Cecropia Moth Caterpillar in Rouge National Urban Park

cecropia moth caterpillar, rouge national urban park, markham, ontario

On a late July afternoon, on his way to a local farmer’s market, Bob made a brief stop at North Reesor Pond in    Rouge National Urban Park  .     His intention was to look for shorebirds, but with none presenting, he began to scour the reeds and bushes for insects.  That is when he happened upon this most unusual caterpillar, a Cecropia Moth Larva. Read more

Cecropia Moths mating in Rouge National Urban Park

Cecropia Moths mating in Rouge National Urban Park, Markham

With the covid-19 virus still spreading and pandemic restrictions curtailing our activities, Bob and I found ourselves taking frequent walks in nature but staying close to home.  On one such outing, we came upon a pair of Cecropia Moths mating in    Rouge National Urban Park. Read more

Modest Sphinx Moth Caterpillar at Oxtongue Lake

Modest Sphinx Moth Caterpillar on the ground at Oxtongue Lake, Ontario, Canada

How would you like to come face to face with this fierce-looking caterpillar if you were about knee high to a grasshopper?  It was about 4 inches long (10 cm), around 1/2 inch in diameter (1 cm), and surprisingly quick at navigating through the tangle of grass.  This is the larva of a Modest Sphinx Moth (Pachysphinx modesta) that we saw in the community of Oxtongue Lake, Ontario, near the end of August. Read more