Eyes opened, questions
One of my long-time neighbors has been getting the gardening bug the last few years, and this summer it seems to have reached the tipping point -- and I like to think that my garden has helped this to happen. Although she wasn't able to make it the other weekend when my garden was open for the tour, I had a bunch of extra plants to give away so invited her and her husband over.
While walking and talking she kept repeating how excited she was about everything -- in both my garden and hers -- the plants of course, but also the insects.
This afternoon her excitement was proven when she walked over carrying a palm-sized rock and knocked on my door.
"Look what I found!" she exclaimed.
"Do you know what it is?"
Obviously she was excited about the insects, and showed the observational skills of somebody who really is involved in her garden.
Pay attention and you'll see some amazing things, right?
This is a lacewing larva, using lichen and bits of leaf litter to camouflage itself. (The disguise would work better if you stopped moving constantly!)
As exciting as it was for her to find this and share it with me, it's even more exciting to me to have another neighbor as interested in these things as I am!
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Wow! That's actually an attractive bug, and clever.
You're so lucky! I'd love to have a neighbor who shares my passion for plants.
You're lucky to have a neighbour like her!
What a nice thing to have instilled such enthusiasm in your neighbor. Those larvae are such fun to watch as they gather petals and bits of debris to camouflage themselves. Not quite clever enough for our eyes as we watch this speck moving around.
Isn't it fun to have a gardening neighbor? Cool photos, too.