again.

notes on a life as an acquired taste.

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The security guard of one of the companies here let me use his microwave. What a wonderful thing, such a microwave. Why didntI have that idea before now? Warm lunch is such a satisfying experience!

A Sunday festive meal on an ordinary Thursday. Totally worth the time and effort spent on parmigiana di melanzane. 😋

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On my stinging nettles there is a paradise for weevils. Eating, sex, eating, sex.

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About the caterpillars on my mullein...

I decided to rehome them to a less beloved mullein.

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Meal prep. Parmigiana di melanzane.

Actually, it was supposed to be dinner but during cooking I lost the appetite. So I put it in 3 separate little forms thinking I could take it as lunch to work. One company has a microwave I surely could use. Its not bad cold either.

Or I have finished dinner portions.

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It's camomilla. Self seeded. I even reduced the amount somewhat. But this is where everything pollinating gathers currently. Look at all those winged creatures video bombing. And it smells amazing throughout the whole garden.

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Look at that impressive mullein:

Last year a neighbor weeded his driveway and I told another neighbor "too bad he will rip that one little plant out, its a really nice flower next year". And one day later that other neighbor came with the little leaf rosette of a first year mullein and gifted it to me. He had watched the driveway weeding progress and asked the weeding neighbor for it for me. I planted it into the only empty pot available at that time, a tiny terracotta pot. Turns out, the mullein rooted through the bottom hole and into the dirt below and kept developing as if in the ground.

This year huge growth took place and even people less interested in plants asked what kind of weirdo alien plant it was.

And I cared for it and loved it and expected huge gigantic flower spikes.

And now today I saw loads of little holes in the leaves AND a number of culprits:

Caterpillars.

Caterpillars with such distinct coloration that the internet was helpful with the identification.

Its the mullein moth:

And now I am so so conflicted.

Do I grow endemic weeds and plants exactly because they are important to endemic insects that again are important to birds and bats? Yes, I do.

But did the fucking moth have to put eggs on that one beloved pampered mullein in my display containers??? Like, could it not have used a less beloved mullein somewhere else?

Will I get a beautiful huge plant with huge flower spike if I leave the caterpillars to devour my mullein?

What am I complaining about, some may ask. You want to support insects and look, you did. You planted a mullein, mullein loving insects appeared, mission accomplished. Some bat may get a bit fat moth meal thanks to you.

Yeah.

Just. I also wanted a lush awesome gigantic healthy not eaten and not ragged looking mullein for myself.

What would you do?

Edited to add:

Mullein is biennial. First year teensy rosette of leaves and establishment of taproot. Second year huge growth above ground. So my mullein will go to seed this summer and then I have flowers again in 2 years. But!

Look what I dug up and stole from where I work:

Flower next year. And after that mullein flower every year!

Still doesnt change the dilemma of caterpillars. So, what would you do? Reduce number of caterpillars at least? Move them to a less loved mullein somewhere else?

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The white flower clusters belong to a grass, endemic luzula nivea.

Luzula nivea gets listed everywhere as pollinated by wind. No insect involved according to all sources I ever came across. I planted it because its pretty.

But ever since it started flowering I keep seeing bumblebees flying in a goal directed manner from flower to flower. Its not an accidental checking it out, it's definitely pollen gathering behavior. And sometimes, when the bumblebee does that vibrating thing, tiny white clouds of white pollen dust emerges. And look at her hind legs, she deffo carries white luzula nivea pollen.

So I learned something new. Even if plants get pollinated by wind insect pollinators may find the pollen worthwhile to collect. Pollen is needed as protein for their young ones.

No source mentions this.

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When the Pieps came to live with us he had no idea what to do outdoors. I struggled to believe the story I was told about his origin as a stray street cat. The panda gifted him mice and Pieps had no idea what to do with them. And he had no clue how to hunt.

That changed.

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That tiny solitary wasp chose the one wall that never receives direct sun. Full shade. I am amazed, I believed they want full sun.

She deposits little insects she caught together with the eggs of the next generation.

Its exactly where I sit and smoke a cig on the porch. In the beginning she disappeared in the crevice, now her back sticks out while she is busy depositing her prey and caring for her eggs. So the depth of the crevice is already set up with the best motherly care. I wonder if she will close the entrance with clay when done?

These solitary wasps are pacificists. I think they can sting, I guess thats how they take out their prey. But they don't sting people, unless you squeeze them or something. As far as I know solitary wasps belong to the pollinators because the adult lives off nectar. But the larvae feed on the prey deposited right beside the eggs. Thers are so so many solitary wasp species that I didn't bother trying to identify. Whatever her name, I am kind of thrilled she found a crevice she likes in my wall.

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Oh, also...

You know how supermarket onions start sprouting greens in your home storage?

I had 6 organic onions wanting to live and fullfill their cycle. So I planted them. Lets see if they go to bloom. We like allium blooms here. Especially the bumblebee community, but basically everybody.

🤞

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Came home at around 21:45. Pieps recognized my cars motor sound and greeted me on the parking area. I carried him home and sweet talked with him and told him I love him and he purred. I set the flap on no exits and served wet food. Then I brushed him and got 1 tick out. Went outside for a cig and the panda came running, happy tail up. I opened the door for him and in he went. Served wet food. Will do full tick body search when he finished.

The panda doesn't like to be loved on while eating so I went back outside for that cig on the porch in the dark. And thats where it's at now.

I just felt the need to tell the Tumblr void that i have the bestest cats and that I love them very much and they love me, too.

All cats safely indoors with enough food in their bellies. I can go to bed and know everybody is well.

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The nicest corner of the premises.

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Summer version looks a bit wilder, I guess

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Maikäfer (may beetle).

The real life inspiration behind this traditional chocolate design:

They used to be considered a plague when they made a mass appearance every may. In 1865 Wilhelm Busch wrote this childrens book about the two menaces Max and Moritz who collected may beetles to put them into the bed of Uncle Fritz.

And now you rarely every see any.

I found two at work helpless on their back on the big concrete area where the trailers stand. I carried them to grass to not get run over.

I think people now (including me) dont have a grasp just how little insects are left compared to, lets say, 1865. Insects are the base of the food pyramid and the decline has effects all the way through the food pyramid. It's worrying.

Now seeing one maikäfer is an event to write home about.

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The flap told me that the last time the panda used it to exit the house was 14:56. I came home 17:30 from work and no panda. I watered my container garden, had an over the fence Chat with a neighbor and then it was 20:30 and no panda.

Went on a search&rescue mission.

Successful. Found the damn cat unharmed and he followed me home.

Only the last bit he allowed me to carry him and purred all the way.

Now he is in the yard and refuses to actually enter thr house but at least now I know where he is and that he is fine.

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