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Thursday, August 4, 2011

~life in the lantana~


Our lantana thrives in the heat and is brimming with life in the form of several kinds of butterflies and something slightly more sinister. 
The hummingbirds frequent it's blossoms as well but I have no patience to capture that image.


Look at that face!





This garden spider is hanging there waiting for a butterfly to get caught in the web. It is difficult for me to approach a spider for a photograph but I did it.


I confess, this one is cropped and thereby slightly enlarged. I was not this close.
Ick.

Now if you toss in a few hummingbirds this is life in our two huge lantanas that flank our deck.

So plant you some lantana and you will not regret it.

I am joining Tracie at Fishtail Cottage for Cottage Flora Thursdays.

grace surrounds us
Olive
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26 comments:

  1. Honey at 2805August 4, 2011 at 8:13 PM

    This is beautiful, Olive! Stunning photography!

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  2. savvycityfarmerAugust 4, 2011 at 9:09 PM

    I have lots of hummers this year ...
    not the car either

    hahaha

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  3. Olga PoltavaAugust 4, 2011 at 9:29 PM

    Beautiful photos! I love the ones with the butterflies, but the ones with the spider give me the shivers. You are so brave to take them.

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  4. Julie MarieAugust 4, 2011 at 9:42 PM

    Hi Olive, what beautiful photos!... I am sorry to hear your kitty was injured today... sending little kitty prayers... xoxo Julie Marie

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  5. JaneAugust 4, 2011 at 10:12 PM

    That is one ugly spider! Your photographs, as always, are stunning!
    Jane

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  6. AnonymousAugust 4, 2011 at 10:26 PM

    Gorgeous, Olive!

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  7. UnknownAugust 4, 2011 at 10:35 PM

    utterly fantastic photos, Olive!
    they should be published!

    Karen

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  8. BabsAugust 4, 2011 at 11:40 PM

    Great photos of the butterflies and spider. I took some of the same butterflies on our lantana but the didn't turn out nearly as good as yours. Our lantana has gone wild. I chopped it back about 3 wks ago and it's now waist higg again. This is by the walkway. I hate to cut it back again but every where we have it in the yard it's huge.
    When we were kids we used to call that kind of spider a "writing spider". LOL
    Hugs,
    Babs

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  9. EricaAugust 5, 2011 at 12:07 AM

    Absolutely stunning!

    Year Old Birthday Party Ideas

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  10. trash talkAugust 5, 2011 at 8:01 AM

    Lantana is one of the few plants that give color in the summer down here in the Texas sun.
    Is that an orb weaver? They're pretty scary looking, but are safe...I think! I may have read somewhere they eat aphids and ants. If they do...you might want to let her hang around. LOL
    Deb

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  11. LindaAugust 5, 2011 at 1:03 PM

    Great photos...lantana gets so huge here...it has to be in a pot to control it!

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  12. MollyAugust 5, 2011 at 3:52 PM

    Those pictures are amazing Olive. I love the way too of how you have taken the spider and his web. Lovely!

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  13. The Boston LadyAugust 5, 2011 at 5:41 PM

    Olive, spectacular pictures of those lovely flutterbys! Even the spider looked good. I am very afraid of spiders and I understand the nerve it takes to get close. Ann

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  14. UnknownAugust 5, 2011 at 8:30 PM

    Olive---what breathtaking photos!!

    Happy weekend wishes.

    Blessings!
    Gail

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  15. Pam KesslerAugust 5, 2011 at 10:35 PM

    That ziggity zag part of the spider web is awesome. I think spiders are pretty. I just don't want to get too close because I always picture them jumping on me. They do jump, don't they? Maybe I have an irrational fear for no reason.

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  16. SueAugust 6, 2011 at 12:19 AM

    Really, really cool pics of the butterflies and the spider!! There's even bokeh in the first two shots! :-)
    I'm not a big fan of spiders ever since one bit me and my arm swelled up like a ginormous sausage. Yikes- I stay away from those suckers now....

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  17. CindyAugust 6, 2011 at 9:43 AM

    I love lantanas! That is one of the only flowers that survived this Texas heat in my garden this year. The bees, hummingbirds and butterflies swarm them each morning and evening. And I am glad I am not the only one that loves that big spider! They love all the grasshoppers that have taken over our pasture! GREAT photos!

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  18. Linda (Nina's Nest)August 6, 2011 at 10:31 AM

    Beautiful photos! I love the butterflies! Linda

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  19. UnknownAugust 6, 2011 at 7:52 PM

    Beautiful photo's and pretty butterflies..but those spiders..nope I'm not a fan of spiders either...

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  20. lvroftiquesAugust 7, 2011 at 11:36 PM

    KILLER pictures Olive!!! Wow! Vanna

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  21. Low Tide High StyleAugust 8, 2011 at 3:18 PM

    Beautiful images as always! We have the twin to your garden spider...we've named her Charlotte!

    Kat :)

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  22. Privet and HollyAugust 8, 2011 at 8:06 PM

    Love, love Lantana!
    And loving brave
    and beautiful you.
    Hope you are staying
    cool, my friend. I'm
    sending you dry breezes
    from the Pacific NW
    this week!
    xx Suzanne

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  23. DebbiedoosAugust 9, 2011 at 6:59 PM

    WOW those are nice shots Olive!

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  24. LindyLouMacAugust 10, 2011 at 3:21 PM

    Oh how I wish the butterflies would sit on our lantana for long enough for me to try and get some photos, yours are wonderful.

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  25. The French HutchAugust 12, 2011 at 10:07 PM

    hi Olive, I remember the routine well, getting my son ready to head off to school. I still miss the back to school ritual every year as the shops get all their back to school items stocked. Your photos are beautiful, but spiders scare me. Yikes, thats a big one. I love the butterflies and I love Lantana. We've had so much rain in the past two weeks mine has grown over the walkway. Great post, beautiful colors. I fill like fall is close at hand when you start seeing the spiders make their webs everywhere.
    Hope your weekend is sweet.

    ~Emily
    The French Hutch

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  26. Rose @ Confessions of a CurbshopaholicAugust 18, 2011 at 6:49 AM

    omg, that spider is freaking me out! I feel like I should be standing on a chair screaming for mike to come kill it. Your photo reminds me of the cell phone commercial where the guy puts his phone down on the table and his screensaver is a very big spider and the woman starts screaming and her husband "kills" the phone with his shoe.
    Your photos are so beautiful and clear, but I hope I never run into a spider that big around here, I might never go outside again!

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I adore your comments. They are like finding unexpected chocolates. olive

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