Lily Leaf Beetle

     Yesterday while trimming the Saxifrage flowers that have gone to seed and weeding one of our flowerbeds, I came across this little, red beetle. I have seen a few during previous summers and wondered what they were. So, after much searching on the Internet, I discovered that it’s a Lily Leaf Beetle (Lilioceris lilii).
     They lay their eggs and complete their life cycle on various types of lilies. I inspected my orange lilies (which haven’t bloomed yet) for signs of damage, but there was nothing. From the looks of this particular beetle, compared to the ones I saw online, it looks like it’s starving.
    Since it’s not a native species, I captured it in one of my kid’s live bug traps, about 6 feet from my lilies, to show friends and neighbors. I've asked a few of them if they've ever seen beetles like this before, but so far no one has.
     I’ve offered the beetle various types of leaves to eat too, but it’s not touching them. Perhaps it’s like a salmon that stops eating before and after they lay their eggs, and now it’s preparing for the end. Who knows? Please let me know if I’m wrong about this beetle’s identification, or if you have ever seen them where you live.

As of June 15, 2010, I've discovered from my friend Matt, that this is actually a Net Winged Beetle (Dictyopterus simplicipes). Thanks Matt!

If you would like to see more photos from those participating in Ruby Tuesday, just click on the link.

Kayaker on Mendenhall Lake

A kayaker maneuvers his way around bergy bits on Mendenhall Lake.

If you would like to see more photos from Ruby Tuesday participants, just click on the link.

Northern Red Currant

     While I was wondering along the Mendenhall Peninsula shore, I came across these delicate, little flowers blooming. It’s always exciting when I come across a new plant that I haven’t seen before. After searching through my wild plant field guides, I discovered they are Northern Red Currant blossoms (Ribes triste). Unlike the Bristly Black Currant they have a smooth stem.
     According to the book Discovering Wild Plants: Alaska, Western Canada, The Northwest by Janice J. Schofield, they are high in vitamin C and copper. They can be found in open areas along moist woods, near stream banks, and the seashore. They range from northern Alaska and the Yukon to Oregon.
     I’ll have to return when they are ripe so I can photograph the berries, and I can pick a few to try in a pie. I wonder if they would be good with blueberries. Let me know if you have any suggestions for berry combinations.

If you would like to see more photos from Ruby Tuesday participants, just click on the link.