An Impatient Spider イラチな蜘蛛

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Because the spider, which was about 3cm in length, was moving up and down so fast and my camera is a digital compact camera, you should understand why the photo is so blurry... At first, I thought it'd found prey but nothing was on the web. Maybe it was doing morning exercise😆.

An impatient spider いらちな蜘蛛

Phytolacca Americana (American Pokeweed) 洋種山牛蒡（ヨウシュヤマゴボウ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Plants usually produce flowers first, then unripe and ripe fruits, but this Phytolacca americana, also known as American pokeweed, had them all at the same time. The berries look so yummy that I still can't believe that the plant's entirely poisonous.

While looking up the American pokeweed, I found another pokeweed "Phytolacca decandra." Unlike American pokeweed, which produces almost round berries, the Phytolacca decandra produces very cute lobed berries! 

Flowers of Phytolacca Americana 洋種山牛蒡の花

Unripe berries of American pokeweed ヨウシュヤマゴボウの実

Ripe berries of American pokeweed 熟しました

"One Door Closes and Another One Opens" - Bitter Gourd 捨てる神あれば拾う神あり - ゴーヤ

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Momordica charantia (or more commonly bitter gourd) and this reminded me of the saying "One door closes and another one opens." 

Several days ago, I saw a gardener in a public park picking female bitter gourd flowers and baby gourds. Obviously, the park doesn't want the gourds because they don't want to create a cause of trouble, i.e., theft. Recently, signs saying "Fruit belong to the land owner" have been put up in many places in my neighborhood. Though it's sad, theft of things in public places should be inevitable in a big city like Tokyo. I almost gave up on observing the growth of the gourds during a morning walk. Then, I found this in another place! One door closed, another opened! 

In Japan, people say "One god abandons you and another one helps you" to describe the same situation. Gods exist in everything (and everywhere) in Japan!😉

A female flower of bitter gourd ゴーヤの雌花

A baby bitter gourd 赤ちゃんゴーヤ

Common Straight Swift on Bushkiller 一文字セセリとヤブガラシ

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I saw Parnara guttata or more commonly known as common straight swift butterflies today again, but this time on flowers of Causonis japonica known as bushkiller. The area has been redeveloped, so the bushkiller and other plants will be removed in a month or two, meaning the butterflies and other insects will lose their habitat and I will lose a place which has given me many opportunities to photograph urban wild plants and small insects living there.   

Common straight swift on bushkiller 一文字セセリとヤブガラシ

Ipomoea Lacunosa (White Morning Glory) 白い朝顔（アサガオ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Ipomoea lacunosa or more commonly known as the whitestar and white morning glory in my neighborhood. The purple and pink ones are usual, but the white and yellow (which is beautiful, too!) morning glories are not, are they? The white flower is beautiful itself, but it's more so among the deep green leaves.

 

Ipomoea lacunosa 白い朝顔

Whitestar 白いアサガオ

Solanum Carolinense (Carolina Horsenettle) 悪茄子（ワルナスビ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are flowers of Solanum carolinense or more commonly known as the Carolina horsenettle. I've seen them quite often on roadsides, but most of them are wilted, not that beautiful. And there's a reason for that. This Solanum carolinense has blended into the surroundings in a small garden for plants OTHER THAN WEEDS😆.

Solanum carolinense has many terrible names like "radical weed," "apple of Sodom," and "devil's tomato" because of its toxic nature, and that's also true in Japan. Its Japanese name means "rogue eggplant" for the same reason. Solanum carolinense is notorious and hated around the world😂.

Solanum Carolinense 悪茄子

Luffa Aegyptiaca (Sponge Gourd) 糸瓜（ヘチマ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is a male flower of Luffa aegyptiaca or more commonly known as the sponge gourd. It wasn't there until two days ago and appeared out of the blue yesterday, surrounded by deep purple morning glories and bright yellow male bitter gourd flowers. 

The area was part of a public garden in my neighborhood and originally for bitter gourds. But the gourds no longer seem to be allowed to grow. Several days ago, I saw a gardener picking female bitter gourd flowers and baby gourds. Obviously, the park has no intention of growing bitter gourds but instead morning glories or other gourds (like this sponge gourd)...😂

The sponge gourd is monoecious the same as the bitter gourd, meaning that it has male and female flowers on the same plant. My next goal is to observe it until it produces a fruit!

Sponge gourd ヘチマ

Luffa aegyptiaca 糸瓜

You May No Longer Need to Distance but Common Straight Swift Butterflies Do 一文字挵（イチモンジセセリ）のソーシャルディスタンス

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are Parnara guttata or more commonly known as common straight swift butterflies resting on leaves. Butterflies usually sit on leaves with wings closed, but one of the two (at the bottom left in the 2nd photo) was basking with its wings open. It must have been trying to raise its body temperature. 

They kept a distance from each other. My guess is that they're a couple after an argument, trying to cool down....😂

Parnara guttata keeping distance イチモンジセセリのソーシャルディスタンス

The butterfly at the front with wings open 羽が開いている一文字挵

Parnara Guttata (Common Straight Swift) on Red Clover 一文字挵（イチモンジセセリ）と紫詰草（ムラサキツメクサ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are Parnara guttata or more commonly known as common straight swift butterflies having breakfast on red clover flowers. I said "these" because they're three different butterflies on separate three red clover blossoms. 

I saw them all today and they were all on red clover flowers. The nectar of red clovers must be so yummy!! 

The butterfly's Japanese name is "Straight line skipper" after its white spots on the hindwings. Common straight swift are called butterflies in English and Japanese, but technically they're the intermediate form between butterflies and moths.   

Common straight swift on red clover 一文字挵と紫詰草

Fruits of Euonymus Hamiltonianus (Hamilton's Spindletree) 檀（マユミ）の実

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are fruits of Euonymus hamiltonianus or more commonly known as Hamilton's spindletree at the Institute for Nature Study in Tokyo. I've seen its pink fruits but saw the still green ones for the first time. I love the fruits for their four-lobed shape, but because of that shape, I once mistook them (i.e., the pink ones) for buds of akebia quinata or chocolate vine. They really look like each other! 

A still green fruit of Euonymus hamiltonianus また緑の檀の実

Datura Metel (Hindu Datura) 朝鮮朝顔（チョウセンアサガオ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Datura metel or more commonly known as Hindu Datura or devil's trumpet in my neighborhood.

The plants suddenly appeared in the areas with nothing, even weeds. Everything there had been removed for building new apartments and even after their completion six months ago, the areas had still nothing. But a few months later, weeds started growing, caterpillars and butterflies gathering, then these Datura flowers in bloom. I was worried about the bleakness of the areas, but didn't need to worry. I underestimated the vitality of plants. 

       

Hindu Datura's Japanese name is "chousen asagao," meaning Korean morning glory despite it having nothing to do with morning glory but the similarity in the flower shape. Datura flowers are beautiful, but are toxic because of their tropane alkaloid content.

Datura metel 朝鮮朝顔

Hindu Datura チョウセンアサガオ

Pollia Japonica (East Asian Pollia) 藪茗荷（ヤブミョウガ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are flowers and fruits of Pollia japonica or more commonly known as East Asian pollia at the Institute for Nature Study in Tokyo. The pure white flowers and the brown and black fruits (2nd photo) in the deep green were so beautiful. 

I wanted to take more (and better) photos of the plant, but gave up. It was so hot that day that I got sick😂. 

Pollia japonica 藪茗荷

East Asian pollia ヤブミョウガ

Ipomoea Ochracea (Yellow Morning Glory) 黄色の朝顔（アサガオ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is ipomoea ochracea or a yellow morning glory in my neighborhood. It's surrounded by bright purple flowers, my favorite. I knew that morning glory produces flowers in various colors, but it was my first time to see a yellow one. 

It's native to Central America and Mexico, but the flowers are loved so much in Japan that morning glory markets are held in summer in many places across the country. 

Interestingly, morning glory is a kigo (i.e., season word) to indicate autumn, used in traditional forms of Japanese poetry, such as haiku. This inconsistency may be because in the traditional Chinese calendar, which was also used in Japan, autumn usually begins around August 7.

Ipomoea ochracea 黄色の朝顔

A yellow morning glory and purple ones 黄色と紫のアサガオ

Circaea Mollis 水玉草（ミズタマソウ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are flowers and fruits of Circaea mollis I saw at the Institute for Nature Study in Tokyo. Its tiny white flowers and hairy fruits are so pretty. 

Circaea mollis is lucky. Its Japanese name is "mizutama so," meaning "dewdrop plant." Grey field-speedwell, which produces similar shaped fruits, was named "dog's balls" in Japanese....😂

Circaea mollis 水玉草

Circaea mollis ミズタマソウ

Orthetrum Albistylum Speciosum (Blue Skimmer) 塩辛蜻蛉（シオカラトンボ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Orthetrum albistylum speciosum or more commonly known as blue skimmer. I saw "him" at the Institute for Nature Study in Tokyo. I said "him" because of its blue eyes. A male blue skimmer has blue eyes while the female's eyes are brownish. 

The dragonfly didn't move an inch while I was taking photos as the red ring skirt butterfly nearby did not, just basking on a leaf. That's understandable. The maximum temperature in Tokyo has been over 35°C (i.e., 95°F). The bugs at the garden must have been exhausted from the heat.

Orthetrum albistylum speciosum 塩辛蜻蛉

Agrimonia Pilosa (Hairy Agrimony) 金水引（キンミズヒキ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are flowers of Agrimonia pilosa, also known as hairy agrimony. I saw them around the Hyotan (meaning gourd) Pond at the Institute for Nature Study in Tokyo. Their bright yellow caught my eye.

Hairy agrimony fruits are thorny (3rd photo). They stick to passing animals to be dispersed. Maybe because of that, in Japan, the plant symbolizes clinginess. 

 

Agrimonia pilosa 金水引

Lysimachia Clethroides (Gooseneck Loosestrife) 丘虎の尾（オカトラノオ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are flowers of Lysimachia clethroides or more commonly the gooseneck loosestrife at the Institute for Nature Study in Tokyo.

According to Wikipedia, the leaves are used in China for making salads and herbal medicines. They are (or were) eaten in Japan, too, though they taste sour... 

The plant's Japanese name is "Okatora no o," meaning a tiger tail growing on hills. The plant may look like a (white) tiger tail but the flowers are tiny white (2nd photo) with nothing reminding us of a tiger.  

Gooseneck loosestrife オカトラノオ

Lysimachia clethroides 丘虎の尾

Hestina Assimilis (Red Ring Skirt) 赤星胡麻斑（アカボシゴマダラ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I saw this Hestina assimilis or more commonly the red ring skirt at the Institute for Nature Study in Tokyo. I usually don't photograph moving objects like butterflies because I can't with my compact camera. But this butterfly didn't notice or care about me, just basking on a leaf for a few minutes. 

In Japan, the red ring skirt existed only in the Amami and neighboring islands, but the butterflies have been discovered in mainland Japan since the end of last century and they're similar in appearance to those in China, i.e., their place of origin. The Wildlife Research Center of Kyoto University says that the existence of the red ring skirt across Japan in recent years is due to the release of the butterflies by some maniac. 

Red ring skirt アカボシゴマダラ

Erthesina Fullo (Yellow-Spotted Stink Bug) 黄斑亀虫（キマダラカメムシ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Erthesina fullo or more commonly the yellow-spotted stink bug or yellow marmorated stink bug on a leaf of the woodland elaeocarpus. I found an ant on another leaf above the bug (see the 2nd photo) and thought that the ant would be eaten or attacked, but don't worry! The yellow-spotted stink bug is phytophagous (i.e., herbivore). 

The bugs are beautiful (especially the striped legs!), but stink as the name suggests and a pest of many plants including fruits, such as oranges, apples, cherries, pears, and kiwifruit.

Erthesina fullo 黄斑亀虫

Hibiscus Syriacus (Rose of Sharon) in Various Colors and Forms いろんな木槿（ムクゲ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are white and pink, single and double flowered Hibiscus syriacus or more commonly rose of Sharon. Maybe because of relatively cooler weather in the past few days in Tokyo, various hibiscus flowers are in full bloom in my neighborhood.   

Single flowered pure white rose of Sharon 一重のムクゲ

Hibiscus Syriacus 木槿

Female Flower and Baby Gourd of Momordica Charantia (Bitter Gourd) 苦瓜（ゴーヤ）の雌花と赤ちゃんゴーヤ

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is a female flower of Momordica charantia or more commonly bitter melon or bitter gourd I've found this morning, i.e., the first and only female flower I've seen so far this year! Can you see a baby gourd on its back😊?

Last week, I wrote about the male flowers and the no-presence of their female counterparts, almost giving up on seeing the latter this year. But @zaungruen told me that the gourd family produce male flowers first to ensure the safe fertilization of the female ones. I kept watching and voila!! I've finally found this beautiful bloom (and all but one male flowers gone😂). 

I continued to observe the plant for over a month because I wanted to see its tiny baby gourds! The bitter gourd female flower looks like carrying her baby piggyback! 

Female flower of Momordica charantia with a horsefly  苦瓜の雌花とアブ

Mirabilis Jalapa (Marvel of Peru) 白粉花（オシロイバナ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are bright pink and yellow Mirabilis jalapa or more commonly the marvel of Peru or four o'clock flowers. They didn't bloom a few days ago, but may have come to life😊 because of "relatively" cooler weather with the highest temperature of 27°C or 80°F in Tokyo, instead of 36°C or 97°F😡 several days ago.  

Mirabilis jalapa 白粉花

Marvel of Peru オシロイバナ

Momordica Charantia (Bitter Melon, Bitter Gourd) 苦瓜（ゴーヤ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are flowers of Momordica charantia or more commonly bitter melon or bitter gourd. And they're all MALE. It's easy to tell bitter gourd male flowers from their female counterparts. The male flowers have stamens, which are yellow, while the female ones have pistils, which are green. 

Bitter gourd is monoecious, so each plant should produce female and male flowers, but the ratio of the female to male flowers is about 1: 10 (even 20)! It's like the percentage of female managers in most Japanese firms, i.e., less than 10%!! The male flowers have no time to play with ants!!😤  

Momordica charantia 苦瓜

Pseudozizeeria Maha (Pale Grass Blue) 大和小灰蝶（ヤマトシジミ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I thought it was a moss at first because of its plain color, but it was on a grass stem with closed wings, which made me think that it might be a small butterfly and bingo! This is Pseudozizeeria maha or more commonly pale grass blue. Pale grass blue butterflies lay eggs on the host plants, such as woodsorrels, so that the larvae hatch to feed on them. I see why I've seen the butterflies so often. Woodsorrels are growing everywhere in my neighborhood. I should be more careful when photographing woodsorrels.

 

Pseudozizeeria maha (pale grass blue) 大和小灰蝶（ヤマトシジミ）

Lagerstroemia Indica (Crape Myrtle) 百日紅（サルスベリ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Almost all the flowers in my neighborhood are gone but these white and red Lagerstroemia indica or more commonly crape myrtle flowers. Something is wrong, however, this year. Some crape myrtle trees already have dark brown dehiscent (i.e., cracked) fruits (3rd photo). 

The crape myrtle has two Japanese names, i.e., "saru suberi," meaning "monkeys slip" because of its slippery bark, on which even monkeys slip, and "hyaku jitsu ko," which means "red for one hundred days" as the tree flowers bloom for a long period of time. 

White flowers of crape myrtle 百日紅

Red flowers of crape myrtle 百日紅