Though other insects (garden varmints!) are mentioned, the star of this show is a type of stink bug called the harlequin bug or Murgantia histrionica. It’s a new one to our garden, but I’m not sure that is a good thing. Is the genus Murgantia really in honor of an ancient city in Sicily? I don’t know, and what about the species name histrionica? It seems to refer to drama or acting and the common name harlequin can refer either to the colorful patterns on this stink bug or an actor in a drama. All I know for sure is that when these colorful little stink bugs are found eating the leaves of our horseradish or cabbage there is drama in the garden. Much drama.
One note: the photo is mine and of a couple harlequin bugs on a horseradish leaf. Pretty cute, aren’t they?
The scientific name of the black swallowtail is Papilio polyxenes. Papilio is from the Latin for butterfly and the specific epithet polyxenes is from...
Petey finds a seep in the dry stream be of the Ol’ Guajolote and there are deer tracks in the soft mud.
Petey peers into an old bird nest in a tree and discovers the work of a deer mouse.
