8 | LIFE IN SOLERA | AUGUST 2026 |
Not what you normally see.
Photo 1: Garden Spiders. This summer we have a garden spider,
called "orb weavers, in our patio wisteria. Several evenings at sunset,
with my glass of wine in hand, I watch the one pictured here building
its web, a new one every night (I am easily entertained). We do not
see them every summer. At times orb weavers build webs between
shrubs and trees on opposite sides of a sidewalk, so if you are walking
outside at night without a flashlight, you can get a face-full of web!
(Photo editing by Lane Joel)
Photo 2: In 2009 a dove, fleeing from a hawk, slammed into our
living room picture window and then flew away over the main gate
guard station, still being chased. The dove's dust and down feathers
imprinted to the window leaving a picture impression: body, wings,
legs, and head.
Photo 3: Also in 2009, while inspecting my tomatoes, I came
across two mating preying mantises. Sure enough, the female is
much larger.
Photo 4: In spring of 2020, and for each of the next three years,
a female mallard duck created a nest in the ferns by our front door.
Here mother and 10 ducklings rest by the front door before trekking
off to the Oak Valley Golf Course.
By Richard Crowe
By Richard Crowe
Unusual Garden Critters
