I mowed the grass yesterday. It’s a jungle out there! The most dangerous aspect of it is that the goldenrod is in full bloom and full of pollinators, including so many bumblebees. I did my best to keep far enough away from the fencelines so that my arms didn’t touch them. Another risky aspect are the blackberry thorns. I usually wear shorts, but I chose long pants just to be safe. I was also on alert for any signs of wasp nests or ground bee nests, as I always happen upon them by accident. Um, yep, I was going along a fenced in area along the side of one of the outbuildings that currently is full of mostly gargantuan invasive species (without thorns) and something made me look up. Did not see the nest (must have been behind the plants) but quite an exit of what appeared to be excited wasps. I rolled on out of there toot suite. They appreciated my distancing and left me alone.
I got pics of plants and one critter. Others I didn’t get pics of were a pencil-sized snake, longer and thinner than a pencil, but close; a vole that scampered away just in time; and I heard an eagle but didn’t see it. Also dragonflies. It may be my last mow of the season.
Tao Talk 
Love the slide slow Li, and a story that raised a smile, I know something about wasp stings.
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Oh no on the wasp stings.
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A great day to be alive! Love the photos. Interesting that the preying mantas is brown rather than green. My gekos do that too.
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Dwight, maybe when they get to a certain age they turn color? The young ones are bright green. Oh, I also saw a “baby toad” that’s gotten a little bigger. So strange to think of geckos in NC. I thought they only lived in FL and out in desert states. Have geckos always lived in NC?
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I think it is a protective coloration that blends in with the surroundings. Yes, we have gekos around here. I see them quite often!
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Do any of them talk with an Australian accent?
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Ha ha… no I don’t think so… they just flash that red flag under their neck to look Sexy! :>)
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Ah!
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Yellowjackets are a formidable force this time of year. Five years ago at this time I was attacked going up my driveway. I counted 20 stings but I may have undercounted because some were on top of others.
Have you tasted the wild grapes?
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Are yellowjackets the one that try to get into pop cans on picnics at this time of year? I hate those things! No, haven’t tasted them. I thought you had to wait until after frost until they were ready? I’ve tried them in the past but not impressed with the texture of them and not much taste iirc?
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Yep. That’s yellowjackets. They love sweet things.
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p.s. Can’t imagine 20 stings. What set them off??
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See above. ;) Really, just a narrow space between the car and the house next door and they didn’t want to share it. They had just nested under the bottom course of siding (I hadn’t seen them earlier that day when I left for a ride) and me moving relatively quickly probably looked like a threat.
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lol on see above. They are industrious as well as cantankerous. When I looked up and saw mass exodus, I thought my lucky streak was over.
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I am very allergic to wasps and bees. I would also wear long pants and be very cautious.
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Thanks, Robbie.
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You are lucky they didn’t head straight up the leg of your pants!
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haha! They were high above my head. Now if they had been that nest of ground whatevers…
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The blackberries are very invasive and can take over other plants. I have several kinds of bees here but I’m careful not to irritate them. I brushed away a bee once and got stung. We don’t want wasps. We’re going to get a wasp trap.
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I’m so glad you escaped the wasps. Their sting hurts so badly!
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Jeez, I’m glad you’re safe – the joys of grass and plants, as much as I like to look at them. Last year, we had two nests of yellowjackets in our patio. Their stings are really nasty! We ended up having an exterminator come. It turned out the nests they has built were pretty massive! Knock on wood, we haven’t had any issue this year. Hopefully, I just didn’t jinx it!
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Yipes on giant yellowjacket nests. Glad you let the professionals handle it. The paper wasp nests are never in the same place which makes it tricky spotting them.
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It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a praying mantis.
I was stung by a wasp about 25 years ago–it still swells up from time to time. Definitely best avoided! (K)
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There are a lot of them out her, but most of them are smaller and green. Not good news about the recurring swelling after 25 years. Yipes!
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Lovely pics
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Stunning shots!! 🩷
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:) Mowing is always an adventure.
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Oh for sure it is!!! 💕
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You were lucky that the wasps didnt attack you! I’m terrified of wasps, bees, any stinging insect actually!
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Carol Anne, have you been stung before?
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They are beautiful
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