29-MAY-2012
Stinkbug (Podisus sp.)
This is a predatory stinkbug (or stink bug), one that feeds on other insects rather than on plant juice as so many do. It is likely Podisus placidus, but because ID to species is not always easy, I'll leave it at Podisus. This is one of the more colourful stinkbugs we get around here. The bright green green stinkbug (Acrosternum hilare) and the green and brown Banasa stinkbug, are two of the other brightly coloured ones up here. The two-spotted stinkbug is another relatively colourful bug, but most are shades of brown. In some areas, stinkbugs are vividly and beautifully coloured and patterned.
29-MAY-2012
Lupine
Photographed in the Butterfly Meadow, where the lupines are common. Most of the ones that appear annually are dark blue, but occasionally we get a few pink ones like this. The lupines planted there are the garden variety, not the native species. However, they are well used by bees for gathering pollen.
29-MAY-2012
Stream cruiser (Didymops transversa)
A new species for our insect list! I got only a brief chance to photograph it, one shot and it was gone. I've seen these many times out in the west end of Ottawa, in various locations, and I guess it was only a matter of time before we saw one at FWG.
29-MAY-2012
Twelve-spotted skimmer, female (Libellula pulchella)
This landed right in front of Barry and I as we were talking about cutting DSV. It looks very similar to the common whitetail female dragonfly.
29-MAY-2012
Goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis)
You know all those round galls you see on Canada and tall goldenrods (mostly the latter I think), the ones that are particularly visible in the winter? They are made by this fly. She lays her eggs in the stems of goldenrods and after a short while, when the egg has hatched, the stem, induced apparently, by chemicals secreted by the larva, forms a round ball around it. They overwinter as larvae and emerge right about now and begin the process all over again. Of course, many larvae don't make it, as they are a very popular food source for red squirrels and birds such as woodpeckers and chickadees. For all the galls we see, these flies are surprisingly difficult to find.
24-MAY-2012
Two-spotted stink bug (Cosmopepla lintneriana)
These tiny and very pretty stink bugs are out now and Diane managed to photograph a mating pair. Many insects, birds, and plants undergo name changes as scientists find out more about them. Insects and plants, in particular, are being re-named at a dizzying rate! This species used to be known as Cosmopepla bimaculata until recently. It is often called by the common name of twice-stabbed stink bug, which sounds a bit violent! I think I prefer the other name. However, I've also seen it referred to, in several places, as wee harlequin bug.
This stink bug is a plant feeder, and, like most bugs, pierces the stems or leaves and sucks out the plant juices. It appears to be quite a generalist, found on any number of plants, but never in great enough numbers to do any real damage.
24-MAY-2012
Grove snail (Cepaea nemoralis)
We are all keeping our eyes open for snails these days, as Fred Schueler, from the Naturlist listserve, is interested in this, and other species of snails.
23-MAY-2012
Confused haploa caterpillar (Haploa confusa)
Diane photographed this moth caterpillar in the Butterfly Meadow. She also reports seeing two common ringlets and one red admiral, both butterflies.
19-MAY-2012
Wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Diane photographed this beautiful brilliantly scarlet columbine, in the Butterfly Meadow. This is one of our many native species of Aquilegia. There are also many cultivars in various colours.
19-MAY-2012
Nomada bee
Diane said that she photographed this in the Ash woods, not far from the split rail fence. This tiny little bee is quite common along that stretch of the woods, where a population has been present for years. It is a kleptoparasite on some of the mining bees. It is also darned difficult to photograph as it rarely sits still. Diane got a fabulous photo.
19-MAY-2012
Scudders Epiblema moth (Epiblema scudderiana)
This tiny little Tortricid moth is also called goldenrod gall moth because the larvae feed on goldenrod. Diane photographed this in the Butterfly Meadow.
22-MAY-2012
Eastern grey squirrel
This is a young squirrel, born this spring, but growing fast. He's sticking his head out of a hole chewed in the top side of a roosting box that this grey squirrel family took over. Many of the roosting boxes are used by red squirrels, but some, as here, have been co-opted by greys.