On a nice outing to Tommy Thompson Park in Toronto, Ontario, we finally succeeded in locating some of this year’s crop of Monarch Butterfly larvae, ten in fact. We were ecstatic. Read more
Tag: Insects
Monarch Butterflies Mating At Lower Reesor Pond
What a sad summer it was here in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 2014, because Monarch Butterflies were conspicuous by their absence. Bob and I had been monitoring sightings posted by nature lovers on Facebook, and websites such as The Insects and Arachnids of Ontario, and Butterflies and Moths of North America. We were not the only people discouraged by the poor showing of these beautiful insects so far that year. Read more
Red Lily Beetles Plague My Tiger Lilies
For the past several years, starting each spring and into the summer months, I have been pestered by Red Lily Beetles on my Tiger Lilies . These beetles stand out quite well on green plants, but they are a trick to catch and squash. I declare I think they see me coming because, often, as I move in on their position, they drop to the earth below and essentially disappear in the shadows.
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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
Green Darner Dragonflies At Rosetta McClain Gardens
When Bob and I dropped into Rosetta McClain Gardens in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, for a brief walkabout, the last thing we expected to see were hundreds of Green Darner Dragonflies darting in and around the expansive flower beds. When one such dragonfly lit on a flower head, we had the opportunity for a very close look at its anatomy. Green Darner Dragonflies can be positively identified by the black bulls-eye in front of their large brown eyes. Read more
Tomato Hornworm Moths At Grand Canyon National Park
After a full day of activity at Grand Canyon National Park, we were returning late to our room at Maswik Lodge when a flicker of movement drew my eye towards the stunning night-blooming Moonflowers. We were not the only ones attracted by the glowing white flowers. Numerous Tomato Hornworm Moths, also known as Five-spotted Hawkmoths, were circling for a landing. Read more