The other day on a bird-watching trip I came across a few Bush Morning Glory plants. As we passed by one such bush, the insects caught my eye. A few months ago I had been thrilled to find out that it was the host plant of tortoise beetles but here was biodiversity! There were several caterpillars feeding on the leaves, blue damselflies (the ones I had never photographed before) were hovering on the plant, iridescent green polka-dotted beetles were on the underside of the leaves and I also noticed a green spider. If I had stayed there longer I might have seen more but then I saw an eagle....
Bush Morning Glory/Ipomoea carnea grows on the edge of rice fields and other low-lying areas. They grow to a height of 1.5 m. Throughout spring and summer they bloom in clusters of pink.The flowers close as the sun grows stronger just like other kinds of morning glory blooms. A native of tropical America it is widely naturalized. Its Hindi name is besharam meaning shameless due to its invasive quality. Over the years the branches spread and form a tangled mass. Then it becomes a resting/hiding place for bigger creatures such as the python (below). I took this photo at the Pobitara Wildlife Sanctuary last year where the guards showed it to me and to other park visitors. I had always meant to use this photo about how the plant's branches can be a perfect cover for animals and I'm happy to be able to include it in my post.
I am joining Michelle of Rambling Woods for her meme Nature Notes. Click on the link and see other participants' posts. It's always interesting to see what's going on around us.
6 comments:
Welcome to Nature Notes..so happy to see you..I usually have the post up by Wednesday at midnight EST.. You have captured what is really important and that is the biodiversity and the amazing interplay that goes on mostly unseen and what is at greatest risk from human activity...wonderful post...Michelle
What a diversity!!! I enlarged to get a better look, what is the one that looks like a blue worm? Is that the damselfly? I can't see the wings, but it just glows and looks electric!
Michelle...thanks! Nature Notes will surely make me take a better look at all things around me.
Ginny, yes...that's the damselfly. There were several of them but they are such wispy and slender insects that I doubted whether they'd even show up in the shot.
What a wonderful, informative post! Thank you! I do love it when I have a chance to learn something new! Your photos are marvelous! I am glad you pointed out the python -- I might have missed him!! Hope you have a great weekend!
Sylvia
Świat natury jest wspaniały. Jak się dobrze patrzy, tak jak Ty,To można zobaczyć ciekawe owady.Gadów "bez nóg"jednak nie lubię, boję się ich :-(.Pozdrawiam
The world of nature is wonderful. As it looks good, like you, It is interesting to see owady.Gadów "without legs" but I do not like, I'm afraid of them :-(. Yours
This may be a repeat comment but my comment didn't show up. Great post about biodiversity!
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