 | ||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
What was happening at the FWG in June 2008
27 June — notes from Sandy Garland, photos from Tony Denton and Sandy Garland
The PwC people quickly broke up into groups and off they went. Over the course of the morning, they laid a gravel trail (Katie E. Brown, Madina Sabirova, Libby E. Cantwell, Sarah van Hooydonk, Allison E. Thomas, and Hiba Z. Kukaswadia), installed posts for signs and birdboxes (Ian Gillespie, Sean M. Pilgrim, and Michael Portner Gartke), and helped Tony pull out a huge amount of buckthorn (Will J. Malloff, John W. Snider, and Danielle J. Paquette-Jeanvennee). After lunch, they extended the trail, pulled up more buckthorn, and cleared weeds around our nursery so that we can extend it. From Charlie: "The three volunteers who worked on post installations were hardworking and cheerful. They dug three post holes in the heat which was heavy going but the more awkward task was pounding in the six 9-foot posts for the bird boxes. While one stood on the top of the step ladder to heave the sledge it took the two others (and sometimes me) to hold the top man and the ladder and the post. It was precarious at best. In all it took them about 2 1/2 hours and then they joined the others to spread stones, etc."  From Tony: "The crew I chose for buckthorn removal could not have been better [photo above]. They got started quickly, with Danielle clearing the area around the stumps with a sickle, then these two healthy young men got in and pulled out the stumps with the weedwrenches. Danielle then cleared away the branches, all making a fine team effort. Fortunately the work was made easier by the soft ground and I soon realized that I had not prepared enough trees, and went ahead to mark more. After the break they went at the buckthorn again and by noon the whole area was completely clear. The enthusiasm of this team and their interest in what they were doing were outstanding. For myself, this work has relieved me of an enormous workload, at the right time, and I am very grateful."  From Christine: "I spoke with quite a few of [the PwC team] at one time or another, and they all said they were having a great time and, while it was physically challenging, it sure beat a day in the office! I had a long talk with Ian, one of the volunteers who was also here last year. He thinks what the FWG is doing is fantastic. So that is nice to hear!"  Everyone had a great time despite the often grueling work. This is the second year PriceWaterhouse Coopers has sent us a Green Team and we look forward to working with them again. The team is so energetic and enthusiastic, they make even tedious tasks a pleasure. A great day at the FWG!!  |
This Friday, the big excitement at the FWG was not wildlife, but people! PriceWaterhouse Coopers' Green Team arrived bright and early to help our regular volunteers with a bunch of jobs that require extra hands and strong backs.23 June — photos and notes from Christine Hanrahan
Butterflies seem to be on our minds these days, so we'll start with them. European skippers (above left) are quite common everywhere, and FWG is no exception. Even in damp, cool weather, you can find them clinging to plant stems, often down fairly low. And given even a little bit of sun, they'll begin flying, sometimes, as this afternoon, 4 or 5 spiralling upwards out of the vegetation together. Long dash skippers (above right) are also relatively easy to see right now, as are hobomok skippers. Silvery blues (not a skipper) are looking faded and worn now, as the photo of this female shows (below left), but keep your eyes open for summer azures. The male silvery blue is a beautiful bright blue, but the females tend to be darker. Cabbage whites, ringlets (up to 20 the other day), the occasional monarch, and little wood satyr, are all flying now (look for the latter along the edge of the old field in the thickets, or the ash woods). Whether monarchs are seen in the same numbers as in the previous two years remains to be seen, but I hope so.
Dragonflies and damselflies are fairly difficult to ID much of the time, and the bluets (damselflies) in particular. This photo (above right) shows a female bluet, but I have no idea which species. She was found on the edge of the ash woods. Bees and flies are very common throughout the summer, although different species may fly at different times, and the variety, particularly in the Diptera (flies) is astonishing. The other day I saw what I thought was a tiny bit of debris on a leaf. It turned out to be, on closer inspection, a fruit fly, possibly (probably?) an apple maggot fly (below left). It is a striking looking creature and I'm sorry the photo is so poor, but it would not stay still. There are dozens of minute little syrphids all over the place, most of the ones I've seen are in the genus Toxomerus. This one was feeding on the penstemons in the BYG.
 Cedar waxwings are very common these days, being heard all over the place, including the FWG. This pair stopped for a few seconds near the barn last week.  Four chipmunks were in the big serviceberry in the BYG having a feast on the fruit, which I would have thought too green to eat, but not so. As ever, lots to see at the FWG. |
23 June — photo and notes from Claudia Burns In my garden, sweat bees were on Coreopsis lanceolata (photo below) and the Oenothera (Evening Primrose) that is the common one with the bright yellow flowers.  |
20 June: Bees and beardtongue — photos and notes from Sandy Garland Hairy Beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus) is in bloom in our Backyard Garden right now, and the plant was the focus of much attention this morning. A couple of large bumblebees were busy moving from flower to flower, forcing their way into the narrow violet tubes to reach nectar and pollen.
Much excitement when Elena discovered these beautiful little sweat bees (below) emerging from holes at the corner of the grassy meadow — one from the hole at the left and two at the right. Although considered solitary bees, females will often share a tunnel. They carve out individual small underground chambers that they stock with pollen before laying an egg on the provisions and sealing the cell.  Called sweat bees because they are attracted to the salt in human sweat, these centimetre-long insects are common in our area and are important pollinators. Below, are several visiting Hairy Beardtongue flowers.
|
19 June — photos and notes from Christine Hanrahan
Just to confuse us all, here is a photo of a female twelve-spotted skimmer (below), looking very like the female common whitetail whose photo I sent a few days ago.  Another insect I was happy to see was the pretty female widow skimmer dragonfly (below left). The male is very different. Lastly, another new odonate for the year, a white-faced meadowhawk, this one a female (below right). These little dragonflies will soon become the commonest one we see, along with, later in the year, the yellow-legged meadowhawk.
I mentioned the insects flocking to the milkweeds. Today there were dozens of the small milkweed bug (Lygaeus kalmii), both adults and nymphs (nymph below left). They are a challenge to photograph because at the merest hint of intrusion, they drop to the ground, or hide down at the base of the flower. I didn't manage to get an adult, but here is a shot from last year (below right).
Milkweed stem weevils are also just coming out now, comical little critters. We should keep our eyes open soon for the milkweed beetles, one of the long-horned beetles. As you see, the milkweeds are a very busy place. A monarch butterfly was also patrolling the milkweed patches today. Lots of European skippers, along with long dash and hobomok skippers, cabbage whites, silvery blues, ringlets and the above monarch. Several people asked me what the song sparrow in yesterday's photo was carrying in its bill. It was a grasshopper. Here is a shot from today (below), showing another grasshopper prey more clearly. I watched as a song sparrow stalked through the grass after insect prey, and came up with a grasshopper, which they seem to particularly like (as do many other bird species). 
|
18 June: Birds and bugs — photos and notes from Christine Hanrahan Despite the cool, showery conditions, things were hopping at the FWG this afternoon.  First, in the bird department: many of the early nesters now have young either out of the nest, or in the nest but soon to fledge. Song sparrows were busy gathering food for hungry mouths (photo above). One well-fledged young sparrow, able to fly, was pursuing its parent demanding food. A pair was bringing lots of caterpillars and other insects to their young still in the nest, and shortly after, flying off with fecal sacs to deposit a short distance away. A house finch family was also feeding well fledged and flying young, who were vocal in their food demands. Young crows can be heard begging for food, starlings have been out of the nest for awhile, cardinals and robins are feeding youngsters both in the nest and, mostly, out of the nest. Tree swallows have just started to bring food to the boxes. Not all birds of the same species nest at exactly the same time. So while you may see fledged young flying around, there will still be other family groups with young in the nest. Therefore, we still need to give birds some breathing room for another few weeks yet. Of course, the goldfinches won't even begin to nest until the thistle begin to produce seed. And waxwings are one of the later nesters too. Yellow warblers are still on nests at FWG, but should have young out of the nest soon. Other birds included American redstart, a couple of eastern kingbirds, green heron, great crested flycatcher, red-eyed vireo, and many of the usual crew such as chickadees.
Now to insects: there were hundreds of many species all over the garden - flies, bugs, beetles, bees, etc. However, butterflies were not as much in evidence, unsurprisingly, but even so I found 8 European skippers clinging to grass stems, low down in the vegetation. Three common ringlets and one little wood satyr (above left) completed the butterfly list for the day. Goldenrod beetle larvae (Trirhabda) were chomping away on goldenrods (above right), and several species of plant bugs (Miridae) were quite common; here is a photo of the four-lined plant bug (below left). There were also many species of spittlebugs (Cercopidae) and leafhoppers (Cicadellidae) only a few of which I have identified so far. Here is a photo of a meadow spittlebug (below right).
Common milkweeds are just beginning to bloom, and as you can see (below), there are many creatures waiting to take advantage of these blooms. You can see an ant (middle of bottom edge of photo), a tiny syrphid - possibly Sphaerophoria sp. (at left) and another small fly species (upper left). Milkweed flowers, by the way, are among the most complex of all flowers, and have an interesting but complicated structure.  |
Many insects are tiny, and we tend to dismiss them as insignificant and
not worth time spent looking at them. But when we see them up close, a
whole different world is exposed. Many of them are exquisitely lovely
with intricate patterns. Speaking of tiny, I sent you a photo of one of
these minute little long-legged flies a week or so ago. That one was
green. This one is bronze.13 June — photos and notes from Christine Hanrahan Today was pretty good for lepidoptera at FWG, with several species seen for the first time this year.
Both common ringlets (above left) and silvery blues were around in good numbers, and, later in the day, so were European skippers (above right). I saw the first one after lunch and by late afternoon they were relatively common. The little European skippers are closely associated with timothy which is the larval food plant for this species. Timothy has just started growing the last week or so. A very tattered monarch butterfly (below left) was around FWG all day, a male I believe, though it was so worn I can't say for sure.
A painted lady (above right) was, like many of the butterflies encountered today, flying fast and landing only briefly. I ended up with lots of photos showing where the butterfly HAD been a split second before. Painted ladies, like American ladies and red admirals, and monarchs of course, are migrants.
The long dash skipper (above left), another of the "grass skippers," was also a first for the year. The hobomok skipper, unlike the previous two, is typically found along woodland edges, and today I saw three of these near the Ash Woods. Just below the FWG, along the little stream in the Arboretum, there were 4 or 5 least skippers (above right), looking somewhat like small European skippers, although a much brighter orange. These tiny creatures are usually found in grasses alongside damp areas. Finally, to round off the butterfly list, there was one mourning cloak, and several cabbage whites.
Ctenucha moths (above right), those gorgeous orange, blue and dark navy day-flying
moths were also spotted for the first time today. Or at least, I should
say, that I saw them for the first time this year, others may have had
them earlier. Turning to odonates for a minute: common whitetails are becoming increasingly common in the garden, and yesterday I watched one female ovipositing (egg-laying) in the pond. At the same time, a pair of dot-tailed whitefaces were mating, and today a female eastern forktail (damselfly) appeared to be ovipositing onto some slightly submerged vegetation.  And I can't forget birds. The first young red-winged blackbirds are out of the nest - just - and begging noisily for food. They were perched precariously on cattails close to the nest and were well feathered, though probably still flightless for another day or two. On the other hand, a female blackbird was still nest-building the other day, perhaps her first nest was destroyed. |
They look wonderfully fresh, so I imagine they have only
lately emerged. It wasn't that long ago that I sent you photos of their
larval stage (above left). Still on moths, the tiny little white-striped black moth (right)
was fairly common today. This striking little insect looks like a
butterfly, rather than a moth. But then, moths or butterflies, they
are all lepidoptera and lately I have seen several sources refer to them
all as butterflies.11 June — photos and notes from Christine Hanrahan Lots of interesting things around FWG the last couple of days, particularly if you are a fan of insects.  Starting with butterflies: a beautiful, fresh white admiral landed near the centre yesterday and obligingly posed. There are many silvery blues and common ringlets about, a few cabbage whites, three hobomok skippers today, along with two tiger swallowtails.
Dragonflies are becoming more noticeable too. Common whitetails, both male and female are the most common odonates at the moment. There are also several twelve-spotted skimmers around both at the pond and elsewhere in the garden (the male has the whitish-blue spots in between the black spots, which the female lacks. Later on, the abdomen on the males becomes pruinose). Females can be easily confused with the female common whitetail. There was also a dot-tailed whiteface around, a very small Libellulid, a few eastern forktails, a sedge sprite and some bluets (the latter 3 species all damselflies). Standing around and staring intently at shrubs and other vegetation is a good way to pass time - if you are looking for insects! I can easily spend an hour peering at one shrub!! (Some of you may wonder ... do I have a life!!).
Of the many species found, I'll just mention a few. The Toxomerus syrphids (above) are quite common and can be easily seen on the roses in front of the centre, sharing space with dozens of bumblebees and other, smaller, solitary bees. Some of the larger syrphids are visible around the woods and thickets. Long-legged flies (below left), minute little critters, are becoming abundant - look for them on almost any vegetation in sunny spots. I saw a large robber fly yesterday, always interesting to see one of these Asilids. Two-spotted stinkbugs (below right), amongst the tiniest of stinkbugs, are very common at the moment as it is mating season for them! Asian and 14-spotted ladybeetles are fairly common also.
 Back at the pond, large green frog tadpoles were quite noticeable (above), and, the water being clear, I managed to take a few photos of them on a piece of slightly submerged wood in the pond. A female red-winged blackbird was busy grabbing something from the pond (below), but it was difficult to say what.  |
8 June — photos and notes from Christine Hanrahan I was very happy to see a gorgeous silver-spotted skipper at FWG this afternoon. This very large skipper is unmistakable, therefore one of the easiest skippers to ID ((maybe the only one that is easy!). We don't see them often at FWG, perhaps a few sightings a year, or every other year. This is not to suggest it is uncommon in general, but not always a species that is readily found.
Silvery blues were common, and a monarch butterfly was also around, along with many common ringlets, cabbage whites, one hobomok skipper and a clouded sulphur. |
7 June — photos and notes from Christine Hanrahan After the plant sale, I took Tasha for a short walk around the garden. It was far too hot and sticky to stay out for long. However, a few things of interest. More Syrphids (hover flies or flower flies) are starting to be seen, including this one on some DSV (below left). As a group, I find flies (Diptera) possibly even more fascinating than butterflies, dragonflies and beetles. The variety is astonishing. But of all the Dipteran families, I find Syrphids to be the most compelling. Many of them are bee mimics, a few mimic wasps, and they do such a remarkable job that it is often impossible to tell fly from bee unless you can see the insect up very close, and even then you would most likely need it in hand to differentiate between them.
Hobomok skippers are pretty common at FWG right now, and here is a photo (above right) showing the little guy (it is a male) with his wings closed. The photo from a few days ago showed him with his wings open. Many birds are now nesting, such as this song sparrow, which had, earlier, flown down to a nest site near the butterfly meadow, with a soldier beetle for food. PLEASE ... be very careful when you walk around the garden. Species such as song sparrows and yellow warblers nest close to the ground and can be easily trampled.  Tree swallows should be well along in their nesting by now. By the end of this month we can expect to see young birds and by early July most of the swallows will have left.  |
7 June — photos and notes from Sandy Garland
Starting along the Bill Holland Trail from the interpretive centre, I noticed a female whitetail dragonfly sitting on the gravel. It would fly off, then come back to the same general area over and over. Only the male of this large dragonfly has a white tail; you can see photos of both male and female in our blog entry for 14 June 2007. At the Amphibian Pond, I could hear several green frogs calling, and a few American toads still trilling. A blue and green darner was patrolling the pond and I could see many water striders skimming along the surface of the water. Redwing blackbirds are busy around the pond even though the cattails left standing after our huge snowfall this winter are not providing as many good nesting sites as in previous years. A female was trying to cool off by taking a shower. The area of frenzied activity in this photo is her splashing water around with her wings.
I also found a little grey mouse (below left). Christine tells me it is likely a Peromyscus mouse - either a white-footed or deer mouse. It was huddled in the short grass next to the trail, trying to look invisible. When I moved a blade of grass to get a better photo, it ran off quickly enough - a relief as I first thought it might be injured.
Finally, I found a Haploa moth caterpillar (above right) on houndstongue, which is just starting to bloom. Several sources list houndstongue as the larval food for Haploa confusa, one of the species in this Tiger Moth family. Christine has photographed this species several times over the last couple of weeks (see 27 May 2008 blog) and the adult moth last summer (see blog entries for 23 July and 4 August 2007). |
I was at the FWG on Saturday evening, having a nice relaxing stroll after a hectic morning at our plant sale. (Thanks to everyone who helped and everyone who bought plants!!)
6 June: Insect day — photos and notes from Christine Hanrahan Sorry for the frequent postings. It is just that there are so many neat things appearing on an almost daily basis and I can't wait to share them with you! Starting in the pond, the turtle in its usual spot. A big bullfrog, a couple of toads trilling (which was a bit surprising), green frogs calling, green herons (2) busy with food, and a female red-winged blackbird gathering lots of dry grass for her nest which must surely win the prize for biggest nest in the pond!
On the insect front: one of my all-time favourite beetles, a dogwood calligrapher (below left). Isn't it gorgeous? This is a member of the Chrysomelidae, the leaf beetles, most of whom are quite remarkably beautiful. The next beetle I found was the introduced, but pretty, fourteen-spotted ladybeetle (below right), one of the few ladybeetles that is yellow. The next few after than were all ones I've mentioned before.
Down in the Arboretum, not far from FWG, I discovered a lone marsh fly (above left), possibly in the genus Tetanocera. Isn't it an intriguing looking creature? They must occur at FWG too, so let's keep our eyes open. Also in the Arboretum, the Galerucella beetles (above right) were doing their job keeping the purple loosestrife down. A good example of successful biocontrol in action. Many eastern forktails were flying at FWG, I counted about 10 (and another 15 in the Arboretum not far from FWG). but the only one that stayed still long enough for a photo was this pruinose (bluish) female in the Arboretum (below).
And finally, for all you fungiphiles out there (I don't know if that is a word!) there are masses of mushrooms and other fungi around, much of it in the Arboretum. As I said in a May posting, Fall may be the best time for mushrooms, but spring is pretty good too. Yesterday, in Marlborough Forest, Claudia and I found all sorts of really neat Peziza and other sac fungi. How's this for a mass of mushrooms (photo)?
|
4 June — photos and notes from Christine Hanrahan Hi all, will try to keep this brief, but there is so much going on out there. Lots and lots of insects and each day brings more. Three-lined potato beetles (below left) today really taking a bite out of the Solanum dulcamara (deadly nightshade), in the potato family, though they were also on swallowwort. They are actually much more orangey-yellow than my photo shows. Also, saw my first eastern forktails (damselflies) of the year today, and first common ringlet of the season. As well, this odd-looking Ephemeroptera, a mayfly (below right), but no idea what species. It may be in the subimago stage.
There is a chipmunk runway just along the east side of the leaf pile. They are running back and forth across the road constantly, so please keep an eye out for them and give them a brake! This little guy had his face just crammed to overflowing with food. I can't make out what he has in his mouth, but it looks like part of a flower. Doesn't the yellow on the side of his face look like pollen?
So much to see at FWG. On the Health Canada tour today, the people I was with were in awe of the diversity of life at the garden. The birds, the plants, the animals, even the insects (I made sure they all had a look at the tiny treehoppers each being tended by their own ant, like a miniature herd with shepherds). |
And finally, finally, I saw the tiny little painted turtle in the BYG. I
think everybody but me has seen it! Talk about CUTE.3 June: "Heron day" — photos and notes from Christine Hanrahan It was definitely a heron day at FWG. First of all, I was surprised to find FOUR green herons in the pond together.
A bit later, a great blue heron flew over and landed in the Arboretum in the "usual" spot, the island. I took a quick sidetrip down there and managed to get a couple of photos without disturbing the bird.
About 25 minutes later, I checked the FWG pond again and was flabbergasted to find an American bittern. I hid behind the pond sign and snapped off some photos until someone walked by and flushed the bird which flew further into the pond. At that moment, a muskrat swam by with something in its mouth. I didn't know whether to focus on the muskrat or the bittern, but decided the latter was far more interesting. As to whether the bittern will stick around, who knows. I doubt it will stay long, though it may spend a day or so at the pond. But it is too busy and too crowded for a big heron like this. And pity the poor frogs and tadpoles if it does. Like all other members of the Ardeidae, the bittern is a carnivorous creature.
|
Finally, turning from birds for a minute, the whimsically named Dance
Fly, (possibly Rhamphomyia sp.) is now flying.2 June: Butterflies at the FWG — photos and notes from Christine Hanrahan
You know June is here when the Hobos appear (gee, that rhymes). Hobomok skippers, that is. Saw three males today, most often flying fast, but occasionally landing. These are butterflies primarily of wooded edges, although you can see them in fields and other open areas as well. They nectar on a wide variety of plants both native and non-native. Also found were a mourning cloak, tiger swallowtail, 6 silvery blues and about 10 cabbage whites. No sign of the monarch butterfly from the other day. Other insects included several Anania funebris moths, Coleomagilla beetles, asian ladybeetles, sweat bees, bumblebees, sphecid wasps, ichneumonid wasps, and a couple of beeflies (Bombylius sp., below left), as well as many other insects flying or moving too fast to ID.
Last night, at about 10:45, I again visited the Amphibian Pond, but heard only three treefrogs and one green frog calling, and fewer numbers of green frog tadpoles. Blame the cooler weather for keeping activity down. Today, however, green frogs were fairly conspicuous in the pond. |
A common yellowthroat was calling from the ravine. This species has
occasionally bred in the garden, and perhaps this one will too. They are
a common local breeding species, but less common at FWG. Given the
mid-day heat, there were a surprising number of other species singing
around the garden today, including eastern kingbird, eastern wood-pewee,
american redstart, gray catbird, etc. A couple of northern rough-winged
swallows obligingly perched in a tree for a few seconds (photo at left). This species
has long nested around Hartwell Locks, and we sometimes see them at
FWG, although more often just south of the garden nearer the locks. And
still on birds, the BYG bird bath is very popular with a variety of
species. I watched song sparrow, robin and this red-winged blackbird
visit, one after the other.
