Pinery and North Lambton

It was another good day to find Northern Walkingsticks! Prior to this summer, it had been several years since I last saw a Walkingstick, but they seem to be doing well at the Pinery. This pair was the first of several pairs that we found mating!

Definite Tussock Moth - attracted overnight to the building lights.

Lyric Cicada - also attracted to building lights, thus easy to find in the morning.

Orange-humped Mapleworm (probable)

Drexel's Datana Moth caterpillars: Larvae of this genus are gregarious feeders, working in groups to consume leaves of host plants. They are late-season defoliators of hardwood trees. Despite conspicuous damage, they typically cause minimal long-term impact to tree health. Natural enemies such as birds help to control their populations.

https://bugswithmike.com/guide/arthropoda/hexapoda/insecta/lepidoptera/noctuoidea/notodontidae/phalerinae/datana/drexelii

This Pied-billed Grebe swam along the river cut, past the boardwalk of the Riverside Trail. It regularly sunk and surfaced as it hunted for food below the water. They tend to "deflate and sink" rather than dive head first like most diving birds.

Shadow Darner's were performing aerial maneuvers over the water and were very difficult to photograph. This one must have worn itself out and luckily rested in our view!

Closed Bottle Gentian: Growing 1 to 2 feet tall in moist areas, Bottle Gentian blooms from August through October. The closed flower structure creates a fascinating pollination puzzle - only the strongest bumble bees can force their way inside to reach the nectar!

https://plantnative.org/native-plants/bottle-gentian-gentiana-andrewsii-2.htm

Skiff Moth caterpillar: Although I have seen adult Skiff Moths numerous times, this was my first time finding the larva! Skiff Moth larva don't seem to have any venomous defenses. Some experts believe they may rely on their non-caterpillar appearance for evading predation or disturbance.

https://norfolknaturalist.ca/2025/08/23/moth-miscellany-part-3-limacodidae/

Candy Apple Waxy cap - Species name has not yet been confirmed, but it has a very cool name!

Tiny, pin-like mushrooms in the Pinwheels and Parachute family of mushrooms.

Viceroy - overlooking the water

Northern Walkingsticks mating at Ausable River Cut Conservation Area.

Virginia Sphinx Moth - eating the Virginia Creeper vine growing on a tree. The leaves on the vine were almost completely eaten but other vines were nearby.

I found a Monarch near Port Franks that was tagged so its journey to Mexico could be tracked. I submitted the on-line form to Monarch Watch providing the details of the find. Since 1992, a new series of unique codes is generated for each tagging season and printed using permanent inks on all-weather tags with a pressure-sensitive adhesive backing. When applied as directed, the tags do not interfere with flight or otherwise harm the butterflies. If you photograph a Monarch with a tag, upload the information to https://www.monarchwatch.org. In a new project this year, over 100 Monarchs were fitted with tiny Blue Tooth receivers! iPhones or androids with the app, can help to track the movement of monarchs for scientists who are studying them!