Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Black and White Beauty
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
Blue Dasher
Whilst enjoying our dock after a swim, we noticed two beautiful dragonflies mating, which we see often near the water. The male had turquoise eyes, and a pale blue body; the female was a drab grey. There is a short dark edge to the front of each set of wings. These are skimmers called Blue Dashers (Pachydiplax longipennis)
Once the copulation was over, the female went directly to our enclosed water garden within our dock area, and began dipping her abdomen down towards the water, laying her eggs, one at a time. While she was doing this, her mate hovered in the vicinity, guarding their investment. He chased off another male when it came near.
I don't know how the female knew when there were no more eggs to lay, but she promptly flew off and we didn't see her again. The territorial male seemed to linger a bit longer.
This is a male Blue Dasher using my toe as a perch.
Monday, July 29, 2024
Sunday, July 28, 2024
Trails
What do you think has made this distinct trail through our yard?
Our resident Red squirrel! She runs the same route back and forth to get seeds from us. It must be an eye-catching clue for any predator - just sit and wait ...
Saturday, July 27, 2024
Small Bur-reed
I was very excited to have found yet another Bur-reed this season, which I think is the Small, or Arctic, Bur-reed, Sparganium natans, found in slow-moving, peaty waters.
Friday, July 26, 2024
Short Lived Beauty
A few nights ago, we noticed a large moth at dusk, but it was flying high and not landing for us to see it well enough. Today this beautiful moth was found lying on the ground, similar in size to what we think we saw. It's a native Polyphemous moth, Antheraea polyphemus, which only lives about a week, enough time to mate. It doesn't need to eat during this short lived life stage.
Isn't it a beauty!
Thursday, July 25, 2024
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Island Escape
I set off in my kayak to pick blueberries on an island I know is full of opportunities to do so, and was gone for almost 5 hours! This time, in trying not to be too late like last year, I was way too early for wild blueberries. I must have come home with 3/4 cup worth only. I must say though, that there was so much to see and enjoy, that I didn't mind coming home almost empty-handed.
I beached on the narrow stretch of dry land between lily ponds.
and proceeded to look for dusty-blue berries, but most were still green. I watched a heron watch me though, and I reveled in the Loon and Bald Eagle cries that punched through the persistent red-winged blackbird trills. A Barred Owl called as well - what a day!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrqnY4T_80AGzdjlVwfvDdaZJ8gE5ZU_5uSScWnlipaH6rvCdVcvGvl02sTPG1p8vm5tMfb1nNnsKZ2yPJ5r-oNnFHMEuhA3WP7o6kWIY3K3yqroDsFIrzVCQTZEAv318ThGQ-Xtfa-TKgemt_Kg2F8zpRGnhZ0_xp-iV7q6t62cAdZRGLR09v7r2J7E/w640-h480/PXL_20240719_194302784.MP_exported_1099.jpg)
I was pleased to come across this dainty little American Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) in flower - I find the leaf vein patterns quite beautiful.
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Pretty Critter
This little caterpillar caught my eye in the lawn - it's the larval form of a moth species I photographed in June 2023, the pink-striped oakworm moth, Anisota virginiensis, another welcome native.
Monday, July 22, 2024
Blueberry Eyes
I noticed this very different looking dragonfly on the steps as I was carrying my groceries from the car. I dropped everything to get my phone out before it flew off.
It's a damselfly that is native to eastern North America, a Slender Spreadwing, Lestes rectangularis. Its wings are distinctively short, which makes it stand out from the rest.
Sunday, July 21, 2024
Saturday, July 20, 2024
Pollinators Abound
Friday, July 19, 2024
Bee Balm Beauty
Thursday, July 18, 2024
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Helpful Bur-reeds
Bur-reeds act as important filters at the interface between land and water. Like other wetland plants, they absorb nitrogen, phosphorus and other particulate pollutants in runoff and sediments before they're washed into the water body. Wetland plants have adapted to survive in these areas of low soil oxygen.
The infertile parts of the plant are usually submersed and resemble a grass, but the reproductive structures stand up out of the water in a bold display.
Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Joe Pye
Joe Pye Weed stands regal and tall in the afternoon sun after a heavy rainstorm.
Monday, July 15, 2024
Sunday, July 14, 2024
A Bladder Snail
I found this small dark snail on a piece of rope in our lake, and it was a new species to me. It appears to be a bladder snail, an air breathing snail that lives in freshwater, common throughout the Americas. They have a small chamber between their shells and their body, in which air becomes trapped and oxygen is assimilated. They must therefore climb plants or float to the surface for air on a regular basis.
Saturday, July 13, 2024
Never Stop Exploring ...
Oh wow! I was looking closely at the seeds on an aquatic plant in my water tray, using a magnifying loupe, when this amazing and unknown miniscule little blob floated by. When I saw its structure under magnification, it of course sparked a major inquiry and investigation into what it could be ... and it got me really enthused!
The most plausible explanation and photos I could find, was that it's likely a Bryozoan statoblast, an asexual mass of cells that is shed from the parent colony. It can remain dormant for quite some time, but is able to develop into a zooid and start a new colony when conditions become favorable. This clonal technique is unique to freshwater bryozoans.
Here is a close up of the hard core, and the little spines around its edges
Friday, July 12, 2024
Dragonfly
Thursday, July 11, 2024
Heat Stress
Some of my plants are looking quite heat stressed this summer, so I decided to photograph some of the different manifestations of it, when this cute little critter inserted itself into my shot, quite by accident. I was aiming at the black-edged Wild ginger leaf.
This poor Sensitive fern is taking some strain in the burning heat we've had this summer - but it's made a pretty pattern of it!
Burnt to a crisp! Poor Coneflower