Good Little Soldiers

Among the beetles and bugs at the park, some good and some are bad for the plants.  One of the good guys are these little Goldenrod Soldier Beetles.  These good soldiers feed on aphids and other soft-bodied insects.  Their larvae feed on the eggs of beetles, grasshoppers, moths and other insects.  They are an organic gardeners friend.  I found a bunch of them busy on some Wild Quinine at the park, it may have their 'singles bar' of sorts - a number of them were finding mates there.

Enjoy!

~ Robin

Cup Plant Full of Life

Not to be confused with the Prairie Dock, or the compass, a number of Cup Plants are now in bloom along Boone Avenue. All three flowers look similar and all three are tall.  The Cup Plants are easy to identify by their leaves.  They form a 'cup' on the stem.

I couldn't help notice so many forms of life to be found on this amazing plant.  Bees, Japanese Beetles, Golden Finch,


Assassin bug nymphs.            
Soldier beetles and a Jumping spiders.
Enjoy!
~ Robin