Fred's Carnivorous Plants and other oddities

[fredg]

A group of Disa 'Sandra' trying and failing to blend in.

[Maggi Young]

A group of Disa 'Sandra' trying and failing to blend in.

Go for it, Sandra, loud and proud!!

[Tristan_He]

Go for it, Sandra, loud and proud!!

Disa herself seems quite a character Maggi!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disa

[Maggi Young]

Disa herself seems quite a character Maggi!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disa

Oh Yes!!

[fredg]

Who dat?



Ah! There she is.

[fredg]

Looking good just now and will do for several months is an example of a Begonia that has been grown by my wife's family and latterly by myself since the early 1950s. I've never been able to find one the same produced commercially. One looked close but it wasn't really in the same league.

Small leaves and small flowers and plenty of the flowers. It hasn't peaked yet.

[fredg]

I'm enjoying growing a few Euphorbias. My E. flanaganii apart from supplying me with quite a number of offsets is showing the potential for quite a display soon. With Euphorbia having such small flowers they do need a mass flowering for the desired effect, however, a very close look is also effective. Here's a couple of macros to enhance my point.

[fredg]

Stylidium caespitosum with the hammer primed to surprise any unsuspecting nectar feeder.



An example with a couple of extra petals.



Stylidium debile also in stealth mode

[fredg]

This little lady was quite active in amongst some Sarracenia this morning. Going by those markings I think I'll keep my hands away from her. I believe she's a Noble False Widow - Steatoda nobilis



Lovely eyes though

[fredg]

Still going strong.

Drosera regia

[fredg]

Last weekend saw the first of this year's Lithops flowers.



Plus enough sun to get the Delosperma opening too.

[fredg]

The sunflowers from the bird seed are starting to open. The Hoverflies are around in abundance.

[fredg]

A few more sunflower visitors this morning. The best of the photos.

[Maggi Young]

A few more sunflower visitors this morning. The best of the photos.

Those wearing full fur coats in this weather may be feeling a tad hot, don't  you think?!   And that is one  of the  fattest  hoverflies I've  ever  seen - terrific pix!   

[fredg]

I believe the big guy is Myathropa florea Maggi. He was bigger than a couple of the bees. The comparison with the size of the stamens is a good guide.