Now that the majority of my Angel Trumpets are growing in an enclosed shade house I never expected birds to become a nuisance....that is until I discovered this giant birds nest with plastic plant tags as one of the primary building materials!  Now I know why so many of my plants are missing their identification tags.For the past couple of years I have had problems with birds yanking the pot tags out of my Angel Trumpets in my open growing area. I assumed the birds were after the snails that ...

Now that my Brugmansia seed pods are starting to ripen, it is time to enlist some friendly help to keep pests away.This friendly Anole appears to be quite happy on his new resting place.  Because Brugmansia seed pods are actually a fruit, they can be impacted by small beetles and tiny larvae while they are ripening. Both are great snacks for these guys!

I had an Alfred Hitchcock moment last night when I encountered a flock of Bluejays, one of which scared the bejusus out of me. You see typically I take a nightly stroll through my Brugmansia forest looking for newly opened blooms.  Last night I was gazing at a group of Brugmansia seedlings zoning in on a fresh new bloom when a creature buzzed by my head and scared the bejesus out of me.  I'm used to hummingbird moths and the like buzzing me as they are attracted to my headlamp, but being ...

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I've been sort of quiet lately as my real job in the event business approaches its seasonal peak and becomes more demanding.  I've also encountered a shortage of photogenic blooms thanks to an out of control caterpillar population.  Fortunately I have some unsolicited help in my war against cats.  This tiny spider is making a meal out of a caterpillar twice it's size.Right now I'm battling a type of inch worm that prefers blooms over foliage.  The leaf eaters are just starting to emerge so ...

It's that time of year when the lovebugs make their semi-annual appearance here in Florida.  Every May and September you can count on these sex-crazed critters to annoy the heck out of you, especially if you do allot of driving. Lovebugs are harmless and are more of a nuisance than anything else. They do not sting or bite and fortunately for us, do not harm our plants.  They like to feast on sweet nectar so that is why you see a pair hanging around on this beautiful Angel Trumpet bloom on ...

When I was checking over my neglected front yard this weekend, I found it odd that my crinum lilies had no grasshopper damage this year.  They seem to be one of the favorite foods of the giant Eastern Lubber Grasshopper, or lubbers as they are commonly called.  Well Monday I got my Lubber fix when I spotted one resting on an Angel Trumpet leaf.Despite their giant size as an adult, they actually eat less than grasshoppers a fraction of their size.  They are monsters too, typically reaching 3 ...

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