Category Archives: Flowers

Pink flowers

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A Leafcutter bee on a zinnia violacea flower

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘The Pink Side of Life.’ See more responses here.

The top photo shows a leaf cutter bee on what I think is a zinnia violacea flower. Next we have a ball of Egyptian starcluster (Pentas lanceolata) flowers and Pinkfringe (Arthrostemma ciliatum) flowers.

  • A ball of Pentas lanceolata flowers
  • Arthrostemma ciliatum flowers

Next comes the lovely marking of a shell ginger flower and the puffy blooms of a sensitive plant.

  • Shell ginger flowers
  • Sensitive plant flowers

Finally, there’s a pink banana hosting a visitor, a gold dust day gecko after a little something to drink.

  • A gold dust day gecko on a pink banana flower
  • A gold dust day gecko on a pink banana flower

Also posted in response to Becky’s October Squares challenge theme of ‘Past Squares – In the Pink/Flowers.’ See more responses here.

Vriesea splendens

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Bromeliad Vriesea splendens at Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Gardens

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Monthly Color Challenge: Burnt orange or blood orange.’ See more responses here.

Vriesea splendens is a bromeliad with long green leaves strongly marked with dark brown bands. But the show stopper here is the sword-like red-orange inflorescence which can be 2 feet long.

Also posted in response to Becky’s October Squares challenge theme of ‘Past Squares – Flowers.’ See more responses here.

Java sparrows in a plumeria

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A pair of java sparrows in a plumeria tree
A pair of java sparrows in a plumeria tree

This pair of Java sparrows was easy to see flitting about in the bare branches of a plumeria tree. Plumerias start out this way before flowers bud and bloom. Leaves are the last to show.

Java sparrows are a favorite of mine, for their perky nature, bold marking, and those pink legs and beak.

Posted in response to Becky’s October Squares challenge theme of ‘Past Squares – In the Pink.’ See more responses here.

A spiky passion vine butterfly caterpillar

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A Passion vine butterfly caterpillar on a passion vine in Hawaii
A Passion vine butterfly caterpillar on a passion vine in Hawaii

This is a caterpillar with a message and the message is ‘Back off.’ This is illustrated by the orange and black coloring and black spikes, which in this case conveys that these caterpillars are poisonous. Fortunately, I wasn’t hungry at the time so no harm done. Passion vine butterfly caterpillars, on the other hand, seem to be permanently hungry. Whenever I see them they’re munching leaves like old time video game characters.

Posted in response to Becky’s October Squares challenge theme of ‘Past Squares – Spiky.’ See more responses here.

Bananas

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A banana plant with flower and fruit

I’d always thought that the large reddish purple mass hanging below these bananas was the flower. But I learned that these are bracts surrounding the flower, which is a male flower. Female flowers are the first to appear on the plant and these are the ones that turn into the fruit seen in this photo.

Alright, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.

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The current Friendly Friday challenge theme is ‘Close ups and Macros.’ See more responses here. Here’s a selection of some little creatures up close and personal.

  • A Bee on a clover flower
    A bee on a clover flower.
  • A Wandering glider dragonfly resting
    A wandering glider dragonfly rests on a stalk.
  • A female Hawaiian garden spider in her web
    A female Hawaiian garden spider on her web.
  • A grasshopper in Hawaii
    A grasshopper (Schistocerca nitens) sunning itself.
  • A Giant African Land Snail in Hawaii
    Run for your life, it’s a giant African land snail!
  • A praying mantis eyes two flies
    Guess who’s coming to dinner?

Fiery skipper butterfly on aptenias

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A Fiery skipper butterfly feeds on an aptenia haeckeliana flower
A Fiery skipper butterfly feeds on an aptenia cordifolia flower

I often see fiery skipper butterflies on what I know as ice plants. I thought the different color flowers were just variations within the plant but, while they’re members of the same family (Aizoaceae), they’re different plants. At the top is an Aptenia haeckeliana with its yellow flower. To the left is an Aptenia cordifolia with a magenta flower.

It’s a different butterfly on the two flowers, but both are fiery skippers.