6 Legs in the Early Spring!

Bloodroot is one of the few flowers blooming currently and it is an important source of food for many pollinators. A Dunning's Miner Bee stopped by for some nectar refreshment.

A Yellow-rumped Warbler caught a 6-legged creature, possibly a Cellophane Bee.

Another Cellophane Bee is peaking out from the ground nest, looking to see if the coast is clear.

Eastern Comma soaking up the sun!

Spotted Pink Lady Beetles are sometimes called 'beneficial bugs' because they eat aphids, small insects and different kinds of organic matter. 

https://bantam.earth/pink-spotted-lady-beetle-coleomegilla-maculata/

In order to look for moths at night, temperatures need to stay above 10 degrees C. We have been looking forward to moth nights this spring and had our first one on April 13th, attracting a few species!

The Half-wing Moth was one of 3 new species for us. We don't typically look for moths this early in the spring and this is an early season flyer. The average wingspan is about 34 mm. It was attracted to the light, but not the white sheet.

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/209713-Phigalia-titea

Pettit's Sallow Moth

Speckled Green Fruitworm Moth - another new moth species.

Celery Leaftier Moth

A member of Short-tailed Ichneumonid Wasps.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/270345827

A good start to the season!!