Tiny life on the nasturtiums

[urbpan]

Until the drought killed them, our nasturtiums were a food source for many. This bejeweled true bug (hemiptera) is unidentifiable, but was probably drinking plant juice.


Likewise these candy-stripe leafhoppers were using their beak-like mouthparts to jab holes in the plant and sip its fluid.


And then underneath the leaves these black aphids were also settled in to drink.


Enter the cavalry: ladybeetle larvae specialize on soft-bodied plant-feeders like aphids.


Off they go to eat some aphids--ultimately the plant succumbed to the combined stress of drought and bugs, but it was fun to record the events.