30-SEP-2015
Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
A native shrub that flowers in the autumn, thus a nice addition to the garden for late season blossoms and colour.
30-SEP-2015
New england asters (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
Life was easier when the scientific name was Aster novae-angliae (as it still is in older field guides) rathter than the tongue-twisting new generic name. These asters are a native species, common across the region and in the garden, and greatly loved by bees and other insects seeking nectar, as well as seed-eating birds, (CH)
30-SEP-2015
Mallard pair
Found in the amphibian pond, this pair of mallards were first noticed hiding in the cattails, but later came out and fed amidst the duckweed. (CH)
30-SEP-2015
Chipping sparrow
There were numerous chipping sparrows at the garden today, along with flocks of goldfinches, starlings, yellow-rumped warblers, and robins. A mixed flock of warblers descended to feed in the trees of the old woods, including black-throated green warblers, cape may warblers, and the aforementioned yellow-rumped warblers. The rare western kingbird (new for the FWG list) was seen again today and has been hanging around for several days now. (CH)
30-SEP-2015
Yellow-rumped warbler
A small number of yellow-rumped warblers joined a large flock of american goldfinches to eat the aster seeds, which are abundant in many locations around the garden. (CH)
30-SEP-2015
Puffball (Calvatia gigantea)
Autumn is a great time to look for mushrooms and fungi of all sorts. Puffballs can appear earlier in the summer, but now is a good opportunity to look for them. This one was larger than a baseball. (CH)
23-SEP-2015
Splendid dwarf spider (Hypselistes florens)
A beautiful and eye-catching little spider, made more so in this photo by Diane, perched on a sunflower petal. They are only a few mm in length, so not easy to get such a good photo. They make sheet-like webs near the ground.(CH)
23-SEP-2015
Splendid dwarf spider (Hypselistes florens)
Another shot of this colourful and tiny spider by Diane.
23-SEP-2015
Red-legged grasshopper (Melanoplus femurrubrum)
A large and very common grasshopper, the females often found ovipositing in soft gravel or soil on trails.(CH)
23-SEP-2015
Grass-carrying wasp (Isodontia mexicana)
A small wasp in the Sphecidae family (the thread-waisted wasps, these can be seen carrying long strands of grass to their nest sites. At the garden, they have used the bee hotel which Sandy constructed a few years ago. (CH)
23-SEP-2015
Black arches moth caterpillar (Melanchra assimilis), #10295
Diane found this colourful caterpillar at the garden, and it also represents a new moth species for the FWG moth list. These are fairly common in region (I've seen several recently elsewhere) but this is a first for FWG. (CH)
21-SEPT-2015
Northern corn rootworm (Diabrotica barberi)
Barry found and photographed this little green Chrysomelid beetle. The Diabrotica species belong to the subfamily Galerucinae, the skeletonizing leaf beetles, the same group to which the beetles introduced to fight purple loosestrife, belong.(CH)
21-SEPT-2015
Red squirrel
All the squirrels are busily finding and storing food for winter, but of course they have to eat now too, and this one was caught full-chomp by Barry.
21-SEPT-2015
Woolly bear caterpillar (Pyrrharctia isabella), #8129
Late summer sees the advent of these so-familiar caterpillars. By mid-autumn they are usually abundant, to the point that in some years they get run over by the hundreds as they try to cross roads. Even people who dislike insects seem to like these guys... they are such a familiar sight, and perhaps their name, woolly bear, makes them cuddly. They turn into quite a pretty moth, called the Isabella tiger moth.(CH)
17-SEPT-2015
Bumble bee
A very pale coloured bumble bee found by Barry.
17-SEPT-2015
Spittlebug (Cercopidae)
Could by a meadow spittlebug, but a little difficult to say for sure. Meadow spittlebugs have a huge variety of colours and patterns, so it could be...
Northern flicker
Caught by Barry just after some vigorous preening. Flickers are very noticeable these days. I saw at least five fly up from the ground the other day when I was at FWG. (CH)
21-SEPT-2015
Spotted spreadwing (Lestes congener)
Barry photographed this lovely spreadwing perched on some asters. These are insect eaters, not nectar feeders, and the asters simply make a handy perch from which to fly after passing insects.(CH)
17-SEPT-2015
Planthopper (Acanalonia)
About mid-summer these uniquely shaped and vividly coloured planthoppers appear. There is a pink form but they are not seen too often.(CH)
19-SEP-2015
Bumble bee on sunflower
Checking out all available sources of food.
19-SEP-2015
Black-capped chickadee
Lots of chickadees around the garden, flitting along branches plucking larvae and eggs seen only by them. Also around were nashville warblers, blue jays, robins, white-breasted nuthatches, catbirds, etc.
19-SEP-2015
Cynipid wasp galls (Phylloteras poculum)
Another view of the galls on a bur oak leaf.
19-SEP-2015
Brown mantidfly (Climaciella brunnea)
One last shot of this unusual looking, but not uncommon, insect. Here you can see why it has the "mantid" part to its name... it looks much like a strange praying mantis. However, it is not related to the praying mantis, nor is it a fly. (CH)
19-SEP-2015
Brown mantidfly (Climaciella brunnea)
A back view of this interesting insect, showing why it is sometimes called the wasp mantidly.
19-SEP-2015
Brown mantidfly (Climaciella brunnea)
Although these insects are relatively common, they can be surprisingly hard to find. This is one of only a few I've seen at FWG, though I have found them in many, many other locations. They are sometimes called the wasp mantidfly, as they seem to mimic a Polistes wasp, at least when viewed from above. At this sideways angle they look like a cross between a praying mantis and a wasp, but they are neither praying mantis, wasp or fly, but in the same group as lacewings, Neuroptera. (CH)
19-SEP-2015
Cynipid wasp galls (Phylloteras poculum)
Intriguingly shaped galls on bur oak, made by a very tiny wasp, one of the Cynipid wasps. (CH)
19-SEP-2015
Mountain ash (Sorbus)
One day soon, these berries will be gone, and it will happen almost overnight. Migrating flocks of cedar waxwings, robins and others will decide the fruit is now ready to eat and they will descend on the couple of trees at the garden and feast. (CH)
19-SEP-2015
Joe-pye weed (Eutrochium maculatum)
The few joe-pye weeds (a native plant) still in flower were attracting many bumble bees.
19-SEP-2015
South of the ravine
Looking eastward down the Bill Holland Trail. The ravine is to the left and south (right) is the old woodlot. Most flowers have faded now, leaving only these new england asters, some goldenrods, sunflowers, a few joe-pye weed and others to add colour and provide nectar. (CH)
19-SEP-2015
Cup-plant (Silphium perfoliatum)
These beautiful tall plants are native to areas just south of us, but grow well in this region. When their rich yellow petals fall, this is what is left, and the squirrels and seed-eating birds enjoy feasting on these seeds.(CH)
19-SEP-2015
Jewelweed seedpod (Impatiens capensis)
I can never resist popping the fat ready-to-burst seedpods of this plant (also known as touch-me-not, because the ripe seedpods pop open the minute they are touched). This is what the pods looks like when it has popped. (CH)
19-SEP-2015
Hover fly (Sphaerophoria)
These hover flies (Syrphidae) were numerous today. They are tiny and elongated so that they seem to disappear when they turn sideways.(CH)
09-SEP-2015
Metalmark moth (Caloreas leucobasis), #2641
A tiny moth in the Choreutidae family, photographed by Diane on a sunflower in the Butterfly Meadow. She said that she also saw a cottontail rabbit, chickadees, red squirrels, chipmunks, bumble bees, wasps, american toad and a garter snake.
About this moth, a new species for our list, Diane said that she sent it to Jean-François Landry entomologist with AAFC who identified it and said: " A Choreutidae, Caloreas leucobasis. They are not commonly collected. Choreutids are diurnal moths and often have a characteristic resting posture that it quite unlike that of tortricidae."
09-SEP-2015
Metalmark moth (Caloreas leucobasis), #2641
Another view of this very pretty, and very small micro moth, found by Diane.
September 2015
New shed
We may have too much "stuff." With most OFNC committees using our Resource Centre for meetings and storage, we needed to move things like our wagons out of there. Our lovely new shed will hold them easily, along with everything from our old potting shed and more.(SG)
02-SEP-2015
Great Blue Heron
Gordon happened to notice this Great Blue Heron perched at the top of a tree in our Old Woodlot. Like most water birds, it looks rather odd in a tree.(SG)
1 September 2015
Hornet nest
Ted discovered this hornet's nest attached near the base of a small tree north on our Old Woodlot. We usually see two or three of these large paper nests each year, but this is the first we've found this season. The inset shows Bald-faced Hornets sitting at the entrance. These and others were taking turns fanning their wings to move air into the nest on this very hot day. (SG)