18-MAY-2010
Dark-spotted palthis (Palthis angulalis), #8397
In the Butterfly meadow. These are common and intriguingly shaped moths (like a dart).
18-MAY-2010
American goldfinch eating dandelion seeds
Several goldfinches were demolishing the seed heads of dandelions, with great relish I might add! Here, you can see this guy has just grabbed the seed.
18-MAY-2010
Long-jawed orb weaver (Tetragnatha sp.)
These spiders were also abundant in the garden. They are tiny, but if you include those long legs, they range in size from about 25mm to 50mm, with the males being the smaller and the females the larger.
18-MAY-2010
Gray treefrog (Hyla versicolor)
Treefrogs are calling all over the garden, their calls getting louder and louder, and also closer and closer to the pond. I nearly knocked this poor guy off his DSV perch. I had stepped off the trail only a foot or so and when I looked down, there he was! Makes one realize how important it is to NOT go off the paths at this time of year.
18-MAY-2010
White-crowned sparrow bathing
The upper part of the Backyard Garden pond is a magnet for birds wishing to have a good bathe! White-crowned sparrows and goldfinches were having a grand time splashing away for quite a long time.
18-MAY-2010
Cardinal with food
Birds are already feeding their young. Starlings have been doing so for weeks. Chickadees and cardinals are now also feeding young. This male had a mouthful. He was sitting in this tree for quite awhile until the call of the female alerted him to fly to a small shrub. She then came out and hunted some food while he sat nearby. I imagine their hungry offspring were probably getting impatient/
18-MAY-2010
Ctenucha moth cocoon
YOu can still see the caterpillar in this cocoon as he is in the process of spinning it.
18-MAY-2010
Running crab spider with long-jawed orb-weaver
This running crab spider (Tibellus oblongus) was stretched along the stem of this dog-strangling vine (DSV). Nearby was the long-jawed orb-weaver (Tetragnatha sp.) who made the mistake of running across the path of the crab spider who moved with lightning speed to capture and paralyze the orb-weaver within a second. Just above, were a couple of jumping spiders. All these spiders on one DSV plant.
18-MAY-2010
Jumping spide (Eris militaris) male on tartarian honeysuckle
There were lots of spiders at the garden today, including many, many jumping spiders. This is one of the most distinctive and most commonly encountered. He looks quite striking against that pink background. Jumping spiders are very tiny, but very cute! They are agile hunters, and will stalk their prey until within jumping distance and then with a burst of speed jump a considerable distance and attack. These are very much daytime spiders, preferring the sun and warm places, so don't look for them in dark, shaded spots.
17-MAY-2010
Yellow lady-slipper (Cypripedium calceolus)
These gorgeous orchids are blooming in the BYG right now. They should be blooming now, or soon, in the woodlands around Ottawa too.
17-MAY-2010
Tent caterpillar sp.
Jeewanthi found this pretty caterpillar in the woods.
17-MAY-2010
Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)
This plant is native to Ontario, but typically does not grow around Ottawa, although it is found down by the Thousand Islands, Belleville and down to Toronto. It is also called Mandrake. The flowers hand below the very large leaves. It does well at FWG, both in the BYG and in the Ash woods.
