That makes 3 of us with @GennyB !
I try to do better, honestly! LOL I keep telling myself to just STOP. Think. Then move. 
I've noticed them too. But I don't know if it's any more than usual. But there are a lot. Usually we can sit on the back deck at sunset and watch as dozens of dragonflies and barn swallows flit across the sky grabbing bugs. And I say the same thing. Have at 'em!!
They are brave! Annie chases the squirrels just as bad as Kali did! And honestly, I don't see too many right here by the back door anymore. I'm sure they're up front. Probably gnawing at my cameras.
LOL it sort of seems like it for you.I don't see too many right here by the back door anymore. I'm sure they're up front. Probably gnawing at my cameras.
Beautiful shot
That means you have a suitable habitat that supports their needs! Pat your self on the back because you have ceated a healthy enviroment!
That means you have a suitable habitat that supports their needs! Pat your self on the back because you have ceated a healthy enviroment!
our rain garden and the native wildflower garden seem to be making a lot of creatures really happy even though they're a relatively small footprint in the grand scheme of things.
Sometimes it is the little things. Just think if your whole neighborhood did what you did. It would be a pretty good sized footprint.I was hoping that was the case!
My husband said there must have been 40 of them around his ATV when he was out raking. I don't know what the attraction was! But they certainly have been in abundance. They don't sting they're just annoying.
I saw one that looked just like that on our deck yesterday and it was pretty big too. I doubt it was the same as the one pictured above but it looked the same.
But they are good to have around. They love nectar and bad bugs like a aphids, scale and thrips. Can't really ask for more because they do double duty, control pests while pollinating flowers which improves your yeild! Call me crazy but I plant things like dasies and yarrow to attract them!View attachment 162777
These hoverflies have been very annoying lately. They usually come out in July and August. But this year it seems like there's an abundance. I'm sure it's due to the amount of rain we've gotten. When we sit on our back deck they are being a PITA. We can't remember too many times in the past were we've had that many. Sitting on the back deck there seems to always be a few around. Annie is even bothered by them and actually has caught a couple in midair!
I think all yearling elk and deer start with no branches. I have a small collection of shed spikes. There's a small deer antler with 2 points in there (I went to take a photo for you and I'm like "what's that doing in my bundle of spikes?" but the rest are elk spikes. I worked at a big ranch for a couple of summers in my younger day and it had a huge elk population. The cowboys called the yearling deer & elk "spikes", not just the antlers. "I saw a small herd of Spikes over in that valley this morning".
