I think most of us here in TX use locust & cicada interchangeably. They are different, with locusts looking more like grasshoppers.
cicada: http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/adv_search.php?searcher[common]=cicada&searcher[bugorder]=&searcher[family]=&searcher[genus]=&searcher[species]=&Search=Search
locust: http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/adv_search.php?searcher[common]=locust&searcher[bugorder]=&searcher[family]=&searcher[genus]=&searcher[species]=&Search=Search
Katydids are definitely different! They're green, but still look similar in body shape to a grasshopper. http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/adv_search.php?searcher[common]=katidid&searcher[bugorder]=&searcher[family]=&searcher[genus]=&searcher[species]=&Search=Search&searcher[common]=Katydid
Big, fat, green worm
See this is why DG is so great....we learn something everyday! I have always called them locust but new the proper name was cicada. But didn't know that locust were different intirely!
The cicada are in full chorus here the last week or two. But I don't hear them very much over the toads croaking at the pond. Then there is this bird that sings at night. Well....DH calls it snoring. It chirps semi-quitely three or 4 notes, pauses and does it again. Anyone have a clue what it is??
Lisa....click on my Member ID name and look at my Diary entry "butterfly raising".
This message was edited Jun 29, 2009 10:36 PM
Thanks Shelia I will. I think a lot of the cicada, locust confusion comes from the cicada being called the 17 year locust. They spend the first 16 or so years in the ground and emerge to sing their song and breed so the next generation can repeat the whole process. Shelia that snoring sound might be a screech owl. They make a snoring, whistling sound I finally saw a family of them on my property and realized that was what was making that odd sound I heard off and on day and night.
Lisa
I will have to go out to the site where they have the bird calls and listen to that one. Thanks Lisa.
The green guy on my chaste vitex wasn't dead at all. I left him happily munching away this afternoon. I looked for the one that stripped my datura this morning and couldn't find it. I keep bird feeders on near my container garden so maybe there's a cardinal out there a little fatter than he was. lol
I had forgotten they did get after my vitex one year. I had some tomato cages that year, just thought it was a fluke.
Thanks for the links Stephanie. I never think to use the bugfiles but should ~ they are great! I guess that is like salamanders and gophers being called the same thing in this area but are not even close.
The cicadas are the one I like to listen to in the heat of summer.
Sheila, your nursry is so cool. I do love butterflies, but have a hard time thinking about them and the worms as related. I need to educate myself and toughen up, don't I?
Podster, thanks for that info. The ones we caught were sure waving the heck out of those horns, and they certainly achieved their purpose--scared the bejeebers out of me.
We are serenaded at night, also. Our little guy starts out down by the tank and advances closer to the house until it SOUNDS LIKE THIS. Jeff says it's a Whipporwill. I don't know, but it's little (not) voice really carries.
Must get back to it. I'm farming today (in the flower beds). I'll eat my pb&j (on hm sourdough bread), cool down a bit, and get back out there.
We actually had a little rain today. I'm hoping for some more this evening. I was in the garden but it felt so good to be in the rain that I just kept gardening.
Lisa
Only got a few drops here today, but no blistering sun at least. All of the showers were south of us so we were in the shade so far today.
Sybil....you need to come up and visit me some time and I will show you which butterflies use which plants so you know what you are looking at. Oh btw, I don't touch the caterpillars unless absolutly necessary. They are pretty fragile. I usually remove the stems of the old plants and insert new ones. This fall I need to give you a couple of the Monarch that are already in chrysalis and you can watch them emerge and release them in your garden.
This message was edited Jun 30, 2009 5:46 PM
Cool. Do they stay where you release them?
No, they usually fly away into the trees that day. But if you have Milkweed plants they may lay eggs and others will follow suit. I will definately share a milkweed plant with you if you don't have one.
Thanks, Sheila. My grandson, Austin, and I are interested in raising some butterflies (after your instruction). Is your nursery outside in the heat or do you keep them cool? We would love to come look at your set up sometime when it's convenient for you since you so sweetly offered.
Syb
It is in my shop / potting shed / doghouse. LOL! It does have a/c but I keep it on 79 or 80. I started out in a spare bedroom of the house at first. It was unfinished at the time and we had the vents turned off. It quickly grew and I moved it to the shop; where I am everyday anyway. I have several BST at the present time and would love to show you and your GS. Only problem with that is I have company from Georgia headed this way this weekend. I am not sure how long they will stay, but when the visit is over I will have time. I will send you home with a chrysalis. Do you have passion vine?
No, I don't, but I guess I could get some started if I need it. Is it too hot to start it now?
Have a wonderful time with your company, and we'll be waiting for your call.
Syb
No they are full sun. I will keep you in mind if I see a runner I can dig up.
Thanks, that would be great.
I know I'm jumping in here late but....
First,
Beautiful butterfly Sheila!! That is neat what you do. I am trying to grow more flowers to attract butterflies.
SO... the other day I discovered one of my pepper plants stripped of leaves, the plant was half eaten to the stem! There were these strange blobs sitting on one of the few leaves left. I don't know if they are poo or some sort of bugs? LOL
I go looking thru the bug files to see if there is anything that looks like it but no luck. I go back out to get a picture and now there is only one leaf left and a bunch of little piles just like the ones up there in stephanietx's pic. So I'm taking a picture of the poo balls when I see it!!! LOL Sure enough there is that dern tomato hornworm hanging on the last leaf! That's what ate my pepper plant!!
I did go check my tomato plants (after going inside to get my reading glasses so I can see!!!!!!) and found many more! I'm glad I checked.
Sad but true story.
Surprisingly, the stripped pepper plant is growing new leaves!!
If you are growing veggies for food...that is not what you want to happen. I don't do that. I put the host plants in my yard for the butterflies, not necessarily the moths. But I plant them to be food for the caterpillars.
You know I did see some of the Sphynx moths (I think that's what they are?) they fly and look much like hummingbirds, they were flying around in early spring. I guess they could leave eggs in the soil and then when it's time POOF, suddenly there are hornworms all over your veggies! Because I don't think they smell the tomatoes and show up.... I live out in the middle of the woods!
Sheila, We do grow our veggie garden for our own eats. It's only been a year here, so haven't gotten far enough along to get the butterflies taken care of better. Although there are some wildflowers growing here and there.
I love the idea of growing more friendly flowers for our butterflies and our bees!! They are very important. I grow heirloom which are open polinated varieties. I love seeing the butterflies and bees busy on the flowers. I've seen some butterflies here that are definitely Texas-Sized, very large and beautiful colors.
So do you become protective, like a mommy to your cats? I would think so.
Thanks,
Christine
Yep...talk to them but haven't gotten bad enough to name them yet! LOL!