Snacking on a briar

Cool picture!

Leaves are now about half out, or just slightly more ... the visibility into the woods is disappearing. But fortunately, these lovelies like my yard just fine... these fine Toms, always trying to impress the ladies.

What handsome fellows!!

Great fictures of the turkeys, Dianne! And Dave, that is a great picture of the frog!

I've been expecting these guys. It's supposed to be a big summer for Cicadas. This morning I notice the first hatch in one of my gardens. Dozens, I don't think 100, but I'm not sure. Anyway, they look like:

Beautiful pictures, Tim!
I've read some articles about what's to come. Brace yourself...!?!

I've been through this a couple times. Once as a Cub Scout, when they were more like toys than annoyances. They don't bother me at all.

I am curious how bad I get them, though. I live in a really old neighborhood, so there should be plenty around. But when I moved in, the Japanese beetles were so bad, I applied milky spores all over the yard. It really helped with the Japanese beetles. I wonder if it will have an impact on the cicadas. So far, I'm only seeing them in a raised garden bed that wouldn't have been treated. It's only day one, though, so my trees could be covered soon.

Italian Rock Lizard I spotted at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens

Thanks for the acorn, Dianne

Thanks for the acorn, SummerBee

And thanks for the , Donna!

"Cat" convention.
They're literally EVERYWHERE!!!


Cat on a pot...


....Cat on a rock.

Ugh. Those look like Gypsy moth caterpillars. I remember them from my youth. They invaded everything and built those horrid ugly webby nests in the trees. A couple of summers they were everywhere, and they deforested the northeast!

Yup, I took a picture of their "webby nests" the other day. I feel like we have them every year but they are especially numerous this year?! And...I swear I saw a lantern fly the other day but couldn't find it to get a photo. I hope I was mistaken!!

ETA: they are now called "spongy moths"

Oh, OK. That makes sense--better name anyway. Thanks for the correction. It has been so long since I loved there--the name change must have happened during my absence. I will remember.

It made me wonder the other day when I was watching a gardening video on YouTube from NY and the gardener mentioned spongy moths. I don't know when the name changed but I am sure they are still referred to as both interchangably. I literally can't do anything outside without seeing them.

I haven't seen them yet. I still think of them as Gypsy Moths, the name I grew up with.