CONSIDER THE APHIDby Julie Lavender
I took a different path on my morning walk today that led me
past the ditch in our back yard. A couple of ladybugs, or as my biologist
husband would correctly identify them, ladybird beetles, caught my eye and I
looked closer at the weeds growing near the water’s edge.
“Aphids. Lots of them.”
LADYBUG, LADYBUG.....
Fortunately, God designed other insects to prey on aphids,
especially ladybugs, and I always enjoy checking out the ladybird beetle
population when the aphids appear.
I sat down in the grass to watch the ladybugs, attempting to
count the spots on some of the ones I saw. Adult ladybugs, as well as ladybug
larvae, feed on the aphids.
FARMER ANTS....
I noticed ants, too. Ants actually ‘farm’ or sortof protect
the aphids because they feed on the honeydew – the sugary waste of the aphid.
In other words – aphid poo! Yuck!
HONEYDEW...
APHID POO!
YUCK!
Must be somewhat yummy, because I saw a green
bottle fly and a small butterfly sipping on some honeydew drippings on a leaf,
too.
GREEN BOTTLE FLY SLURPS NECTAR
BUTTERFLY SIPPING NECTAR, TOO
I spotted other insects and even a spider munching on or
seeking out aphid appetizers. Insects like an assassin bug and a long legged
fly and a wasp.
ASSASSIN BUG...
JUST A TAD CREEPY.....
YET AMAZING, TOO!
“This is amazing,” I thought as I watched the show in front
of me. In just a small patch of my backyard, I watched a wealth of God’s
wonders creep and fly and sip and snack.
SPIDERS LIKE APHIDS, TOO....
LONG LEGGED FLY LOOKING FOR AN APHID APPETIZER....
GOLDEN LEGGED WASP, MUNCHING ON APHIDS
Oh, God, may I never
tire of your magnificent works! Your world is a stunning display of your
creativity and greatness. Thank you for your masterpieces, God. From the tiny
to the mighty – I thank you.
What about you? Tell me about some of God's countless works that you observed this week? I'd love to hear about them!
Wow—I probably would have just killed all the aphids, but look at all the bugs they fed! I hope all those bugs did narrow your aphid population, though, for the sake of your plants!
ReplyDelete(Wow - got busy helping my 'baby' daughter - the sophomore in college get ready and head out to be a summer camp staffer at a Baptist kids camp and totally forgot to check my comments on my blog!) Well - these particular aphids were mostly on weeds that grow up near the ditch in our back yard, so my husband doesn't actually care of the cause the demise of the plants - ha ha - but I do so love all the other bugs and critters that feast on them. They are such alien-looking critters to me! But, they are very fascinating!
DeleteGoodness, I've been a farm girl all my life, but you just taught me an amazing lesson on aphids (I know them only as pests that eat our garden and flowers). I knew ladybugs help us by eating harmful bugs, but I certainly didn't know all that about aphid poop! Yuck, indeed! Thanks for the lesson. I continue to be amazed by how quickly our garden is growing. Yesterday's tiny squash is going to be tomorrow's supper!
ReplyDeleteWe had squash for dinner last night, too!!! In fact, we've had so much squash from my brother's garden recently that we've had it a number of ways! But so yummy! And, as I told Heather above, these particular aphids were feasting on weeds at our ditch, so we actually cheer them on!! ha ha! (Also, as I told Heather, I got busy helping my 'baby' daughter - the sophomore in college get ready and head out to be a summer camp staffer at a Baptist kids camp and totally forgot to check my comments on my blog!) Thanks for commenting!
DeleteThank you for your keen observation of God's creation.
ReplyDeleteIt helps to have an entomologist/biologist for a husband, Diane! I didn't 'appreciate' God's insects when I was younger, and though I'm still not fond of many of them, I do actually appreciate them now and just love God's amazing creativity when it comes to all of His creations!! Thanks for responding - sorry to be so delayed - I posted and then scampered town to get my daughter to the airport for her camp staff position, and then I guess I missed her so much that I totally forgot to respond! Blessings!
DeleteI find myself looking forward to your blog. I love the beautiful pictures of nature and how it teaches us about our creative, powerful, and wonderful God.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't help but think how people, like the insects in your post, have different functions and gifts.
Blessings!
What sweet words, Beckie!!! You've made my evening!! And, wow - what a great thought - yes indeed! People have different functions and gifts and God loves us all the same! (If you glanced above, this will be a repeat, but I'm sorry for responding so late. My 'baby' daughter - the sophomore in college - left to be a summer camp staffer at a Baptist kids camp right after I posted and I guess with missing that sweet girl, I just totally forgot to check my comments on my blog!) Blessings to you - I hope your summer is going well!
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