Gulf Frittilary Butterfly on my favorite bunny statue If the Easter Bunny sees any pickling spices around, you might just find your basket empty. I might suggest a different time of year though. If you beat the hawks to them, you deserve the reward. Hey, we all have a place as predators in the food chain. Eat bunnies…chocolate or marshmallow…please, not my marsh guys as hasenpfeffer, although if you do hunt for food, I really don’t have a problem with that. Also a Southern Toad from last month, a bit smaller and more colorful Southern toads eat a nts, bees, beetles, crickets, roaches, snails, and other invertebrates. Despite spending most time on land, toads need water to lay eggs and reproduce. Soon the toads will make their way back to the pond to lay eggs. I must say that this week I didn’t see any palmettos…one of the few bugs that creeps out this bug lover. I noticed some palmetto bugs as of late and I appreciate that the toads and snakes generally keep these guys in check. Southern Toads (Bufo terrestris or Anaxyrus terrestris) have visited the patio and I’m grateful. Not to be outdone by bunnies, I had other hippity-hopping visitors the past two weeks. Large Southern Toad hangs out on the patio He must just be chasing the scents through the area that looks like a rabbit run. However, much of the bramble, consisting of blackberry, fern and bluestem grasses are apparently impenetrable and a close inspection by me today confirms that there is no way Tanner could get in there. I hope that these rabbits are living next door, safe from dog harm, although given the way that Tanner has been working the brambles, they may actually be in my yard. A thicket of blackberries and ferns add up to a pretty good dog defense system Leave some cranesbill, plantain or bidens alba around your vegetable garden and you just might save some of your vegetable plants from the munchers…they might be too full to continue in to the “cash crops”. Rabbits eat greens many of which some consider “weeds”. I know that they weren’t domestic white rabbits that I’ve also seen hopping around, the result of some irresponsible human, I’m sure. Since I didn’t get a good look at the retreat, I can’t say for sure. That’s not to say that I haven’t also had Cottontails. I’ve had Marsh Rabbits in the past…living in my neighbor’s scrub area, but visiting my pond at night, as evidenced by the rabbit trail through the fence. The young seem very dark and the ears look smaller and rounder than the cottontails I’ve seen around. Upon examination of the photos, I’m leaning toward an identification of Marsh Rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris) over Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus). Apparently they know how to sound the alarm when frightened. Here I always thought that bunnies were silent. There was rustling in the scrub and I saw hopping movement away from the B-52 bomber flights. Since I already disturbed them which sent them on their way, I walked back to continue morning photographs of flowers and I heard a squeal when a mockingbird and gray catbird were doing battle along the neighbor fence. It appears that the miracle of birth has taken place and the kits are out on their own. That’s when I spotted more movement…at least two hopping away. I stepped quietly to get closer but my movement caused a reverse in direction again. When I called the dog, bunny reversed and headed back, but as I stood quietly on the steps it inched out again to give me a distant photo or two. Tanner hunts in the brush and brambles to no avail Tanner was quick and quite cooperative, perhaps since the scent of my fresh-perked coffee was quite strong, coming from the exhaust vent. I told Tanner to hurry up so I could get him back into the house before the rabbit scent wafted through the air and into his scent-hound nostrils, where, I’m sure he would immediately forget about his rain fear and would give chase. He barely stepped off the patio when I spotted a bunny rabbit hopping in MY yard, in the tall grasses from the semi-dog-free area into the dog area, next to the well pump. Today we had some much needed rain and reluctantly Tanner(2002-20017), the English setter (he who is terrified he might melt) went out the door (with a strong shove from behind). However, rabbits are a joy to some and a bane to others. As I’ve said in the past, my property always provides an article idea for me, and this week very timely and holiday appropriate. But the rabbit appeared to me to be an adult. Far away, I got a photo that looks more like a painting. Last week I spotted a bunny rabbit hopping through my neighbor’s yard. I thought I would dust off an republish my lost post on the adorable Marsh Rabbits that grace my garden.
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