A Luna Moth and Other Cool Critters!

My most exciting find on a recent Butterfly Count was a Luna Moth! - The first one I have found on my own! It was resting in long grasses at the edge of a forested area, waiting to dry off it's wings from the morning dew. Luna Moths are one of the largest moth species in North America, with a wing spread measuring 8-10 cm!

A tiny Least Skipper hovers near a Wild Bergamot flower. It seems to be waiting for the Orange Mint Moth to leave so it can have his turn at drinking nectar!

Hugs anyone?? I'm sure this Orange-collared Scape Moth wasn't happy about "getting a hug" from the well-camouflaged spider who was hiding on the flower head, just waiting for his next meal to show up.

This "Blue Dasher" seems to be standing at attention. It is a typical resting pose for the species! Like all dragonflies, Blue Dashers have large compound eyes with nearly 360 degree vision, allowing them to detect movement and locate prey efficiently. Their two pairs of independently moving wings provide exceptional maneuverability, enabling quick turns, hovering and even backward flight!

https://peskylittlecritters.com/quick-facts-about-blue-dasher-dragonflies-you-should-know/#google_vignette

Dragonfly Totem Pole! 7 Common Whitetails soaking up the last of the evening sun.

Colourful Red-banded Leafhoppers are hanging out in our backyard again this year!

Gray Treefrogs depend on forests. Therefore, habitat loss and degradation are the main threats to these frogs. Their tendency to remain in trees, coupled with excellent camouflage help to keep them "safe" from predators. Females lay 1,000 to 2,600 eggs in small clusters of 10-40 which are attached to vegetation. The eggs hatch within one to three weeks and the tadpoles metamorphose one to two months after hatching.

https://ontarionature.org/programs/community-science/reptile-amphibian-atlas/gray-treefrog/

Black-and-gold Bumble bee! Although many bumblebees are black and gold, this species was able to lay claim to the colours in it's name! It is only the second record on iNaturalist of this species in Lambton County.

I watched a Paper Wasp drag a caterpillar (member of the cutworm moths) from leaf to leaf. I even saw the wasp carry the caterpillar in flight which was amazing as they were similar in size!

Another species of wasp dragging a caterpillar up a tree trunk.

Fork-tailed Bush Katydid, nymph stage: It is one of about 250 species of katydids, also called Long-horned meadow grasshoppers in North America, north of Mexico. They all have very long antennae and often resemble green leaves.

https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/fork-tailed-bush-katydid

Monarch egg laid on the underside of Swamp Milkweed in my backyard.

After about 5 days as an egg, this freshly hatched Monarch caterpillar will eat the egg casing as a food boost to start his growth.

 Night Life!

Bright Lights and white sheets can be used to attract moths at night. In the right conditions, hundreds of moths can be viewed....if you're willing to stay up late! The following is a selection of some of these late night critters.

Small-eyed Sphinx

Tulip Tree Beauty

Maple Callus Borer

Banded Tussock Moth

Common Lytrosis Moth

A UV Flashlight is handy to scan plants in the area. You never know what you may find including this well camouflaged Goldenrod Crab Spider. Over the course of a few days, they can change colour to match their environment or the flower they are sitting upon. They enjoy warm sunny days because the food they like to eat (insects) come to the flowers on which they patiently wait.

https://spideridentifications.com/goldenrod-crab-spider.html

Goldenrod Crab Spider, heavily cropped photo

Unidentified Moth Caterpillar

Common Eastern Firefly

Giant Leopard Moth

Walnut Sphinx

White-dotted Prominent

Waved Sphinx

Dark Fishing Spider

Walnut Caterpillar Moth

Io Moths, wings closed

Io Moth

At the end of a moth night at a friend's house in Middlesex County, a few moths needed to be carefully lifted from the white sheet. (They didn't fly away when the lights were turned off.) The top 2 are Io moths (pronounced eye-oh). The lower one is a Small-eyed Sphinx. The large eye spots help to protect the moths as predators may view it as a large creature, much too large to attempt to eat.

  Winged Things, (mostly)!

A Red-winged Blackbird Mom with hungry babies has her mouth full! I can see the tails of 2 adult Mayflies, and a green caterpillar in her beak!

Baltimore Checkerspot - one of my favourite butterflies!

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria eating a Seven-spotted Lady Beetle. Although the Laphria resembles a Bumblebee, it is a actually a species of Robber Fly.

Foxtail Barley

Great-crested Flycatcher, actively catching butterflies in the Canatara Meadow. It was amazing to watch its aerial twisting and turning in pursuit of food!

Halloween Pennant

Monarchs and their caterpillars have been few and far between this year. I saw a Monarch in my backyard a few days ago. Hopefully she laid some eggs on the milkweed!

The spiky caterpillar of a Question Mark Butterfly!

A very Hungry Caterpillar took only a few seconds to chew a chunk off the leaf. Notice the smooth edge on the right side of the leaf in the top photo. Anchored by its hind feet on the twig, the caterpillar made 4 passes while chewing along the edge and quickly put another big dent in the leaf! I believe it is one of the Geometer Moths but haven't identified it to species yet.

Turkey Vulture in the morning light. He likely roosted on this branch overnight.

I was lucky to find a Wood Thrush nest this year! I was able to view it from a path and always took a quick look before moving on, so as not to disturb them or draw attention to it. The babies have now hatched and there were possibly 4 nestlings.

On my last day of seeing them, one of the youngsters was ready to "launch"! Looking closely at the photo, I could see the beak of one of its siblings on the right side, just behind this bird. There was another sibling on a branch about 2 feet from the nest. I was happy to see them successfully develop to the fledgling stage!

4 Eastern Phoebe's ready to leave the nest at any time. Phoebes make their nests under overhangs on buildings, and sometimes even bridges.

While rounding a corner on a path, I startled a family of Northern Flickers that was feeding on the ground. This one hung around to have it's picture taken, although it was likely just keeping an eye on me and his kids!

Ghost Pipe is a perennial herb that doesn't photosynthesize. Instead, it gets its nutrients by parasitizing a network of fungi in the soil. The fungus is engaged in a symbiotic relationship with nearby trees, exchanging nutrients for sugars. The delicate, triple-layered relationship between the plant, fungus and host tree requires intact forest conditions to survive. 

https://biologyinsights.com/what-is-ghost-pipe-tincture-and-how-is-it-used/

A Very Cool Fungus - Wrinkled Peach!

Rough Hermit Beetle

This photo of a Cooper's Hawk was taken through my living room window! I heard a squawking commotion from Blue Jays and Robins which made me look outside. I believe the hawk dined on Mourning Dove for breakfast that day.

Made me giggle!