A Blue Frog and a Black Witch!!

A blue, Green Frog! We all learned in primary school that mixing blue and yellow makes green. A genetic mutation can disrupt the production of yellow pigments in the frog's skin. If the yellow pigment is missing or significantly reduced, the underlying blue pigments become visible, resulting in a blue frog! In some cases, a frog's diet can also influence its colour. Frogs obtain certain pigments from the foods they eat. If a frog lacks a crucial dietary component required for yellow pigment synthesis, the frog may become blue!

https://iere.org/why-would-a-green-frog-be-blue/#google_vignette

The Black Witch is a migratory moth, commonly found in the tropics of the Americas. They are primarily found in the southern U.S., Mexico, and Hawaii. In the summer season, they sometimes fly as far north as Canada! Adults do not feed. They live from a few days to a couple of weeks, using the energy stored during the larval stage for sustenance. The Black Witch Moth is culturally significant in different parts of the world. In many cultures it is associated with folklore surrounding death and bad omens. While in other cultures, it's seen as a symbol of good luck or fortune! I felt very lucky to have had the opportunity to see it!

https://www.whatsthatbug.com/black-witch-moth-all/

There are lots of colourful names in our local species:

Black Swallowtail on Purple Cone Flower

Orange Sulphur (deep yellow, depending upon the light)

Bi-coloured Striped Sweat Bee

Red Admiral: Red Admirals can be found in North and South America, Europe and Asia. The range of this butterfly is very broad because of their host plant. Larva will eat any of the 50 species from the nettle family, which grow in all of the listed regions. Red Admirals living in more northern latitudes will migrate to the southern states in the fall to avoid a loss of food resources in the winter. This migration is not as famous as the journey of the Monarch, but is a response of local populations seeking food sources through out the year. Climate change patterns are expected to impact insect species that follow plant populations in bloom.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/red-admiral-butterfly.shtml

Blue Dasher

Common Yellowthroat - female

Common Yellowthroat - male

Scarlet Tanager - High in a tree

Orange Mint Moth - The caterpillars feed on the leaves of mint plants.

Visible colours on both the Great Blue Heron and Red-winged Blackbird can help to identify each species. In the photo, the Blackbird was harassing the Heron because he felt the Heron was too close to his nest.

Silvery blue colour shines on a Silvery Blue Butterfly!