The Heart of Lambton County!

Found in central Lambton County, the Marthaville Habitat Management Area is owned by the County of Lambton and managed by the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority. This gravel pit rehabilitation site includes a 3km trail around wetlands, forest and tall grass prairie.

https://www.scrca.on.ca/portfolio/marthaville-habitat-management-area/

Phragmites australis was so abundant on the property that views of the water in past years were severely obstructed. It is an aggressive plant that spreads quicky and out-competes native species for water and nutrients. It releases toxins from its roots into the soil to hinder the growth of, and kill surrounding plants. Work has been done in the past few years to reduce and remove this invasive plant.  The cut stems in the photo are all from the phragmites plant.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/phragmites-fact-sheet

Our first insect encounter included 3 Tiger Moths, and 2 of them were mating! They were easy to see against the green background of the grasses.

Emerald Spreadwing - a new species for me!

Slender Spreadwing

Dot-tailed Whiteface

Eastern Forktail

A Green Frog was lurking in the reeds, hoping to use his long tongue to catch one of the flying dragonflies!

Orchard Oriole

An Osprey was being chased by a "daring" Red-winged Blackbird.

Yellow Lady's Slippers

One of the largest Garter Snakes I have ever seen. It was likely close to 1 metre in length!

Milkweed Stem Weevil - The milky liquid from inside the plant stem is oozing out after being punctured by the weevil's long, nose-like proboscis.

Petrolia Trails

These well-marked and maintained trails can be accessed from Petrolia Line in the flats at the east end of town.

We didn't actually find the Haunted Tree. I wonder if it has fallen over?

Turkey Vulture, missing a few feathers

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

We watched a Field Sparrow fly to the ground and emerge with a green caterpillar.

It then flew into the only tree in the meadow and prepared to feed another Field Sparrow.

Raising young is hard work. A female Savannah Sparrow must gather 10 times her weight in food to feed herself and her young during the 8 days they are in the nest!

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Savannah_Sparrow/overview

 Fluttering By!

Watching butterflies can be very peaceful! Their ability to fly on windy days is truly amazing. I often wonder if they stick to a destination, or are just happy wherever the wind may blow them. The following collection shows some of the butterflies I have encountered in the past week or two.

Silvery Blue (upperwing)

Silvery Blue (Underwing)

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Giant Swallowtail

Spicebush Swallowtail

Black Swallowtail

Common Checkered Skipper

Wild Indigo Duskywings, mating.

Question Mark

Silver Spotted Skipper

Hobomok Skipper

 Backyard Nightlife! 

A good variety of Critters in the Moth Trap!

Moths aren't the only insects we catch in our overnight Moth trap. A Smooth Stag Beetle was a recent visitor.

.....as was a Spring Fishfly

Moths are an important part of the environment, even if they don't tend to be as colourful and noticeable as butterflies. Moth caterpillars are an important food source for young birds. Humans typically associate pollination of fruits and vegetables with bees. However, many species of moths are also pollinators and have a very important role in any ecosystem!

Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern North America, Beadle & Seabrooke, 2012

Baltimore Snout

Black-dotted Glyph

Green Leuconycta

Hickory Tussock Moth

Pink-barred Psuedeustrotia

Western Furcula

Oak Besma Moth

Peppered Moth

Red-fringed Emerald

Virginia Tiger Moth

Polyphemus Moth

The Polyphemus Moth has a wingspan of 10-15 cm. It is known for the purplish eyespots on the hindwings. These eyespots inspired the moth's name, referencing the one-eyed giant Polyphemus, from Greek mythology. This moth has a wingspan of 10 to 15 centimeters. They can be found in deciduous hardwood forests, orchards, urban areas and wetlands.

https://biologyinsights.com/what-do-polyphemus-moths-eat-throughout-their-lifecycle/.