Rough-leaf Dogwood (Cornus drummondii)

Rough-leaf Dogwood (Cornus drummondii)

Although the Rough-leaf Dogwood isn't as stately and stunningly beautiful as it's East Texas cousin the Flowering Dogwood, it makes up for it with its unique ability to attract butterflies and other interesting insects, to a broad landing pad that's the perfect spot for viewing the airborne visitors.

The Eight-spotted Forester, Alypia octomaculata, besides being markedly handsome, is said to be one of the most important pollinators of the Texas Madrone 

Missing a hindwing?  No problem.

Cotinis nitida, commonly known as the Green June beetle.  I would say this one is more of a Blue Green June beetle, a striking jewel of a bug (if that is a thing).

This fuzzy little rust colored hairstreak is hard for me to identify.  I guess it must be a Juniper Hairstreak but it lacks many of the defining characteristics that I typically see.

Here is another Green June beetle sporting more typical hues.

Echinopsis hybrid 'CASSANDRA'

Echinopsis hybrid 'CASSANDRA' - This cactus flower blooms at night and fades quickly in the early morning,  I placed my shoe in the picture to demonstrate the huge scale, easily the largest cactus flower I have seen in person.

The evening before the 'CASSANDRA' bloom.

The rosette form of the flower is echoed in the background by the rosette of the Phoenix canariensis palm tree.

Curse of the Black Squirrel

My children make fun of me saying that I am haunted by the "Curse of the Black Squirrel".  And baby black squirrels, like this one, are the worst.  Cute as he may be, he diligently took a bite of each cactus in my garden, to learn which ones would be good for eating later.  In the summer these squirrels like to dig 50% of the soil out of any freshly watered potted plant for unknown reasons, maybe just because the loose moist soil it is fun for them to dig in or maybe its just a rather mean joke they like to play.  One particularly ornery squirrel took to defecating each evening right in front of our back door, making quite a little stack after a few days.  I guess he was sending me a message about who owned the patio space me or him.

Texas Rock Squirrel - Spermophilus variegatus

Echinocereus coccineus v. gurneyi - a deeper darker red than most coccineus.

Gray Hairstreak

Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)

Echinocereus reichenbachii ssp. armatus 

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)

Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)

Thelocactus lloydii