New Butterfly&Dragonfly Species!

A new butterfly species for us! Native to Europe, North America and Asia, the European Common Blue was first recorded in 2005 near Mirabel Airport in Quebec. It has since been slowly spreading east, south, and westward with the earliest record in Ontario in 2012. There are now many records in the Greater Toronto area.

https://www.rom.on.ca/magazine/new-blue-block

Underwing of the European Common Blue which we found near Hamilton.

The Great Spreadwing is listed as Critically Imperilled on iNaturalist. The only known Canadian population was in Essex County, but none have been reported in that area since 2024.  A population was found this summer in Lambton County!

2 pairs of Great Spreadwings were recorded mating at the Lambton County site. Hopefully they will be able to establish a population!

We spent a relaxing morning walking the trails at Henderson Conservation Area near Petrolia.

A well camouflaged Great Blue Heron is sitting in the branches of a fallen tree, providing a great vantage point for hunting!

The reservoir behind the back weir at the Conservation Area had just the right amount of water for some migrating shore birds!

Spotted Sandpiper - running along the rocks at the edge of the water.

Lesser Yellowlegs - We saw about 28 individuals. They were scouring the mud for invertebrates. 

Osprey hunting for fish

Turtle nest cover to protect the eggs from skunks, raccoons and other predators.

One of our goals at the C.A was to find slug moth caterpillars. We found 3 species. Yellow-shouldered Slug Moth caterpillar

Red-crossed Button Slug Moth caterpillar

Purple-crested Slug Moth - so well camouflaged!!

Spotted Apatelodes Moth

Small reservoirs were created over fifty years ago at Henderson C.A. to help slow the flow of water as it continued down stream. Drop-tube inlets were installed so water would have an exit without flooding surrounding land. One of the drop-tube inlets (shown on the right), sprung a leak back in the spring. It has since been plugged and alternate flood control methods have been installed.

However, the lack of water at the shallow end of the small pond has allowed plants to grow where they normally wouldn't be found. Hopefully the pond will fill up naturally with rain water in the coming months to improve aquatic habitat for the species that depend upon it.

Monarchs are continuing to pass through the region on their way to Mexico!

 Pinery and North Lambton

It was another good day to find Northern Walkingsticks! Prior to this summer, it had been several years since I last saw a Walkingstick, but they seem to be doing well at the Pinery. This pair was the first of several pairs that we found mating!

Definite Tussock Moth - attracted overnight to the building lights.

Lyric Cicada - also attracted to building lights, thus easy to find in the morning.

Orange-humped Mapleworm (probable)

Drexel's Datana Moth caterpillars: Larvae of this genus are gregarious feeders, working in groups to consume leaves of host plants. They are late-season defoliators of hardwood trees. Despite conspicuous damage, they typically cause minimal long-term impact to tree health. Natural enemies such as birds help to control their populations.

https://bugswithmike.com/guide/arthropoda/hexapoda/insecta/lepidoptera/noctuoidea/notodontidae/phalerinae/datana/drexelii

This Pied-billed Grebe swam along the river cut, past the boardwalk of the Riverside Trail. It regularly sunk and surfaced as it hunted for food below the water. They tend to "deflate and sink" rather than dive head first like most diving birds.

Shadow Darner's were performing aerial maneuvers over the water and were very difficult to photograph. This one must have worn itself out and luckily rested in our view!

Closed Bottle Gentian: Growing 1 to 2 feet tall in moist areas, Bottle Gentian blooms from August through October. The closed flower structure creates a fascinating pollination puzzle - only the strongest bumble bees can force their way inside to reach the nectar!

https://plantnative.org/native-plants/bottle-gentian-gentiana-andrewsii-2.htm

Skiff Moth caterpillar: Although I have seen adult Skiff Moths numerous times, this was my first time finding the larva! Skiff Moth larva don't seem to have any venomous defenses. Some experts believe they may rely on their non-caterpillar appearance for evading predation or disturbance.

https://norfolknaturalist.ca/2025/08/23/moth-miscellany-part-3-limacodidae/

Candy Apple Waxy cap - Species name has not yet been confirmed, but it has a very cool name!

Tiny, pin-like mushrooms in the Pinwheels and Parachute family of mushrooms.

Viceroy - overlooking the water

Northern Walkingsticks mating at Ausable River Cut Conservation Area.

Virginia Sphinx Moth - eating the Virginia Creeper vine growing on a tree. The leaves on the vine were almost completely eaten but other vines were nearby.

I found a Monarch near Port Franks that was tagged so its journey to Mexico could be tracked. I submitted the on-line form to Monarch Watch providing the details of the find. Since 1992, a new series of unique codes is generated for each tagging season and printed using permanent inks on all-weather tags with a pressure-sensitive adhesive backing. When applied as directed, the tags do not interfere with flight or otherwise harm the butterflies. If you photograph a Monarch with a tag, upload the information to https://www.monarchwatch.org. In a new project this year, over 100 Monarchs were fitted with tiny Blue Tooth receivers! iPhones or androids with the app, can help to track the movement of monarchs for scientists who are studying them! 

 Shades of Orange!

I realized I had a good collection of critters with orange colouring. "Bursting with energy and warmth, orange is commonly associated with outdoor elements."

https://www.color-meanings.com/orange-color-meaning-the-color-orange/

I was delighted to find a pair of Milbert's Tortoiseshells in Canatara Park this week! They were only my second sightings in Lambton County and the first ever in Canatara! Although the species can be found in Ontario, they are definitely not common in our area. They tend to be found in meadows, fields, and forest clearings.

Monarch Butterflies are on the move and are highly visible along the Lake Huron shoreline. A few of them were on the dunes, getting nectar from Rough Blazing Star. Keep your eyes open for overnight roosting! I have only witnessed a roost once, and it was magical!

The Variegated Fritillary is mainly a tropical butterfly ranging from Argentina to the Southern U.S. It migrates northward through the summer season, often making it into southern Ontario. (60 mm maximum wingspread)

https://www.gardenswithwings.com/butterfly/variegated-fritillary

Pearl Crescent - looks like it's been in a battle. It is much smaller than the Variegated Fritillary, above, and has a different wing pattern and shape. (34 mm maximum wing spread).

Peck's Skipper - (27 mm maximum wing span.)

The larva of the Isabella Tiger Moth, commonly known as a Woolly Bear caterpillar, is recognizable due to the bristly coat of hair, segmented into black bands at both ends and a reddish-brown band in the middle. The colouring serves as a defense mechanism, making them appear unappetizing to predators. There is no scientific evidence to support the idea that woolly bear caterpillars can predict the weather. Their colouration is determined by age, species, and environmental factors such as humidity and diet. Older caterpillars tend to have narrower black bands because they have moulted several times.

https://ownyardlife.com/woolly-bear-caterpillars-everything-you-need-to-know/

I'm not sure who was more startled, the Coyote or me? It noticed me immediately and didn't stick around to pose nicely for the camera. "From figuring out how to cross busy roads to finding food in urban environments, coyotes are incredibly smart. This adaptability is part of what has made them so successful in developed areas. They are naturally shy and will avoid humans as long as they are not fed or encouraged to approach. Their diet includes small mammals, fruits, insects, carrion and sometimes garbage or dog/cat food it it's left outside."

https://www.worldanimalprotection.us/latest/blogs/20-coyote-facts/

Appears to be a member of the Bolete mushrooms: Looking at the gills on the underside of mushrooms is important for identification. In order to get a more accurate species name, I would have had to break off the cap which I chose not to do because of the important role fungus plays in decomposition.

Red Admiral - another migrator, that doesn't travel as far as Monarchs.

American Redstart, female. This species nests locally.

A small Bumble bee completely emerged it's body into the Jewelweed flower looking for pollen and nectar. It's back legs are barely visible in the top photo and it looks like it fell asleep. It wasn't long before it backed out and headed to the next flower.

More orange in nature is just around the corner once the leaves begin to change colour!

 Baby Turtle Rescue & other Pond Life!

As I was walking along a paved trail in Canatara Park, I noticed bubbles coming up from a puddle. I took a closer look and found a baby Snapping Turtle hiding underneath a leaf. It was approximately 3 cm in diameter.

It still had a long walk to get to water and I was worried it would be run over by a cyclist in the puddle, or car once it came to the road. I carried it to the nearby lake which is where it was headed. Still lots of dangers in the water, but it has had a good start to life so far! 

Smeared Dagger caterpillar. 8 of them were on the Lilypads.

Video: Smeared Dagger on the move!

Pond Snail

Belostoma flumineum is a member of  the Giant Water Bugs, commonly known as Toe Biters. This particular species grows to a maximum of 2.5 cm. They live in freshwater wetlands, marshes and ponds with muddy bottoms. Backswimmers, Dragonfly nymphs and Pond snails are their favourite foods. They inject digestive saliva to liquefy prey tissue before dining. Humans being bitten by this bug will feel pain, but otherwise not suffer.

https://bugswithmike.com/guide/arthropoda/hexapoda/insecta/hemiptera/heteroptera/nepomorpha/nepoidea/belostomatidae/belostomatinae/belostoma/flumineum.

Rathke's Woodlouse -Lots of life was on the Lilypads!

Meadowhawks. Dragonflies start their lives in the water. Pond water is incredibly important to their survival, as are cattails and other plants associated with healthy ponds.

Adult American Toads spend most of their time in the shade of forests. At mating time, eggs are laid in the water and tiny tadpoles emerge before they start to grow legs.

Cattails are impressive wetland plants. At various stages of growth, all parts (stem, root, seed head) are edible. They provide shelter and food for many wetland critters and also help to clean water by absorbing phosphates.

Spotted Jewelweed - grows in wet soil, often at the edge of ponds. Mashed juice from the stems can be used to treat skin irritations including poison ivy rash, nettle stings, and bug bites.

https://practicalselfreliance.com/jewelweed/

This young Ruby-throated Hummingbird was waiting for its turn to fly down to the Spotted Jewelweed nectar source, a definite favourite of the little hummers! Their beaks make it easy to get nectar from the long flower tubes.

Painted Turtle climbing onto a floating log.