27-MAY-2017
Wireworm (Click beetle larva) (Elateridae)
While planting wildflowers by the pond, I came across this beetle larva. I have no idea which click beetle species it is.
31-MAY-2017
Band-winged cranefly (Epiphragma)?
Small cranefly found in the old woods.
31-MAY-2017
Twenty-spotted lady beetle (Psyllobora vigintimaculata)
These tiny beetles mainly feed on mildew and are especially noticeable when powdery mildew afflicts plants.
31-MAY-2017
Fire-coloured beetle (Dendroides concolor), male
Those antennae are something else. I wish I could have got a clearer photo of them, but he was waving them around madly. The larvae of these beetles live in rotting wood, and according to Tom Murray, feed on fungi.
31-MAY-2017
Solomon's seal (Polygonatum pubescens)
Flourishing in the old woods section of the Fletcher Wildlife Garden.
31-MAY-2017
Red admiral butterfly larva (Vanessa atalanta)
A tiny caterpillar, perhaps 2nd or 3rd instar on stinging nettle. There were several of these caterpillars on the stinging nettle leaves.
31-MAY-2017
Geometrid moth larva
Hanging at the very tip of a basswood leaf, this tiny caterpillar is not easy to ID at this early stage, although someone familiar with the family might be able to.
31-MAY-2017
Pollinator beds
At the edge of the old field habitat these raised beds were made as demonstration gardens showing the plants that attract pollinators. When people hear the term pollinator they think bees, but in fact many insects and non-insects are pollinators: flies, beetles, moths, butterflies, and in some regions of the world, bats.
31-MAY-2017
Goldenrod gall moth (Epiblema scudderiana)
Found sheltering from the rain on a lupine leaf. There were several of these small moths around and no surprise that they are often referred to as bird-dropping moths (along with several other moth species which also resemble bird scat). These are the moths responsible for the elliptical shaped galls on goldenrod stems.
31-MAY-2017
Lupine
The lupines are in full bloom in the butterfly meadow and are very attractive to bees.
31-MAY-2017
Lupine
While most of the lupines are a gorgeous deep purple/blue colour, some are a pale pink as here.
27-MAY-2017
Red squirrel gathering nest material
A quick visit to the Backyard Garden of FWG, produced this red squirrel busily gathering a mouthful of dry grass. Here, it pauses briefly before quickly gathering more - next photo.
