June's weather statistics for Bean Hill echoed May's, although June had more days of above normal temperatures (23 vs. 14), and more days of 10 degrees or more above normal (6 vs. 2). Like May, June's high average was 1.5 degrees above the historic average high, but the average lows were 2.4 degrees below the historic average. For the second month, precipitation was almost one inch above normal (.98). Overall, the month was beautiful due to low humidity: skies were very blue, and in the shade, even on the hottest days, the breeze was refreshing.
Monarchs and Black Swallowtails have been spotted. Cabbage Whites continue to be seen in abundance. The Mason Bees have completed their life cycle, and left two dozen nesting tubes filled with cocoons. Soon we'll move those to safe keeping, and if all goes well, next spring 5-6 young bees should emerge from each tube.
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| Hoverfly or flower fly collecting pollen from alyssum |
I'm paying a little closer attention to things in nature I've taken for granted, like the tiny flying insects dancing all over the alyssum. With the help of a close-up camera lens, I noticed they were marked like bees, so I snapped a few photos, did a little research, and learned something new. This little guy is a hoverfly, sometimes called a syrphid or flower fly. The hoverflies' bee-like coloration gives them some protection; people (and presumably birds) think they're aggressive and leave them alone. In fact, like native bees, they're gentle and very beneficial pollinators. In addition, their larvae (also known by that unsavory word "maggots") eat aphids and thrips, those unwanted creatures that literally suck the life out of your plants. One insect ID site says if you have these tiny flies in your garden, you can count yourself lucky! We're lucky!
Below are photos of a few other of the smaller summertime residents at Bean Hill.
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| A tiny grasshopper casts a big shadow |
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| Echinacea (coneflower) and a busy bee |
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| Milkweed community: Monarch-to-be, squash bug eggs, and milkweed bugs |
