is safe at last for me to go outside. I admit it. I’ve been hiding. I have serious issues with many-legged crawling things. They give me nightmares. The kind from which I wake up screaming.
So. It has taken me awhile to get past my phobias and return to the world.
My garden has grown into a riot of flowers while I completely neglected it. A month late, but this is the richest crop of flowers I’ve seen in years. An act of defiance by nature against nature?
FLOWER OF THE DAY | CEE NEUNER
Categories: #Flowers, #gallery, #Photography, Home
Pay back time, and you deserve it! Your flowers look wonderful.
Leslie
LikeLike
They really do look amazing. Apparently sunlight really improves their attitude 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sun will do a lot for garden.
Leslie
LikeLike
This perennials are tough cookies just like you. 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks! I don’t feel so tough, lemme tellya. I feel pretty beat up.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful lilies. I didn’t know that you had flamingos? LOL
LikeLike
Thank you. I’ve only got one flamingo. Fred. He’s new. Maybe more will show up and I’ll have a flock 🙂
LikeLike
Well done those, lilies!
LikeLike
They give me hope.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It must be even more amazing for you to finally be able to go outside and see all the lovely flowers which have suddenly appeared during the invasion.
LikeLike
It was more amazing yesterday, before the moths hatched. Oh well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Someone needs to create the world’s largest bug zapper. I love the smell of burnt moths in the morning…
LikeLiked by 1 person
we’re in the heart of darkness……
LikeLike
Well, as I write, the moths are under attack by the juncos AND those big ugly wasps I usually hate. I never thought I’d find myself rooting for the wasps. It’s kill or be killed out there … an air show worthy of anyone’s air force.
LikeLike
Except for the caterpillar part, what a wonderful story of the adaptability of nature. May the juncos win!!! Between the birds and the wasps and the spray, the moths don’t have a chance!
LikeLike
From your mouth …
LikeLike
Maybe all that caterpillar poo served an ecological purpose — maybe it provided lots of fertilizer for the beautiful flowers in your garden!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Probably. But also, without leaves on the trees, the garden has sunlight for the first time ever.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, yes — lilies really like lots of sun! The combination must be good for them!
LikeLike
The lilies are in hyperdrive!
LikeLike
Maybe. The dead buggers still litter our place. Hope they’re not zombies.
LikeLike