A Ball Of Cross Orbweaver Spider Babies

Hundreds of baby orbweaver spiders in Ontario, Canada.

A neat “find” in our backyard recently was a ball of spider babies, hundreds of Cross Orbweaver spiderlings. Read more

Magical Hummingbird Clearwing Moth

Sometimes the pace of life can be just so daunting that it is near impossible to simply slow up and smell the flowers. Well, one spring, as we prepared to smell the Lilac blossoms, this magical Hummingbird Clearwing Moth appeared out of nowhere and stole the show. Read more

Baltimore Checkerspot Butterflies in Ontario, Canada

baltimore checkerspot butterfly, rouge national urban park, markham, ontario

We were really struck by the beauty of the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterflies that we observed in Toronto. This is a species that we had never seen before. Read more

Butterflies At Ecocentro Danaus – Costa Rica

jean at ecocentro danaus, costa rica

Day 2 in Costa Rica had us first completing a very early morning guided bird hike.  After breakfast back at Hotel Kokoro, Bob and I headed to Ecocentro Danaus on the edge of La Fortuna.  It is a private reserve with a butterfly conservatory where Bob and I hoped to see some of Costa Rica’s tiny winged jewels. Read more

Butterflies And Moths We Sighted In Tuscany

Stone cottage at Il Colombaio di Cencio, Tuscany

The morning following our arrival in Tuscany at first looked like it would be dreary and wet.  A light sprinkle of rain dampened the patio stones as we ate breakfast, but by the time we finished our fruit and cereal, warm September sunshine cast shadows of the tall trees surrounding our farmhouse, so we set off to explore the vineyard.  Butterflies and moths were everywhere in our dooryard, on the wildflowers and clinging to bushes and vines. Read more

Snowberry Clearwing Moth enjoys Fragrant Phlox

snowberry-clearwing-moth-oxtongue-lake-ontario-10

Our sighting of this stunning Snowberry Clearwing moth in Ontario, Canada had us making a mad dash to the house to grab our cameras to photograph this stunning insect as it flitted from flower to flower. Read more

Dog-day Cicadas Mating In The Heat Of Summer

mating cicadas in toronto, ontario

On a sultry summer day here in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, I went out to the garden to tend to some chores.  Imagine my surprise, as I bent to the task of deadheading my Gaillardia, when something clipped the side of my head.  Seconds later, I noticed a pair of Dog-Day Cicadas mating where they lay on the pavement of the street. Read more

Green Metallic Bees In My Toronto Flower Garden

One gloriously sunny summer morning, I was taking my time in the garden with teacup in hand. That was soon replaced by my camera when I spotted some interesting insects on the false sunflowers. One such bug that I had never noticed before were these Virescent Green Metallic Bees (Agapostemon virescens) of the Halictid Family. Read more