Let me step back a bit, please. “Montage” recently encouraged you Mountain Cityians to file for office of alderman/mayor (deadline Aug. 20) if you want ordinances and tax dollar expenditures in Mountain City “as is” or if you want to make some changes (one way or another.)
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The smart-Alec cow, #10, who learned again how to jump The Pomeroy’s repaired fence in order to graze the green grass in the Live Oak Drive cul-de-sac, just might be dead meat. #10 recently got sold.
When I posted the bovine’s photo on FaceBook in early July, Karen Herrmann (recovering from knee surgery) said, “Moooove over for breakfast.” My little sister said, “He heard you had Jesus with you all year! ‘Hoping the nativity scene would be there, too.” (#10 ate portions of three bales of hay near baby Jesus during the Christmas Season.)
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Olivia Schmidt, Texas Parks & Wildlife, taught me to post photos of “nature” on the iNaturalist app to obtain identification and document for scientists what and where. From photos, iNaturalist suggests possible identification. Naturalists confirm.
Recently, KissMe jumped back and yelped. At the exact spot in his backyard, I found a bright green insect. Its photograph went “into” iNaturalist on my iPhone. The probable genus identity came up …Stagmomantis.
A praying mantis will bite if disturbed; but, there’s no venom. A praying mantis poses no harm to people or pets.
In July, iNaturalist pegged it right on images of “bugs” I saw thatMontage covered in the past, Giant Walkingstick and Giant Redheaded Centipede.
For a small insect with bright red thorax we saw on Maple, iNaturalist suggested “Dasymutilla” and within a few days a naturalist confirmed.
Dasymutilla, commonly known as “Red Velvet Ant”, is nicknamed “Cowkiller Ant” because the sting of a female is so painful “it could kill a cow”. It’s actually a wasp. Since the female has no wings, she looks like an ant.
On iNaturalist, find nature photos taken here in Mountain City and nearby, including some by Patricia Porterfield.
On eBird, our bird sightings appear (And, yours can, too.) Last week’s sightings included several Baltimore Orioles.
One morning RonTom counted 15 Eastern Bluebirds on our kitchen window big boulder bird bath. Most of those bluebirds sported spots on their breasts, revealing their youth. With first molt, bluebirds get their red, white, and blue coat.
In Montage, you can find all sorts of tidbits. You can submit tidbits by emailing [email protected] (subject: tidbit) or phoning 512-268-5678. Thanks! Love to you, Pauline
