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wildlife | Great Stems

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Reptiles in the Garden. May 1, 2015. He was so chubby that at first I thought it must be a female ready to lay eggs, but nope, his markings clearly indicate otherwise. It’s a little hard to see it in this image, but he has light blue stripes along the sides of his belly — females don’t have these. On the other hand, he’s limber enough to do the splits, and to stay in that pose for a while while I took pictures. Check out the markings on his gorgeous tail. Snake, or a blind snake, about 6 inches long....

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Spiny Oak Slug Caterpillar — Look But Don’t Touch! | Great Stems

http://www.greatstems.com/2015/06/spiny-oak-slug-caterpillar-look-but-dont-touch.html

Spiny Oak Slug Caterpillar — Look But Don’t Touch! June 14, 2015. While working on the front yard, we ran across this odd creature at the base of a rogue Hackberry seedling. It seemed fairly obvious that it was some sort of caterpillar, until we saw it move. Then it was like… WHOA. Instead of seeing it move along like a regular caterpillar with its legs and prolegs (though apparently a caterpillar actually moves by its gut. Among its host plants, the Spiny Oak Slug Caterpillar eats the leaves of Oak (no ...

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Seed Dispersal Fascination | Great Stems

http://www.greatstems.com/2015/02/seed-dispersal-fascination.html

February 1, 2015. Walking through the winter garden today, I wandered among patches of brown, spent perennials and annuals long gone to seed. I let the seeds linger for the sake of wintering birds in need of food and to hopefully let them spread their habit a little. Frostweed (Verbesina virginica L.). Produces copious seeds to feed overwintering birds. Seeds float or flutter with help of the wind). Seeds are forcibly expelled). Seeds bounce and roll). Seeds float to a new location). Some seeds have para...

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lizards | Great Stems

http://www.greatstems.com/category/lizards

Reptiles in the Garden. May 1, 2015. He was so chubby that at first I thought it must be a female ready to lay eggs, but nope, his markings clearly indicate otherwise. It’s a little hard to see it in this image, but he has light blue stripes along the sides of his belly — females don’t have these. On the other hand, he’s limber enough to do the splits, and to stay in that pose for a while while I took pictures. Check out the markings on his gorgeous tail. Snake, or a blind snake, about 6 inches long....

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native TX plants | Great Stems

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Category Archives: native TX plants. The Herald of Spring. February 15, 2015. Elbow Bush, or. Is a deciduous Southwestern shrub that blooms much earlier in the year (Feb-Mar) than most other plants in the region. In fact, another of its nicknames is Spring Herald. Its blooms, which open before new leaves bud out, are important nectar sources for early-emerging butterflies and other pollinators. Later on, the female plants will produce dark-blue berries that are a favorite of wildlife. Yet another name for.

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And the Owl Cam Reveals… Squirrels | Great Stems

http://www.greatstems.com/2015/03/and-the-owl-cam-reveals-squirrels.html

And the Owl Cam Reveals… Squirrels. March 24, 2015. For the past few years, we’ve enjoyed watching Eastern Screech Owls. But they are pretty darn cute. As much as we would prefer the owls, we can’t evict this little family of wiggling, curious critters. We can only hope that our owls have moved into our 2nd box in the far backyard (where there is no camera). They got drowsy right away, and Mama soon joined them for a nap. This entry was posted in wildlife. Vicki @ Playin' Outside. March 24, 2015 at 5:11 ...

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Baby Squirrels Peek Out… Also, Owls! | Great Stems

http://www.greatstems.com/2015/04/baby-squirrels-peek-out-also-owls.html

Baby Squirrels Peek Out… Also, Owls! April 11, 2015. Despite our amused annoyance that a squirrel family is squatting in our new-and-improved owl house, it’s hard not to be heart-touched by the curious and playful little babies. They’ve been growing fast and are already peeking outside and trying to figure out how to safely get out of the house. They also seem to share the window a little better than last year’s owlet siblings did. I just wish they wouldn’t chew on the box! This entry was posted in owls.

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snakes | Great Stems

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10 Unexpected Benefits of Having a Snake Loose in Your Car. March 10, 2016. 10 Unexpected Benefits of Having a Snake Loose in Your Car. You have someone to talk to on those long drives to and from work, even if technically they can’t hear you. It lets you know who your real friends are, because if they can read this post and not think you are the weirdest person in the world, they are good people. You have a nocturnal watch snake to keep car burglars away. You get to experience the joy of reuniting with ...

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Great Stems | garden adventures. wildlife welcome. | Page 2

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Newer posts →. And the Owl Cam Reveals… Squirrels. March 24, 2015. For the past few years, we’ve enjoyed watching Eastern Screech Owls. But they are pretty darn cute. As much as we would prefer the owls, we can’t evict this little family of wiggling, curious critters. We can only hope that our owls have moved into our 2nd box in the far backyard (where there is no camera). They got drowsy right away, and Mama soon joined them for a nap. The Herald of Spring. February 15, 2015. Elbow Bush, or. Is a decidu...