Common Nature

I'm hoping for some confirmation and/or information on this dude that's growing in my yard again. A tree used to be where it grows, but the tree never had visible fungi on it. When I did a Google search, other users shared similar photos that were said to be some kind of granadula.



( A bit of a close-up. )

I love spring, because garden centers open, and that means pollinators. I saw a butterfly going about in a greenhouse and finally tracked it down—taking a picture every couple of seconds, so I looked like a creep, I'm sure—on a hanging planter. I believe it's an American lady (Vanessa virginiensis), judging by the two eyespots and bit of pink.

( Photos beneath the cut. )

My brother was cleaning cars last night and came in the show me something. I immediately assumed a weird big, and I was right!

At first, I didn't see it, but a big ol' green big, about 7cm, was clinging to the center console of our mom's car. My big brother wanted me to remove it. No idea what he'd've done himself, but I got her out, and she didn't want to leave my arm. 💀

I'm glad to know we have these critters, though, because it could maybe explain some noises I've heard outside. I didn't expect her to be so big, though! I'm relatively okay with six legs and less, but the size of this bug had the hairs on my arm standing up. (She also wanted to play parrot on my shoulder. I'm not yet so willing.)

But my brother and I agree that he'll take care of spiders and stingy, stripey things; I'll catch other six-legs-and-less ones.

Fun fact: Katydids are believed to being good fortune! (Not necessarily financial.)

Although I am very allergic to bug bites, I will follow neat bugs to try and get decent photos on my phone. Right now, the oregano is in bloom, attracting lots of pollinators (and unsavory types such as hornets and wasps).

My mom said there was "a toad under the garden hose," which I assumed meant, like, inside the hose housing, but I didn't see anything. 💔

Stepping outside again a few minutes later, I spotted it from a distance.



It's under the barest little overhang, where the hose sits on a rock. Chillin'. It's very well camouflaged among the mulch, but I just wanted to see it that badly, I guess.

(I don't know what subspecies of toad it is, but I'd assume Eastern American Toad, just because I live in Wisconsin.)