June-2015
Chipmunnk
Endlessly cute and engaging, as Barry's photo shows.
June-2015
Signal fly (Rivellia variabilis)
Barry achieved two very good photos of this tiny fly. I know how difficult they are to photograph as they rarely keep still. They are called signal flies because they constantly move their wings as if signalling! The larvae feed on roots of legumes.(CH)
June-2015
Rose chafer (Macrodactylus subspinosus)
Barry photographed this member of the Scarab beetle family. It is an attractive little insect though not always enjoyed by gardeners as it will eat a variety of vegetation, not just roses as its name suggests. While the adults feed on the visible parts of the plant, the larvae feed on roots of a variety of species.
June-2015
Leafhopper (Amblysellus curtisii)
Another photo by Barry. It is always interesting to see what others find at the FWG, and an interesting challenge sometimes for me (Christine) to put a name to them if I don't recognize them right away. This one is a new species for our insect list.
June-2015
Leafhopper nymph, probably Graphocephala
Another photo by Barry of a leafhopper nymph. I think this may be the very colourful, as an adult, Graphocephala, which is just now, late June, appearing. A very common species.
June-2015
Grasshopper
Barry photographed this grasshopper nymph. It is an interesting colour and shape.
June-2015
Firefly (Photuris sp.)
A very nice crisp photo of one of the larger fireflies we get in this area, in the Genus Photuris. Fireflies are actually beetles, despite their name.
June-2015
Firefly (Photuris sp.)
A top down view of the Photuris sp. firefly shown in the previous photo. There are many beetles that have similar colouring and pattern to many of the fireflies, but with fireflies, you don't often see the head... notice how it is hidden here under the pronotum?
18-JUN-2015
Basswood leaf miner (Baliosus nervosus), mating pair
Odd looking little flat beetles in the same subfamily (Cassidinae) as the also unusual looking tortoise beetles. Both these and the tortoise beetles are in the Chrysomelidae family which has some of the most beautifully coloured and patterned beetles. This pair more than likely belong to the species B. nervosus as this is, I think, the only species that lives this far north. It is native to the area, but the group as a whole is more neotropical in distribution with only three species native to North America.
18-JUN-2015
Apple maggot fly (Rhagoletis pomonella)
These flies are very small but fairly common wherever apples, hawthorns and/or cherries grow. The little white spot in the middle of the back is a distinctive field mark of the species. Despite the common name, this species, which is native to this continent, primarily fed on hawthorns, turning to apples and cherries as they became widely planted.
June-2015
Wasp (Gasteruption), female
These small (roughly 20-30mm) wasps are odd-looking little creatures. Their abdomen is so high that they appear distorted, and they have a long 'neck' (not really a neck, but that is what it looks like) that is quite distinctive. Adults nectar and the larvae are apparently predators on hymenoptera that nest in holes in wood or in stems.
17-JUN-2015
Common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)
Now this is a really neat sight! Diane said that on Wednesday evening, three garter snakes were found in a pile of soil at the garden. From having seen no snakes for several decades, we are now getting reports of them. Garter snakes are common, but because of the location of the garden, surrounded by roads and the canal, it seemed that it would be a difficult task for them to make their way there. But they have.
