Cool Pinery Critters!

We started the day at the moth shack which had attracted a few species including this Showy Emerald!

Small-eyed Sphinx

Lots of critters are attracted to UV light, including this Brown Prionid. They are members of the Longhorn beetle family, native to eastern and central North America. They are identified by the elongated, mahogany-coloured body and impressive size (up to 5 cm). They are an important decomposer. By breaking down decaying trees and logs, larvae accelerate nutrient cycling and help return carbon and organic matter back to the soil. Unlike invasive wood borers, the Brown Prionid rarely attacks healthy living trees, preferring wood that is already compromised, dying or decaying.

https://davethebugguy.org/2026/07/31/orthosoma-brunneum-the-brown-prionid-beetle/

We discovered Slug Moths at the end of the summer last year and wanted to start looking for them earlier in 2026. A lot of time was spent carefully turning over leaves to find these creatures. We found one species this week, a Yellow-shouldered Slug Moth, (6-7 mm in length) and look forward to searching for more! Many species of caterpillars tend to be easier to find later in the season as they grow larger. 

Tent Caterpillars are known to build silk trails while travelling between their nest and feeding sites on the tree. The silken strands are sometimes visible in sunlight. Since Tent Caterpillars are native to North America, insect parasites and natural predators like birds and rodents control a certain amount of the population.

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/pest-control-tips/tent-caterpillars.html

Two Io (pronounced eye-oh) Moths have been eating their way up opposite sides of a stem. Once the terminal leaf has been devoured, they will need to branch out on their own to find food.

5 Io moth caterpillars!

Midsummer Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar.- a recently described species!

Ochre Dagger caterpillar: The silk bed can help the caterpillar cling to the leaf on windy days.

A moving piece of "fluff" caught my eye when I was looking at a caterpillar on a nearby leaf. I needed help identifying it, but now believe it is the larva of a Lacewing. These larva are voracious predators and will cover themselves with leftover debris from the food they eat. Based upon the colour and shape of the covering, this individual likely ate wooly aphids at its last meal!

https://bygl.osu.edu/node/1828

Video of a speedy little Lacewing Larva covered in wooly aphid bits.

4 Canada Geese preening on a log.

After lunch we walked a newly made trail. The trail was created by digging up an old road that was in disrepair. The land change helps to improve habitat needs and safety for turtles, snakes, butterflies, and countless other species!

 Compton’s Tortoiseshell! The first one I've seen in a few years! 

Slaty Skimmer

Tawny Emperor

A former parking area near the Burley Bridge has been turned into a "safer" habitat for turtle nesting. The fence helps to reduce the number of predators accessing turtle nests, if the nests are laid within the enclosure. Vehicular traffic is no longer permitted in this area.

New dock at Burley Bridge providing a wetland view.

 Wild, Wild, Wetlands!

Our day began with a drive to Peers Wetland, just north of Wallaceburg. I've always enjoyed this Conservation Area but hadn't visited in quite some time.

Upon exiting the car, we could hear the musical sound of Purple Martins, congregated around a large nesting box.

We took our time as we walked around the approximately 1 km trail loop. In the photo is one of several Green Herons found hiding in the reeds.

Hickory Tussock Moth caterpillars were abundant on the oak leaves. Hickory, Walnut, Pecan and American Hornbeam are preferred hosts but they can feed on most hardwood deciduous trees. These caterpillars will use their hairs for defense. The hairs are barbed, easily detach, and can become embedded in the skin, eyes, or mucous membranes of potential predators. When they spin their cocoons, the caterpillars incorporate the hairs into the silk so that the cocoons are also protected. 

https://extension.psu.edu/hickory-tussock-moth-caterpillar

 Leaf damage from Hickory Tussock Moth caterpillars.

Poison Ivy Leaf-miner Moth: Leaf miners get their name because they eat plant material between the upper and bottom layers of a leaf. Look at the bottom of the grey tube-like area on the leaf in both photos. A small, beige larva was actively moving. The shape of the body is in a different position in the 2 photos. 

We saw several Wood Duck families, one of which likely used this box at the beginning of the nesting season.

The Compass Plant gets its name from the tendency of its large, deeply lobed basal leaves to orient themselves in a north-south plane, with their faces pointing east and west to regulate sun exposure - Nature's Own Compass!

https://plantnative.org/native-plants/compass-plant-silphium-laciniatum.htm

Female Monarch Butterfly laying eggs on Common Milkweed.

Family of Mute Swans, taking a rest.

 Trail upgrades have greatly improved the walking experience!

An interpretive sign promotes the benefits of wetlands.

A drive to Reid C.A. provided looks at some different wetland species.

Notice the tiny red/orange mite, close to the head on the Summer Azure. Parasitic mites on butterflies are external parasites that may attach to the wings, neck, eyes, legs, or abdomen and can weaken already stressed insects. A lightly affected butterfly may still fly and feed, but heavier infestations can reduce activity, damage scales, interfere with movement, and lower survival.

https://spectrumcare.pet/insects/butterfly/conditions/parasitic-mite-infestation-on-butterflies

Dukes' Skipper - an endangered Species.

Giant Swallowtail, warming up in the sunshine.

Some rapid movement at the edge of the path caught my eye. Upon closer examination, I realized that a Garter Snake had just caught an American Toad.

This blurry photo shows how quickly the Garter Snake was thrashing around to keep the Toad from escaping. I was amazed at how high it could lift its body off the ground.

Going, going, gone! It didn't take long for the Toad to slide down a large length of the snake's body. The thickened lump on the snake is visible in the photo.

The tiny American Tree Frogs were slightly bigger than when we saw them 10 days earlier.

 Birds of Summer!

Although much of my time in the summer is spent looking for invertebrates, birds are found on a daily basis. Once green leaves open up on trees and bird parents are busy feeding their young, finding birds in the summer can become a challenge.

Earlier this month, a Caspian Tern was flying above the St. Clair River.

Cliff Swallows often swarm around bridges and overpasses in summer. Clusters of their intricate mud nests cling to vertical walls. When a Cliff Swallow is home, you can often see its bright forehead glowing from the entrance. If you look carefully at the dark nest entrance in the centre of the photo, the glowing forehead of a Cliff Swallow is peaking out of the chamber.

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

American Goldfinch nest later in the summer than most birds. The blooming cycle of thistles seems to be a factor because the fluffy seed heads are important nesting materials. The plant also produces seeds which are eaten by the adults, then regurgitated for the young to eat, back at the nest.

https://www.wild-bird-watching.com/American-Goldfinch.html

Canada Thistle seed fluff - perfect for Goldfinches!

A House Wren, belting out its song from the roof of a nesting box.

Although the Killdeer appears to be adult sized, the fuzzy/fluffy feathers indicate that it hatched this year.

Northern Cardinal

American Robin carrying something for the kids to eat, back at the nest!

Red-winged Blackbird females are carrying food to feed their hungry young.

A Sedge Wren surprisingly popped up for us to see during a walk at the Dow Wetlands. Sedge Wrens live in wet fields and shallow marshes and have a reputation for being shy birds. They spend much of their time out of sight as they hunt for insects and spiders near the ground.

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

Great Crested Flycatchers tend to hunt high in the tree canopy. When they swoop to catch flying insects, they sometimes crash into the foliage. They are the only Eastern flycatchers that nest in cavities and will sometimes make use of nest boxes.

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

Great Blue Heron, waiting patiently for food to approach; either dragonflies in the air, or aquatic critters in the water.