Conchuela Stinkbug on Silver Bluestem

Conchuela Stinkbug (Chlorochroa ligata)

A Conchuela Stinkbug on a flowering branch of Silver Bluestem grass. I have been trying to get a decent photo of this stinkbug for the last week or so at Lake Kirby. Getting a good photo is difficult because the bug is very dark colored and the background is usually much lighter, but my photos turned out okay this time. Just one of the challenges of natural history photography in the field on a sunny day!

Silver Bluestem panicle or flowering head (Bothriochloa laguroides)

The Bluestem flowering head or panicle is attractive to me even though many landowners only see this plant as an invader species. It’s very common on roadsides all throughout Texas this time of the year.

Bluestem plant and habitat

Desert Willow with flowers like lips?

Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) individual flowers

The first part of the scientific name refers to the resemblance of the flowers to lips. I think I can sort of see this in the above photo. This species is a native of the SW U.S. and Mexico, so it is adapted for our dry climate here in west central Texas.

Desert Willow is widely cultivated and is commonly planted along the highways of west Texas.

Other interesting common names include Desert Catalpa and Flor De Mimbre. A member of the Boraginaceae plant family.

Gray Gold-Aster and its beautiful flowers

Gray Gold-Aster (Heterotheca canescens) and its beautiful flowers is very abundant now at Lake Kirby Nature Park along the dam road and prairie areas. It’s a very common mid-summer into fall species in the sunflower family.

The foliage is grey-silver in appearance, hence the common name.

Songbirds eat the seeds and the many flowers provide nectar for pollinators. It is not palatable to livestock so, from a rancher’s perspective, this is just a native species that crowds out other more desirable plants.

Even so, it’s definitely worth stopping to take a look at to admire the attractive flowers and foliage.

Prickly Lettuce – a relative of your common supermarket lettuce

Prickly Lettuce – Lactuca serriola

Smaller than a dime across, the tiny flowers of Prickly Lettuce have their own unique beauty. This species is a member of the sunflower family. Your common, edible garden lettuce (a different species) is thought to be derived from Prickly Lettuce.

Prickly Lettuce – single group of flowers

Prickly Lettuce is a native of the Old World, and like many non-native species, whether plant or animal, seem to become aggressive and too abundant, crowding out many native species. This is typical of what ecologists call a disturbed habitat, whether by land clearing for urban growth and expansion or by fire or storm. Here’s a question: does knowing that this species is a non-native invader lessen your ability to enjoy the beauty of its flowers? I would love to hear your comments!

Prickly Lettuce – entire plant

Meet Velcro Plant

The long, square stems of this member of the coffee family has tiny, stiff hairs that will to you and your clothes. You’ll find this plant hanging out in damp, shady places all across Texas.