28-JUN-2011
Plume Moth (Pterophoridae)
Moths were abundantly hiding in the DSV this morning. Every time I moved, a number flew up and vanished again under nearby vegetation. This white plume moth fortunately sat still for quite awhile and allowed me to take some photos. I think these are such intriguing creatures. They do not look moth-like at all!!
In addition to all the moths, I saw quite a number of cabbage white butterflies, European skippers, one pecks's skipper, a eastern forktail(damselfly), a few bluets (damselflies), and a common whitetail (dragonfly). As well there were numerous Eristalis hover flies around, looking like perfect imitations of honey bees. The tiny, tiny, tiny Toxomerus hover flies (we have two species here), are abundant, and can be seen all over the place. And what else was around? Well, scores of plant bugs of several species, particularly abundant on the cow parsnip, which also hosted some of the parsnip webworms (moths). Bumblebees are also abundant, and I noticed some of the pretty red-banded ones too. Potter wasps, mason wasps, ammophila wasps, leaf-cutter bees, sweat bees, etc. etc.
28-JUN-2011
White admiral (Limenitis arthemis)
Heading out to do some DSV cutting this morning, I stopped on the bridge and looked down at the vegetation that has sprung up after the bridge work and noticed this white admiral sitting perfectly still.
14-JUN-2011
Sweet pea
This pretty but non-native garden plant usually pops up somewhere at FWG each summer. It doesn't seem to spread much at the garden (yet, anyway). The ants were all over the blossoms.
14-JUN-2011
Prince basketail (Epitheca princeps)
While cutting DSV this morning, I found this very, very wet basketail clinging to the bottom of one of the DSV stems. Yet more reason to be careful when working around the DSV. I moved it to a sunny location and as I took some photos it began pumping its wings and soon, once dry, off it flew up into the treetops. Last year while looking for moths at the garden one night, one of these odonates spent the entire time sitting on the white sheet hung out to attract moths!
In addition to this dragonfly, I saw a male common whitetail, a dot-tailed whiteface, and a 12-apotted skimmer. As well, there were some damselflies around including some bluets and a lovely ebony jewelwing!
14-JUN-2011
Leaf-cutter bee (megachilid) on corn gromwell
Megachilids are amongst my favourites of all the bees. Maybe it is because, unlike most bees, they carry pollen on their abdomen, as you can clearly see here. This is the bee half turned belly-up as she reaches for nectar in this corn gromwell. Note how yellow with pollen her abdomen is. I was also interested in seeing the corn gromwell being used as a nectar source.
14-JUN-2011
Song sparrow in Dog-strangling vine
Song sparrows will nest at the bottom of tangles of DSV and use last year's dry fibres for their nest. This is why we try to be careful when working with this invasive plant, we don't want to inadvertently cause a disaster.
In addition to song sparrows, I noted chipping sparrows, American redstarts, yellow warblers, a common yellowthroat, cardinals, Baltimore orioles singing constantly, green heron, chickadees, house finches, tree swallows and of course, red-winged blackbirds. I was happy to see that there is at least one successful nest of this latter species. A female was feeding 3 half-grown young today. After the disasters the disappearing nests a few weeks ago, I was beginning to think that no blackbirds would nest successfully.
14-JUN-2011
White admiral (Limenitis arthemis)
The white admiral obligingly landed on the trail in front of me.
14-JUN-2011
Long dash skipper (Polites mystic)
I'm still not seeing the wide variety of butterflies at FWG that I usually see at this time of year, but things are picking up and I'm hoping that in the coming weeks things will improve even more. In addition to this one long dash skipper, I saw a couple of hobomok skippers, a Canadian tiger swallowtail, a silvery blue, one cabbage white, a white admiral, and at least 15 common ringlets.
14-JUN-2011
Green frogs (Rana clamitans) in BYG poond
These two looked like they were just hanging out, enjoying the water and the weather.
14-JUN-2011
Hover fly (Helophilus sp.)
Yet another hover fly. They are certainly abundant at the garden from spring right through fall, and the variety of hover fly species found here is remarkable. Many are bee and wasp mimics, and the most intriguing are the bumblebee mimics which are dead ringers for the Bombus group.
14-JUN-2011
Hover fly (Eristalis sp.)
Another of the Eristalis species of hover fly. I didn't get a good look at the back of this one, so can't say for sure which of the Eristalis it is.
14-JUN-2011
Hover fly (Eristalis arbustorum) on Canada anemone
It was a sunny,warm (not hot) day and the insects were certainly out and flying. Lots of hover flies around the garden, including this Eristalis. There are many species within this genus, and all look like honey bees as they buzz by quickly.