09-AUG-2010
American Dagger moth caterpillar (Acronicta americana)
This pretty white caterpillar is very common around the region, including FWG where it is often found in late summer.
09-AUG-2010
Hanging around: Red squirrel
These little guys will contort themselves greatly to reach food, as this one is doing in the photo by Jeewa. In this case, he is reaching for hawthorn fruit.
06-AUG-2010
Wood duck
This wood duck seems to be telling someone off, but in fact is probably just yawning! It, like the couple of Black Ducks in the pond, is making good use of the turtle raft!
06-AUG-2010
Leafhopper (Coelidia olitoria)
Lots of these little guys around now. They are a new species for our FWG insect list.
06-AUG-2010
Banded argiope (Argiope trifasciata) showing the spinnerets (which make the silk for the web)
You can see the red spinnerets on this underside view of the female Argiope. Very striking spiders, whether seen front or back.
06-AUG-2010
Banded argiope (Argiope trifasciata)
One of two large females hanging around waiting for a meal. A tiny male was in a web close by. These spiders can be abundant at this time of year, with sometimes dozens in a weedy, grassy field.
9-AUG-2010
Sphecid wasp (Sphex pensylvanicus) on Mountain mint
This was taken in the BYG, where there is a small patch of mountain mint. This plant attracts a huge variety of insects and in particular these large and striking wasps. They look fierce but they are not aggressive, unless you happen to brush them away from feeding when they might not be very happy, and who can blame them. These guys hunt grasshoppers and take them down to their burrow where they stock them for their larvae to feed on (the adults are happy to feed mostly on nectar). I have seen them swooping into their burrows with huge grasshoppers clasped beneath their body, an impressive sight, though I really feel sorry for the grasshoppers.
9-AUG-2010
Locust borer (Megacyllene robinia)
A back view of this beautiful long-horned beetle.
9-AUG-2010
Locust borer (Megacyllene robinia)
You know it is getting on for late summer when these beautiful long-horned beetles start to appear. They are most often found on goldenrod, although can turn up on any plant with nectar. However, scanning the goldenrods usually yields several of these. They are impressively large and very wasp-like in their colouring.
9-AUG-2010
Keeled treehopper (Entylia carinata)
I am not sure of this species yet, but it is different from the usual ones we see. I was hoping for some of the more exotic looking ones today, but it was not to be. I had a devil of a time taking a photo of this little one as it was not much bigger than a speck!
05-AUG-2010
Wood duck
Jeewa noticed a couple of wood ducks visiting the pond, and a few more in the Arboretum.
05-AUG-2010
Warbling Vireo on dogwood
Another favourite shrub for birds.
