Spring Creek Greenway Nature Center (located near old Town Spring)

http://www.springcreekgreenway.org/naturecenter.htm

Recently during a July nature center visit, even with the heavy rains,  this is what I found blooming, buzzing and bouncing around the gardens.  In order to really observe what is going on in a garden,  take a slow paced visit and see how many things you can observe.   You might not know what the flower, insect or animal is,  but that is part of the excitement of getting outside and discovering new things.

Enjoy and if you happen to know the name of the plant species or animal or special story,  please post a comment so that others reading this blog can learn.

If you see anything that should be corrected so the information here is more accurate, don't hesitate to post a clarification or suggestion.

Thanks!!!!

First thing I had to do was check out the habitat garden at the back of the nature center.

what kind of flower are these beautiful bright yellow flowers?

These are very good plants for the Houston area.   The name of flower is commonly called Black-Eyed Susan.   The scientific name is Rudbeckia.   Why the flower has the common name of Black-Eyed Susan I could not find the story.   If you know of history of the name,  please post an update since this would be interesting to know.

Back-eyed Susan (Rudbekia)

We found this very unusual flower.   In nature,  you never know what to expect.   Sometimes you can find unusual things like this flower below:  

strange formation on flower

more photos from the day

Texas Star Hibiscus - White

Buckeye

Interesting looking wasp?

Texas Native Milkweed - asclepias oenotheroides

Bumble bee or carpenter bee?  Is this salvia or sage.

Bumble bee or carpenter bee?  Is this salvia or sage?

Bumble bee or carpenter bee?

Bumble bee or carpenter bee?  Is this salvia or sage?

Bumble bee or carpenter bee?

Bumble bee or carpenter bee?

Cool looking moth,  species unknown.   Month was small, less than 2 inches.

This is one of my favorite flowers.   The beautiful purple cone flower.   Butterflies and other nectaring insects love them.

Purple Cone flower

American Beauty

Grasshopper,  hanging in bushes.   If you didn't look careful you'd never see it.  Species?

Cool butterfly which posed and let me get some great shots.

Giant swallowtail

Milkweed beetle on milkweed.  Species/

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A monarch Caterpillar.   Looks like it will soon hang a J in order to become a butterfly.

5th instar Monarch happily chewing on Milkweed.   A. Currassivica

Bumble Bee or Carpenter bee?

A red wasp.  Species?   What is plant?

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Several kinds of bees.  Carpenter bees?   Bumble Bees?

Some kind of wasp

Gulf Fritillary showed interest is the these red flower.

 Several flies,  this fly seemed to glow orange.

Another fly?

Another fly?

Bright red eyed fly - What kind?

Gulf fritillary who was floating all thru the garden,  but did make it difficult to get a good shot.

Buckeye also very busy moving around in the garden in search of nectar.

A green anole hanging out in the front flower bed.

Green anole

Interesting shapes and colors on this plant?   I'm not sure what this plant is?

Identify this?   Beautiful markings of red.

At the end of the day,  this rabbit was spotted in the picnic table areas near a trail.  What kind of rabbit is this?

Rabbit?   species?