Friday, June 21, 2019

Willy Nilly Friday, June 21, 2019

Willy Nilly Friday 5, Sky Watch Friday, Floral Friday Fotos
and on Saturday, Saturday's Critters, and I'd Rather B Birdin'

1. Rain! (Sky Watch Friday)
Prentiss County, Mississippi, USA, June 17, 2019
Driving home Monday afternoon, my husband stopped beside the road so I could get a photo of these ominous-looking clouds. There was only a light sprinkle of rain, ...

… but as we drove on, the rain was so intense, the windshield wipers could not keep it cleared away!

2. Million Bells (Floral Friday Fotos)
Prentiss County, Mississippi, USA, June 11, 2019
Million Bells, Calibrachoa (pronounced ca-libra-KO-a), look like tiny petunias, come in a variety of colors, and attract bees and butterflies. Their sprawling growth makes them an ideal plant for hanging baskets or to add a cascading effect to containers. If you buy them already flowering at a garden center here, there are usually different color plants together in the same container.

3. The Most Unusual Thing I have Seen This Week
Prentiss County, Mississippi, USA, June 17, 2019
Eastern-Eyed Click Beetles, Alaus oculatus, have two spots on their heads resembling large eyes to scare predators away. And the white speckles on their wing-covers help them hide in leaf litter on the ground.

Eastern-Eyed Click Beetle on its back 'playing dead'
They can flip over onto their backs, making a clicking sound as they do, and fold up their legs and antennae to 'play dead' (and then with another clicking sound, they flip over again when the danger is past).

Here is a clearer view of its underside as it clings to a leaf with its front legs and unfolds its antennae.

4. Muskrats (Saturday's Critters)
Tupelo, Mississippi, USA, June 9, 2019
Muskrats, Ondatra zibethicus, are North American rodents that spend much of their time in the water. They are able to swim underwater for about 15 minutes, and can close their ears to keep the water out!

Tupelo, Mississippi, USA, June 16, 2019

Their diet consists mainly of plants, but also includes fish, frogs, small turtles, and other aquatic animals.

5. Killdeer (I'd Rather B Birdin')
Tupelo, Mississippi, USA, June 16, 2019
Killdeer, Charadrius vociferous, are North American plovers, widespread across the continent. They are Summer visitors to Canada, and Winter visitors to Mexico and the Central American countries, but in many parts of the United States they are year-round residents.

Have a wonderful day!

For more weather-related photos, visit Sky Watch Friday: Click Here!

For more flower photos, visit Floral Friday Fotos: Click Here!

For an interesting variety of photos, visit Willy Nilly Friday 5: Click Here!

And on Saturday,
For more animal photos, visit Saturday's Critters: Click Here!

For more bird photos, visit I'd Rather B Birdin': Click Here!

NOYTE: Please do not use my photos without my permission.

15 comments:

  1. This was an especially interesting post because of the click beetle - I don't think I've ever seen one. As for million bells, they are one of my favorite flowers. Very popular here in upstate New York. You can buy them either singly or in a mix. I make my own baskets each year.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ...lots of rain here too.
    ...a good name.
    ...ugly little bugger.
    ...lot of them here too.
    ...I haven't see many this year.
    Thanks for sharing, enjoy your weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Those clouds look downright scary! I've never seen a click beetle before. Very interesting looking, as are the muskrats!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Quite a dramatic sky!

    We have muskrats here too.

    ReplyDelete
  5. That click beetle is new to me. Almost doesn't look real!

    ReplyDelete
  6. That is one of the most awesome sky/cloud shots I have ever seen...those beetles are strange looking critters...if I had taken the photo of the muskrats, I would be so happy.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great sky! That click beetle is neat looking.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello, that is an awesome dramatic sky shot. The beetle is new to me, very strange looking. I love the sweet Killdeer. Thank so much for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love the click beetles! I spotted one, one year. I had to look them up!
    (ツ) from Cottage Country Ontario , ON, Canada!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love that beautiful Killdeer and have only seen them a few times! The click beetle is really wild looking, isn't it? And the Muskrats are cute! LOVE that cloud formation! WOW! you have amazing photos to share this week! Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  11. That kildeer posing in the grass is marvelous. I've seen those beetles (you're brave...I wouldn't hold it in MY hand).

    And what ominous storm clouds.

    Thanks so much, as always, for taking part in I'd Rather B Birdin

    ReplyDelete
  12. That beetle is really interesting! And the storm clouds rolling in--wow! I've always enjoyed the Calibrachoa, and I grew them in a pot one year. Great photos; great post!

    ReplyDelete

I enjoy your comments!

Thank you for visiting!