Insects and Critters in my Sunflower Garden

It's an assortment of insects and critters in my sunflower garden, oh my! I wondered just who was eating my sunflower plants' leaves. One sunny day in Jacksonville, Florida, I was walking amidst the three rows of sunflower plants that I grew from seed. Happily photographing this and that, being sure to capture each delightful sunflower blossom. It really wasn't until after I downloaded my sunflower garden photos from my camera. I was reviewing each photo in Photoshop and was surprised I didn't see that insect earlier.

By the way, I have found way too many people who have stolen my original photography, images, and written content. I put a lot of work into growing my gardens, doing original photography, and then writing about it. Why don't YOU go out and buy a package of seeds and try it for yourself??? It's not cool to steal other people's hard work. Why not consider being your OWN authentic self for a change!?

The very first "insect" that I spotted on the sunflower blossom.
It's a little green grasshopper.

Grasshoppers!

Yes, there he is, the little green critter! I think the little green grasshopper was plotting out his day. He probably already got in a bit of breakfast by the time that I showed up!

Not so little green grasshopper on pretty yellow sunflower blossom!

Then, a few days down the road ... why, hello! I think it is one of the original grasshopper's buddies. However, this second grasshopper surely looks a lot like the first one. Look closely at that leaf!

Hey there little buddy ... whatcha doing on my sunflower leaf?
It's another little green grasshopper. Could it be the same one?

Well, it is curious that the grasshopper doesn't look like it has grown much. That's why I figured it was another one. Take a look at that interesting hole in the leaf to the right of the little insect. Yumm Yumm!

A healthy green grasshopper sitting on a warm sunflower blossom

Fast Forward: Here is another NOT so little green grasshopper on a sunflower blossom. That grasshopper definitely has a bigger body than the previous grasshoppers.

Hey! Green grasshopper hopped on my hand!
Photo taken by JaguarJulie Ann Brady

An update: So, we had a really heavy duty thunderstorm and I was out cutting off some of the ripe sunflower heads. The sunflower plants were overloaded with weight and a couple of them broke and landed on the ground. As I was using my scissors to trim some sunflower heads and plants, I feel something on my hand. Why, it's that green grasshopper who hung on for the longest time. See?

Oh! And, it was one Saturday morning that I was squeezing between the 3 rows of sunflower plants to do a little weeding. When I came inside a while later, I was in the kitchen and there on the tile floor? A little green grasshopper! I seriously do not know where that grasshopper was spending his time until he came inside. Poor little grasshopper; he is no more!!

Moles!

You know, that little green insect wasn't the first pest that I actually spotted in my garden. I have been battling moles which have traversed nearly every part of my yard -- back, front and side! I believe it was because of the mole that some of my organic sunflower seeds never sprouted seedlings. Thus far, the moles have been camera-shy and rather elusive. When I photograph one of them, you'll be the first to know!

Black Leaf Bugs!
 
For a few days, I had been seeing a flying insect that was new to me.

Now those critters are getting serious!
Two black leaf bugs having a conference or something.

What a surprise to find two of them one morning on a sunflower leaf. That black insect rather looks like a beetle. And, it looks like they are conferring or perhaps telling each other, "I was here first; beat it!"

Another black leaf bug on my sunflower leaf.

Thus far, I have seen more black leaf bugs than any other insect eating my sunflower leaves! They seem to be most noticeable in the early mornings. When I have gotten them off the leaves, they don't fly off immediately. I've actually stepped on a few and worked them into my red mulch as conditioner! They actually squish like a juicy beetle.

Two black leaf bugs on a sunflower plant stem

It is most curious how so many times I spot the black leaf bugs in pairs. I wonder if that would be the female and male as a couple? Or, could it be the mom or the dad leaf bug mentoring their kids?

A determined black leaf bug on the sunflower plant

Some of the black leaf bugs have looked like grasshoppers. I don't believe I've actually seen any of those type of bugs which have leaf-shaped little feet.

Solitary black leaf bug on cut sunflower plant stem

After the thunderstorm had passed, I was cutting some of the broken sunflower plants. I noticed, as I brought the cuttings to the patio, that this black leaf bug just would not let go! I mean I scooted it off the cut sunflower plant and he came scurrying back to get back on the stem. Don't tell anyone ... I stepped on him. Squish! On less little black leaf bug, oh my.

Three black leaf bugs on a sunflower plant stem

The most black leaf bugs I have yet encountered on one sunflower plant is three. Normally, I can see these pesty insects in pairs. However, one morning I was concerned when I saw the three. They seem to be hanging out on my tallest Autumn Beauty sunflower plant which has a thick stem and juicy leaves. It is from the organic sunflower seeds. I've noticed those plants, from the organic seeds, took longer to "take off," but once they started to grow, the stems were thicker and the leaves were more pronounced.

Butterflies!
 
I have seen a few butterflies flitting around the sunflower garden, but was not quick enough to actually photograph any. Well, until the other day.

Monarch butterfly on Autumn Beauty Sunflower blossom

I realize my photo is a bit out of focus; however, I do believe you can make out that Monarch butterfly sitting on the Autumn Beauty sunflower blossom.

Monarch butterfly on Autumn Beauty Sunflower blossom

Thankfully, the Monarch butterfly has been visiting my sunflower garden quite a bit. I was able to capture a better photo to share. Look at the pretty mosaic colors in that butterfly's wings! Inspiring, like Mother Nature's stained glass!

Dragonflies!

Imagine my delight the morning of May 27, 2012. I came out to feed the orange male cat that visits; I didn't see the cat, but I did see a green dragonfly!

A green dragonfly resting on a yellow sunflower blossom.

I am enamored with dragonflies and love to watch them when they are migrating or mating. I captured quite a few pictures of this dragonfly and then gently nudged it. It took a short flight to a nearby leaf. Oh, yes, I nudged it again. Next it flew to the ground and I offered my finger.

That's the green dragonfly that I found on my sunflower blossom!

How cool, the dragonfly sat on my finger and allowed me to take its picture. I've photographed many a dragonfly in my day, but never got one to sit on my finger! How about that. Now, this is one critter that can come and visit anytime in my sunflower garden! I won't shoo them away.

A Common Fly 

Do we usually see the common house fly that much? Normally, I am seeing more of the teeny weeny flies or gnats. Is seems rather unusual that you would find a fly on a sunflower blossom, but I spied a fly. Take a look.

A fly spotted on a pretty Autumn Beauty sunflower blossom

See that fly up in the upper right, out there on the sunflower petal? He's a chubby little insect.

Worms in Sunflower Blossoms 

Worms in the Pretty Yellow Sunflower Blossom

June 25, 2013 - I've just added the photo above which shows two little worms crawling into the center of the sunflower. It seems that in the past week or so, that I have been seeing a lot of these little worms in the center of my blossoms! On the evening of June 24th, I was harvesting some seeds from a variety of sunflower heads. I picked up the last head and there on the tray was a pretty good sized worm that looked like a cutworm. Major creep-out moment I had; sorry, no photo opportunity to share that! But, I am on the lookout for these wormy critters!

A Ladybug and a Bee!

I had to come back to this post and add this picture. This is one of those sunflower pictures that I didn't realize I had this photo until I downloaded it and pulled it up in Photoshop! Look closely and you will see those two little critters!

A ladybug on a sunflower petal along with a bee!

There are actually two insects in this photo. No, I did not add them in! It was pretty amazing that looking at the photo in Photoshop, I first noticed the little ladybug in the upper right hand corner. Then, my eyes drifted downward to see the bee. How about that?

Just a Bee Please!

A bee on a pretty Autumn Beauty sunflower petal

We might have heard of the honey bees dying off. Thankfully, I have had plenty of bees pollinating my sunflower blossoms. Take a look at the top of the sunflower blossom, just left of center. Ah, it's a little bee I see.

2 + 2 bees on 2 pretty Autumn Beauty sunflower blossoms

Two sets of honey bees were captured on these two pretty Autumn Beauty sunflower blossoms. On the right blossom, you can see the two bees which appear connected. On the sunflower blossom to the left, there is a bee at the top of center and then one further down below.

Hummingbirds!

Probably the most inspiring vision I have had in my sunflower garden occurred twice now! Both times, it was early in the morning when I was feeding the cat. The first time, I was actually standing in the garden and heard a buzzing off the left side of my head. Not fast enough with my camera.

The second time, I had stepped out of the garden and was photographing it from a little distance away. It was just after 6:45am. The cat alerted me to the hummingbird. I snapped a few pictures and then got out my loupe to find the hummingbird in those photos!

A Hummingbird in my sunflower garden - Look closely!

You'll have to look really closely to find that hummingbird -- he was buzzing so fast and flitting about that it's hard to see him. If you follow the yellow arrow up, you can see a grayish spot just to the left of that Autumn Beauty sunflower blossom. I promise next time to get a better picture. So, I did! I found that little hummingbird returned at another time of day. I was able to capture a series of photos of that little hummingbird.

Cardinal and a Mockingbird

I haven't yet captured a photo of that male red cardinal, but I did catch his mate!

Female Cardinal sitting on the Sunflower Garden Edging

What's interesting about the male and female cardinal birds is how they approach the sunflowers in my garden. The male is quite bold in that he has already landed on one of the sunflower plant stems. He didn't stay long, but he keeps zipping around the garden. I can hear his cheeping sounds and know that he is there.

Now, the female has been a bit more timid. She lands on the edging, but doesn't really come into the garden. See her there in the lower part of the photo, just left of center.

A mockingbird on the roof near my sunflower garden

I truly enjoy watching the mockingbirds which frequent my front and back yards. On one occasion, one of them dive-bombed me when I was working on pruning a front bush. I snapped this picture one morning as I watched that mockingbird flitting around the sunflower garden.

Brown Anole Lizard

Brown anole lizard on a sunflower leaf

We have a considerable amount of brown lizards, anoles, around the yard. On several occasions, I have chased these lizards out of the house ... they are quite quick and a devil to catch. I am happy to see the brown lizards in my sunflower garden. At any time of day, when I step outside, I see them running out of the garden. They sure do have their selection of insects to snack on.

On morning, I watched one of the anoles that was sitting on a sunflower stem. Right above him was one of those black leaf bugs. The lizard snapped at the bug, but unfortunately, it flew off.

Remember the cat?

There's been an orange male tabby cat that has hung around since I first moved in. Just this morning, as I was riding my bicycle to my workout session, a neighbor stopped me. We were talking about plants in pots and how it looked like some cat peed on her one plant. Next thing, we are talking about the orange and black male cats which frequent our neighborhood.

There's my little orange buddy!

Where have you been? There you are!

That neighbor said this is a feral cat. Well, it sure has taken to me. As I have cared for ferals, strays and an assortment of domestic cats in Jacksonville, Florida, this guy feels safe around me. And, I am appreciating that he sits guard in my sunflower garden to distract any moles from tunneling through.

There you have it! I have spotlighted some interesting insects and critters found in my sunflower garden. I have yet to try any real pest control other than Spectrum HG-53944-5 "Spectracide" Triazicide Once and Done Insect Killer. I've been using the Spectracide granules for some time to treat my front yard; trying to discourage the moles from going after insects in the ground.

I did an initial treatment of Spectracide on the 9-1/2 x 15-1/2 foot garden area before I added the red mulch and ultimately the sunflower seedlings and sunflower seeds. Over the past couple of months, I have sprinkled Spectracide around the outside perimeter of the garden.

If the insects and critters in my sunflower garden continue to persist, I may opt for additional pest control. Stay tuned and I will let you know what I use! Thanks for stopping by today; nice to see you! Bzz Bzz.

Hey there! Nearly 3 months out and it is time for Drying Sunflower Heads for Harvesting the Seeds.