Night Life!

Our most recent attempt to attract moths to a sheet in the backyard was not as successful as earlier in the summer. Although it was a calm evening, temperatures were a little cooler. Walking around the yard with flashlights, enabled us to find a few species sitting on flower heads and in the lawn grass. Goldenrod was particularly popular with moths such as this Old Man Dart.

Pale-banded Dart on Rose of Sharon bush.

The Pale-banded Dart (from above) dropped down to ground level. Look carefully in the very centre of the picture to see the well-camouflaged moth.

 

Northern Yellow Sac Spider has been introduced to Eastern Canada. This group of spiders are night time hunters.

https://spideridentifications.com/northern-yellow-sac-spider.html

Lucerne Moth

I noticed a rather large mosquito which has been identified as an Asian Bush Mosquito. It is a known vector for West Nile Virus. Adults live in forested areas and are day biters of young birds and mice, but are apparently reluctant to bite humans.

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1112094-Aedes-japonicus