Fighting ants 2 - Camponotus Postoculatus Forel

Until I started doing macro / close-up photography, I never realized how many species of ants there are and rarely even noticed them (unless they got into my sugar bowl. LOL!!) One day I watched this fight between these two ants. It went on for about 20 minutes and eventually the one was so exhausted, it just let itself be dominated by the other. I am not sure what the fight was about , if it is two males, or a male and female.

Medicinal Plants

This has always been a fascinating subject to me and one I wish I had studied.

Rub Wild Garlic leaves on the head to treat a sinus headache. Starflowers (African Potato)A ‘wonder’ ingredient taken from the Starflower (Hypoxis hemerocallidea) helps to boost the immune system. It is used for diseases like cancer (especially prostrate cancer), tuberculosis, arthritis and bladder disorders.This plant is NOT really the African Potato – that is an edible plant. The Starflower is poisonous.Small amounts of the juice can be applied to burns and a black dye extracted from the leaves is used to darken floors.

Vleilelie (Orange River LillyThis belongs to the Amaryllis family. A decoction of chopped leaves is taken for rheumatic fever.

The Wild Dagga (cannabis) Leonotis leonurus was used as tobacco by the earliest dwellers in South Africa. It is not related to real cannabis, but this plant can:
Relieve headaches.
Nurse your colds and coughs
Fix high blood pressure. Sunbirds rely on the nectar of the flowers in early autumn.
Kudu Lily

Ghaukum fruits are eaten fresh and are used in oriental cooking and for jam (preservatives).

Lilies

Lilies are such a joy to have in the garden and come in a great variety of colors.

Dragonflies and butterflies.

So late in the season and I am still finding dragonflies and butterflies. Thank goodness!!

This is (Trithemis arteriosa) Red-veined Dropwing
Definitely looking for a mate here.
(Eurema brigitta) Broad-bordered Grass Yellow
(Cynthia cardui) Painted Lady

Paradox

Although June / July is the heart of our winter, we seem to be having unusual weather for this time of the year. The days are warm and in the region of 50 degrees with the nights not falling much below 15. The result is that although some trees and shrubs have turned to autums colors, others are now getting new blooms on them.
Around the corner, the one shrub is heading for winter while the yellow one next to it is getting new flowers.
This is a grape vine once again surrounded by beauiful green plants.

Not 5 yards away, this lemon tree is bursting into flower.
The Golden Shower does not seem to know what season it is either and is full of glorious flowers which is attracting the bees.

Common Metalic Longhorn Beetle (Promeces longipes)

These are medium sized, body length about 1/2 an inch.
They feed on pollen and nectar. The larvae feeds as it burrows into wood.

Their eggs are laid in the cracks of the stems or roots.

These were doing a mating dance around the head of the flower they were on.

Caterpillars

Even this late in the season, I am still finding some interesting caterpillars around. This one was climbing up the wall of the cottage.
He got such a fright at having his picture taken, that he fell onto the ground and I was able to get this interesting one of his cute little feet.I took him and put him on a nearby bush. I love those two tufts of hair sticking out on the sides.

Even Winter is colorful.

Winter is the time for the aloes to start blooming. With their bright orange, red and yellow, the season does not lack color.

Botanical Gardens - Part 2

Clivia
Coral Tree

Protea

A bee having a feast

Common dotted Border Butterfly

A beautiful weed.

My Country Cottage

It is wonderful to have a country cottage, to be able to wake up with the smells of the dew on the grass and at night to see the millions of stars twinkle in the sky and hear the sound of the owls.
It is small and has a thatched roof which makes it cool in summer for our high temperatures.I have a small front yard with my bird feeders on the side. In the mornings, I put on a thick gown, take my coffee outside and watch the birds come down to feed. They have got used to me in this short while I have been here and I can get with 10 yards of them now.

My backyard is 9 hectares of wild bush so I have plenty of space to roam around doing some macro photography of all the tiny creatures found here. It is going into winter right now, so there is not much around, but come summer, I will never have to go anywhere as everything I need for a relaxing holiday is right here, including a swimming pool. At the bottom of the area there is a small stream with some lovely rocks nearby to sit on to watch the activity there.
It gets dark early, 6pm, and the sun sets are beautiful.