#common snapdragon

Arcade feature #1: Beatrix Potter

When the three kittens were ready, Mrs. Tabitha unwisely turned them out into the garden, to be out of the way while she made hot buttered toast.

"Now keep your frocks clean, children! You must walk on your hind legs. Keep away from the dirty ash-pit, and from Sally Henny Penny, and from the pig-stye and the Puddle-Ducks."

-The Tale of Tom Kitten

Note the snapdragons on the right-hand side, and the budding peony plants in the back on the left.

#ANTIRRHINUM MAJUS - COMMON SNAPDRAGON❤️🐉🍃

1.15.25

Common Snapdragon

Antirrhinum majus

Observed at home on Galveston Island.

This is not native but also not invasive to Texas. It’s found in gardens and is great for our pollinators, including hummingbirds. They are cool season annuals, come in a variety of colors, the florets are edible and they’re even deer resistant due to the bright colors and distinctive shape! The reason for the name, snapdragon, is because when you pinch the sides of the flower it looking like a dragon’s mouth snapping open.

#commonsnapdragon #Antirrhinummajus #citizenscience #flora #flowers #garden #nature #outdoors #january #january15 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day15

1.16.25

Channeled Duck Clam

Raeta plicatella

Observed all along Galveston Island beaches. I’ve only ever seen the empty shell halves but apparently the clam lives in the sandy shallows outside the surf zone. They’re native to Texas and I’ve seen them wash ashore year round, especially after drastic tide changes and storms. The shells are very thin and crunch like fall leaves. Crunched up shells add to the composition of the beach and it’s therapeutic!

#channeledduckclam #Raetaplicatella #citizenscience #clamshell #shells #crunchedshells #beach #nature #outdoors #january #january16 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day16

1.17.25

Milkweed Assassin Bug

Zelus longipes

Native to this area.

Observed at the beach on Galveston Island though it’s usually found in gardens and landscapes. It looks a little creepy but if you see one leave it be because it preys on pests like beetles, caterpillars and even mosquitoes. Its bite may hurt due to the salivary secretion it uses to dissolve the tissues of its prey but in a human it’s not serious.

#milkweedassassinbug #Zeluslongipes #citizenscience #truebug #nativespecies #insect #beach #january #january17 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day17

1.18.2025

Bur Clover

Medicago polymorpha

Introduced from the Mediterranean Basin and is invasive in Texas.

Observed at Galveston Island State Park at 1.18.25. It’s usually found in moist open habitats. This was taken in the middle of a trail at the park directly behind the dunes.

Is considered a pest due to the burs and can be toxic to livestock.

#burclover #Medicagopolymorpha #citizenscience #invasivespecies #nature #outdoors #january #january18 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day18

1.19.25

African Cotton Leafworm Moth

Spodoptera littoralis

My app actually identified this as an oriental leafworm moth, but under the description of that particular moth it hasn’t really made its way over to the US whereas the African cotton leafworm moth has, and the only way to tell the difference between the two is looking at its genitalia and I can tell you I did not do that. 🤣

Both species are considered pests and can devastate crops so different methods of control have been created.

Observed at Galveston Island State Park 1.19.25.

#africancottonleafwormmoth #Spodopteralittoralis #citizenscience #moth #insect #invasive #january #january19 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day19

1.20.25

American Coot

Fulica americana

Observed at home on Galveston Island on 1.20.25. The are common and native to North America. They live in Texas year round.

They are not ducks even though they look like them. Instead of webbed feet they have broad, loved scales on their toes and legs.

A group of coots is called a raft.

Fun fact, they usually build floating nests and lay 8-10 eggs per clutch!

#americancoot #Fulicaamericana #citizenscience #birds #bayou #nativespecies #outdoors #nature #january #january20 #2025 #picoftheday #project365

1.21.25

Least Sandpiper

Calidris minutilla

We weren’t the only ones out today! Observed at Galveston Island State Park on a snowy 1.21.25! Even saw them catch a couple fish!

These little guys are the smallest of the shore birds. They winter here on the coast and migrate north to breed. The females will leave early so the babies will feed themselves and are ready to fly in 2 weeks from hatching!

They will probe the muddy shores for invertebrates (and sometimes small fish…though I didn’t actually witness them eating the fish).