I had thought that the big, black wasps that were tearing up the spotted bee balm were Sphex pennsylvanicus, but the Great Black Wasp doesn’t have a pale yellow thorax, so I looked more closely, and they actually do…if it’s covered with spotted bee balm pollen!

Monarchs have been few and far between this year; I think this beautiful male is only the 6th I’ve seen. I told him to go sit on the milkweed and be a hottie.

Sarah’s volunteer tomatoes are ripening, and I think yellow is going to be as ripe as they get. C said they look like pear tomatoes, which means they stay small, and may very well be yellow when they are fully ripe (some pear tomatoes are red, some are yellow).

How do I hate Japanese beetles…let me count the ways. Bastards destroy my beautiful hibiscus blooms before they even have a chance to open. GRRRRR!