Debra what is that plant? It''s rolling around in my head but I can't catch it.

Caryopteris Sunshine Blue

Oh THAT'S it!

Thanks everyone for being patient with your new moderator here! Beverly, that is strange that the thumbs didn't transfer, too. I haven't been to the Site Talk forum yet (too much catching up to do still) so I don't know if anyone has brought that up but if not, I'll mention it. I don't see why it would drop them?

It's so hot here even my dragonflies are hot! They keep doing the obelisk pose to cool off. In case you missed it, I read where they do this because it presents less of their body surface to the sun, thus cooling them. I still think it looks really neat. This one looks different than the Amberwings I've been taking pictures of, and I think it was bigger, too. It was on my Giant Milkweed until I startled it and it moved to the porterweed.

mellielong said:It's so hot here even my dragonflies are hot! They keep doing the obelisk pose to cool off. In case you missed it, I read where they do this because it presents less of their body surface to the sun, thus cooling them.

And now we know!
I love learning little things all over this site!

I still prefer to think they're practicing yoga, but it is nice to know the scientific reason behind the behavior.

The little Giant Swallowtail Caterpillars do the same thing to cool off only they lift up the head and middle section, leaving the hind end on the leaf (a much more lady-like post). I expect other caterpillars do this too, in the heat, but the GST's are the only ones i have noticed. I have a photo somewhere...

Beverly, Spicebush and Palamades STs do it, too. I'm not sure if it's part of their snake mimic act, though. They'll even sway back and forth like a cobra. Here's one of my favorite pictures ever.

mellielong said:Here's a critter from my garden today. I've been seeing a lot of these skinks around lately. Dad said he's breeding them.

Your dad is very funny!

Dang, it's hot here too and I'm already upright and hatted!

Yes, it is neat to learn about their behavior.


Very nice pic of the cobra-cat, love it!!!

Great photo of the Spicebush Melanie...those "coats" must be very warm in the heat. They don't reveal themselves like that too often. Here is the tiny, almost new Giant Swallowtail caterpillar doing the same thing. I think he may be 4 days old here. I do yoga for one hour every day and often this puts me in the same position. I do believe that the yoga postures came from people observing various animals and critters. It is so endearing that your tiny caterpillar thinks he is a vicious cobra

Beverly, your Giant ST cat there is in the process of molting. See how low his head capsule is sitting? That's because it's already detached from his body and the new one is forming underneath. I wonder if stretching helps them loosen the old skin in preparation for molting? Monarchs tend to roll side to side when they're molting and I always figured that's what they were doing. Interesting stuff.

I love it when the Spicebush think they're snakes. When they start swaying at me, I'm like, "Who thinks he's a wittle cobra?" Yes, I baby talk my caterpillars.

mellielong said:They'll even sway back and forth like a cobra.

TOO cool!

vitrsna said:much more lady-like.

Indeed

mellielong said: When they start swaying at me, I'm like, "Who thinks he's a wittle cobra?" Yes, I baby talk my caterpillars.

I'll probably do that, too - when I GET some!
Or maybe I'll say "oooo, how very scary!"

I love the little cobra-snake!!

hmmmm, molting? I don't recall a molt. I thought he was sticking his real head out of his disguised head to cool off. I guess he could have done a molt and then eaten it before i saw him again. I didn't get the impression he was molting though. Are you sure?

Beverly, that head capsule is sitting way too low on that caterpillar. He must have molted pretty soon after that. A normal caterpillar's head capsule does not sit that low on the body.

Oh dear, normal, not so normal he and his siblings (there were only 4) grew up to be beautiful, healthy GSTs. I'll have to pay closer attention next time around. Thanks for your comments Melanie.

Ooh, that's beautiful, Beverly! I have something not quite as lovely and I wouldn't call it my friend, but here it is. This is a lubber grasshopper, bane of the Florida gardener. I haven't seen hardly any this year, which is rare. This one got brained by a shovel after I took the picture. They will eat anything. They even ate my bromeliads once! I didn't even think that was possible, but I caught one in the act. They're big, but they're really slow and easy to catch. Dad says they make good fish bait.