"With a Radiance From Within, The Cactus Flower..."

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Prickly Pear flowers can range from neon yellow to flaming red-orange. And when the sunlight embraces them just right...

These photos were taken on a walk along the Mud Creek trail in McAllister Park on Tuesday, May 10, 2016.

Click on the first photo in a post to open the photos in slideshow view.

Late Afternoon Along Mud Creek

Monday, April 30, 2012

McAllister Park, Dirt trail along Mud Creek south of Buckhorn Dr

Today's photos:

These photos are from the dirt trail along Mud Creek in the very center of McAllister Park.

It should be noted that there are about 200 species of prickly pear cactus. One of the most common of these has a bright yellow flower as seen in the Cactus Flower and a Ladybug post on Thursday, April 26. However, as seen in the photos above, the species in this area of McAllister Park has a brilliant, flaming red-orange flower.

Cactus Flowers and a Ladybug

Thursday, April 26, 2012

The prickly pear cactus are beginning to bloom profusely here in South Texas. These flowers begin as red-orange buds. They turn yellow as they open. The blossoms glow brightly in the sunlight.

While I was photographing one of the cactus flowers on my walk yesterday, I saw a ladybug on a needle right next to the flower. The ladybug proceeded to walk across the cactus pad. In the last two photos of the series where it appears the ladybug is suspended in space, it was actually climbing a very fine, barely visible spider web without getting caught on the web: