Houston Vacation: Nature around Their Yard (10/18/10 - 10/22/10)

Here are some pictures that Paul took of the various flora and fauna around Mike and Jodi’s yard. It was nice to see flowers still in bloom and butterflies aplenty as they have long since departed Michigan.
A boat-tailed grackle drinking out of Mike and Jodi’s pond:

Hanging out on a fish:

Then flying away:

A cloudless sulphur butterfly:

A tree frog snoozing on a leaf:

An anole lizard on Mexican heather:

Beautiful flowers:

A monarch caterpillar on Mexican milkweed:

A gulf fritillary caterpillar:

A gulf fritillary butterfly on lantana:

The baby anole lizard blends so well into this plant:

A gulf fritillary butterfly with a chunk missing out of its wing:

Another gulf fritillary on lantana:

Lantana is a favorite plant of many butterflies, including this grass skipper:

A long-tailed skipper:

A mahogany wasp:

A wasp peeking at a caterpillar on the other side of the leaf:

A frog hanging out on the waterfall of their water garden:

I love canna lilies:

A crazy looking black bee:

Another gorgeous gulf fritillary:

Texas morning glories:

Gulf fritillaries in the sunlight:

A tree frog hanging out on a leaf:

A newly hatched monarch on their porch:

The lizard matches the leaf perfectly:

Another beautiful gulf fritillary:

A cloudless sulphur caterpillar on senna: