Birds Nest Fungi

A lot of these in the bed at southwest corner of house. 

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/Gardening-Handbook/PDF-files/GH-070--birds-nest-fungus.pdf

On Deck 2014

Blue Daze

Cape Plumbago

English Ivy, Scented Geranium, Pineapple Sage, Orange Mint, Lemon Thyme

Bee in Trouble

I found this bee struggling in the birdbath and fished it out with a stick. After a few minutes of airing and thoroughly wiping it's proboscis, it flew away. 

 

Oh, hello.

Lacewing Eggs 9-16-14

Found lacewing eggs on the potted Mandevilla vine this morning. 

Also an assassin bug. 

Katydid

I first saw these when they were very tiny and I thought they were a different kind of assassin bug. After they got bigger I realized they must be some kind of katydid. 
http://www.austinbug.com/tettigoniidae2.html

I thought I'd better kill them so they wouldn't continue chewing up my plants. (I'm happy for caterpillars to do so, but then they become beautiful pollinators.) James reminded me of my "natural garden" policy = no interference with the circle of life in our yard. We've only been here a few months, but so far it's been amazing. A pest arrives, shortly followed by predators of that pest. 

So the green bugs stayed. Yesterday a couple that I had been keeping an eye on had disappeared. Birds got them, maybe? This morning I went to check on one that lives on our deck in a pot of herbs. Couldn't find him. But I found this instead:

Praying mantis to the rescue!

Hairstreak