tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462599291352782722024-02-06T19:32:40.312-08:00Tangled Web<p align="left">Perhaps this quote from the Swiss naturalist Louis Agassiz summarizes the following pages and images best:<br><br>"I spent the summer traveling; I got halfway across my back yard."</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comBlogger286125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-44595807924366152932015-04-02T15:26:00.000-07:002015-04-02T15:53:18.700-07:00The First Spiders of the Year<p align = "left">A bit of snow and ice doesn't seem to discourage this young female Dolomedes striatus from getting off to an early start on the season. About 10 mm in length, if she survives long enough she will double her size, attaining a length of 20 mm or a bit more. The clearly defined bands on the abdomen and distinctly striped femora distinguish this Fishing Spider from its relatives.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8DOz_gHpna-4_fSOt2fjOM-QjqBU4PgXu430zS6UC95MimDUYSU02roB3ThPQwq2czRpSWyRu21qbh72DSgkntHjj3_ovXjhWy-RiBB5JmGfPQkeY0hUiL4TNQ2IdhIzie7zTRn0rXqz/s1600/dolomedes_striatus_female_lateral_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8DOz_gHpna-4_fSOt2fjOM-QjqBU4PgXu430zS6UC95MimDUYSU02roB3ThPQwq2czRpSWyRu21qbh72DSgkntHjj3_ovXjhWy-RiBB5JmGfPQkeY0hUiL4TNQ2IdhIzie7zTRn0rXqz/s400/dolomedes_striatus_female_lateral_03.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9oKUIpKPg46sJ41HEb4IgIZlEKRyiUAnhoD4coz3MltsQ_6f2sZb7tCRZRUGcmKFSsLuHteWDda81ZBJ3mADGLluTVPVA4nvGuiJLJw-ESv8Mht-Vf4EYX0buJqGRoDRyeWeY9acIXaH/s1600/dolomedes_striatus_female_dorsal_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9oKUIpKPg46sJ41HEb4IgIZlEKRyiUAnhoD4coz3MltsQ_6f2sZb7tCRZRUGcmKFSsLuHteWDda81ZBJ3mADGLluTVPVA4nvGuiJLJw-ESv8Mht-Vf4EYX0buJqGRoDRyeWeY9acIXaH/s400/dolomedes_striatus_female_dorsal_03.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/>
<div align = "left">A female Shore Spider (Pardosa milvina) was also active nearby, hunting for any insects bold or hardy enough to venture forth. The spiders were encountered along the shoreline of a marsh, the ambient temperature was a seasonable 15°C.</div>
<br/>
<div align = "left">They haven't topped the record this tiny <a href = "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-6PREfUJOSUmkHyX4x_rQbX3fw9SOasnM3FzXcaAOIRLSkwyIhb4O0bzn3OYwvdndwBzwH0XmjfyBmEsrzSzXqOeaMXBIzlb_uneq5n6GS4nSGIePFr9yWjKVSX9J7Ym3ozcyDcP8tUI/s1600/tetragnatha_spiderling_09.jpg">Long-jawed Orbweaver</a> (Tetragnatha sp) moving around on the snow on January 13th, with the thermometer hovering around 5°C.</div>
<br/>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-40383779931989447232014-11-18T10:31:00.001-08:002014-11-18T13:16:25.065-08:00The Last Dragonflies of the Year<p align = "left">November has arrived and as expected there have already been a few days with a bit of wet snow and the temperature dropping below freezing at night, but Mother Nature was in a good mood on the 11th and the weather was sunny with the temperature hitting the 16°C mark. Warm enough that eleven male and twelve female Autumn Meadowhawks (Sympetrum vicinum) – including one tandem pair – were flying at a marsh about ½ kilometer west of Tweed (44.46889°, -77.31528°).</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9eLZZyODGMBnNsbUeTm72zXqkybJ-NISmb67Tg7WE9GPWp_oz20MaUvCKYobQ5WFBOm6F9OUWxrWsBsXWbVU4F_TaUQcWv9Jt9nRxp8Jv0lSQbnQwpUYIECC9u0n0ho_Hq-62PfaOCiUo/s1600/sympetrum_vicinum_female_captured_nov_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9eLZZyODGMBnNsbUeTm72zXqkybJ-NISmb67Tg7WE9GPWp_oz20MaUvCKYobQ5WFBOm6F9OUWxrWsBsXWbVU4F_TaUQcWv9Jt9nRxp8Jv0lSQbnQwpUYIECC9u0n0ho_Hq-62PfaOCiUo/s400/sympetrum_vicinum_female_captured_nov_11.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_GiyX1MxToSCmJ4ZZ8iNul_-L9G55aJinvkM5AAcIJrFK97O__fTugTnUabRB50RPVXjL8OTUI7vIK7I8_Yb1idoJ5zH6oU34hSM4RDcmG1CnC3kfLh2DFFXhsR2fExApu7Xqq7mSGuly/s1600/sympetrum_vicinum_female_nov_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_GiyX1MxToSCmJ4ZZ8iNul_-L9G55aJinvkM5AAcIJrFK97O__fTugTnUabRB50RPVXjL8OTUI7vIK7I8_Yb1idoJ5zH6oU34hSM4RDcmG1CnC3kfLh2DFFXhsR2fExApu7Xqq7mSGuly/s400/sympetrum_vicinum_female_nov_11.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qRkzW1SO7pet7_bCfaDQqnmtjzP0l0nKJzuVzRH9sSmmKTLuhyphenhyphen5MkWmKZiS069ae7MU46YLQUgDjCFRLO6bHIcnFds2gNJqpIe_Vd3rq40E9O7jQ12SfNUPu22m9quADXIscy1Ij03Wv/s1600/sympetrum_vicinum_male_nov_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qRkzW1SO7pet7_bCfaDQqnmtjzP0l0nKJzuVzRH9sSmmKTLuhyphenhyphen5MkWmKZiS069ae7MU46YLQUgDjCFRLO6bHIcnFds2gNJqpIe_Vd3rq40E9O7jQ12SfNUPu22m9quADXIscy1Ij03Wv/s400/sympetrum_vicinum_male_nov_11.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The latest local dragonfly I have encountered was a male Autumn Meadowhawk (what else?) on November 18th, 2009, but we experienced an exceptionally warm autumn that year. This year the weather is conforming to seasonal norms and the long range forecast calls for much cooler weather, so these will probably be the last dragonflies of 2014. (The last fliers, there are still lots of <a href = "http://joebartok.blogspot.ca/2014/01/close-encounters-with-dragonflies-in.html">naiads under the ice</a> for those who care to go and search for them rather than waiting until next summer.)</div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">No other odonates made it into November but a few came fairly close, here are <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2014/10/october-odes.html">the runners-up for 2014</a>:
<br/ >
<br/ ><b>Spotted Spreadwing</b> (Lestes congener)
<br/ >– three males, one female, October 27th, 2014
<br/ ><b>Lance-tipped Darner</b> (Aeshna constricta)
<br/ >– an old male, October 25th, 2014
<br/ ><b>Common Green Darner</b> (Anax junius)
<br/ >– one female, October 23th, 2014</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-69614303008659632732014-11-07T10:03:00.000-08:002014-11-07T10:05:14.435-08:00A Picturesque Patch of Mysterious Moss<p align = "left">It's been about a year since I stumbled across a large patch of distinctive and striking moss growing along the bank of a woodland stream located near the intersection of the Sulphide Road and the trans-Canada Trail (44.494167°, -77.285556°).<br/ ><br/ >Last autumn I was unable to identify the baffling Bryophyte, but today I decided to give it another shot and came up with a name for the mystery moss ...</p>
<div align = "center">Common Smoothcap Moss (Atrichum undulatum)</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpnn8fyxgn5JFWYjDa4b8T4LLavkJPSO1yDGsQhy4ptkc3PziNCOSBSZPVETLl9AQKG2J5FelBEhKKEVETLOiviRfVUkEZPtMzUOKehkvHxqGo4XD8uBNGnphHTQsv4K2DDM9l852Hwfn/s1600/moss_unidentified_group_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpnn8fyxgn5JFWYjDa4b8T4LLavkJPSO1yDGsQhy4ptkc3PziNCOSBSZPVETLl9AQKG2J5FelBEhKKEVETLOiviRfVUkEZPtMzUOKehkvHxqGo4XD8uBNGnphHTQsv4K2DDM9l852Hwfn/s400/moss_unidentified_group_01.jpg" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBpAcsA5KyNuwb3qi5_Z4mdDpRGMIkikY9UQc8ekj7uBWJTfgKP_QXFCrKZA9PrIppuOXFTXe9UpOP7uwT9mtSWit06iXPZ8hfkLPpCKf72m6PWdiyplQLcODXOjiW8_M3KKxsO45Poqu/s1600/moss_unidentified_sporophyte_capsule.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBpAcsA5KyNuwb3qi5_Z4mdDpRGMIkikY9UQc8ekj7uBWJTfgKP_QXFCrKZA9PrIppuOXFTXe9UpOP7uwT9mtSWit06iXPZ8hfkLPpCKf72m6PWdiyplQLcODXOjiW8_M3KKxsO45Poqu/s400/moss_unidentified_sporophyte_capsule.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">This sand-bottomed stream appears to be something of a unique habitat. To date, it's the only place I've encountered Common Smoothcap Moss and Christmas Fern, and it's one of three local sites where Arrowhead Spiketails are known to breed.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-69085463184396750162014-11-01T07:50:00.000-07:002014-11-21T08:58:21.298-08:00A Checklist of the Odonata of south-central Hastings County<p align = "left">An unofficial checklist, the picture will be rounded out when the NHIC's new Ontario Odonata Atlas goes online. The warmer months of 2014 have seen seven additions to last year's list of the <a href = "http://joebartok.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-dragonflies-and-damselflies-of.html">Dragonflies and Damselflies of south-central Hastings County</a>, bringing the total count for this area of Ontario up to 86 species. In chronological order ...</p>
<div align = "left">(1) <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2014/05/northern-bluet.html">Northern Bluet</a> (Enallagma annexum), male
<br/ >May 27, 2014
<br/ >Trans-Canada Trail, east of Tweed
<br/ >44.48083°, -77.29861°
<br/ >Abundant, plenty of other males and females were sighted and it appears that this odonate has a bimodal flight season, flying in spring and again in late summer
<br/ ><br/ >
(2) <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2014/06/stygian-shadowdragon-neurocordulia.html">Stygian Shadowdragon</a> (Neurocordulia yamaskanensis), male
<br/ >May 31, 2014
<br/ >East of Tweed – Moira River, the Point
<br/ >44.47694°, -77.30194°
<br/ >A total of two adults and some exuviae were encountered
<br/ ><br/ >
(3) <a href = "https://03028839273750318254.googlegroups.com/attach/8df73dd094a6d3b2/11_ophiogomphus_rupinsulensis_male_by_Jason_King.jpg?part=0.11&view=1&vt=ANaJVrEHfOlpGRliRubn-NmjYq-ixPYh5yIsFhcJnkL4toLr2Uv9PG2xlooJLcWCzIk8_uJrwLWVoWgaosIr782GnCQpXJgJ--xBtz_t_JcwDIpVJwAM6aY">Rusty Snaketail</a> (Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis), male
<br/ >Observed and photographed by J. King
<br/ >June 15, 2014
<br/ >Lost Channel Road bridge over Moira River, near Paradise Lane
<br/ >44.38019°, -77.31537°
<br/ ><br/ >
(4) <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2014/07/delta-spotted-spiketail-cordulegaster.html">Delta-spotted Spiketail</a> (Cordulegaster diastatops), female
<br/ >June 26, 2014
<br/ >Victoria Street in downtown Tweed
<br/ >44.47472°, -77.31028°
<br/ >Sad to say, this individual was roadkill
<br/ ><br/ >
(5) <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2014/08/eastern-least-clubtail-stylogomphus.html">Eastern Least Clubtail</a> (Stylogomphus albistylus), female
<br/ >July 31, 2014
<br/ >Tweed – Moira River shoreline, between the bridges at Bridge St. (the dam) and Louisa St.
<br/ >44.479167°, -77.310762°
<br/ >A male was photograhed a week later at the Vanderwater Conservation Area
<br/ ><br/ >
(6) <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2014/08/a-forcipate-emerald-at-stoco-fen.html">Forcipate Emerald</a> (Somatochlora forcipata), male
<br/ >August 11, 2014
<br/ >East Hungerford Road – the Stoco Fen
<br/ >44.467126°, -77.235450°
<br/ ><br/ >
(7) <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2014/09/lake-darner-aeshna-eremita.html">Lake Darner</a> (Aeshna eremita), male
<br/ >September 15, 2014
<br/ >A marsh west of Tweed
<br/ >44.46889°, -77.31528°
<br/ >Another male and a female were encountered east of Tweed a few days later</div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">A friend photographed a Painted Skimmer (Libellula semifasciata) and an uncommon color form of a Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata praenubila), both encounters occurred in early June west of Eldorado.</div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">Painted Skimmer (Libellula semifasciata), male<br/ >Photo by T. Mapes</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85ED0fIcCDUXrQ_yrm06CZsrVL-c8GmmTHcImokTszIbYVFHcHxcx4lBWCWdgvysnVfcIZwlwKB6hWkYj0wYD-pCJD-ZnNXuJxsTaAVzGq3OyuujaYC8fvYQFzORX_KCVQVnWb_QG8WYP/s1600/libellula_semifasciata_by_t_mapes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85ED0fIcCDUXrQ_yrm06CZsrVL-c8GmmTHcImokTszIbYVFHcHxcx4lBWCWdgvysnVfcIZwlwKB6hWkYj0wYD-pCJD-ZnNXuJxsTaAVzGq3OyuujaYC8fvYQFzORX_KCVQVnWb_QG8WYP/s400/libellula_semifasciata_by_t_mapes.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata praenubila), male<br/ >Photo by T. Mapes</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdn11AxUBSZ87EbLQ-6Po4bu0KQa-g-Co287I1R3XmZMN7Hv-vxTi8bDGA6Dan2P7lvI5MMuZV4nU2UJqeIbAdln8S2bwMyRJmcNKdQ6xEUF4wh2B_3Gpz_TKqCJEVskOznjVv4TqP9mlc/s1600/libellula_quadrimaculata_praenubila_by_t_mapes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdn11AxUBSZ87EbLQ-6Po4bu0KQa-g-Co287I1R3XmZMN7Hv-vxTi8bDGA6Dan2P7lvI5MMuZV4nU2UJqeIbAdln8S2bwMyRJmcNKdQ6xEUF4wh2B_3Gpz_TKqCJEVskOznjVv4TqP9mlc/s400/libellula_quadrimaculata_praenubila_by_t_mapes.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">A couple of dragonflies that haven't been around since 2009 returned for an encore. In early September three <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2014/09/easily-identified-aeshna.html">Mottled Darners</a> (Aeshna clepsydra) were observed patrolling along the north shore of Stoco Lake. Two <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2014/09/saffron-winged-meadowhawk-sympetrum.html">Saffron-winged Meadowhawks</a> (Sympetrum costiferum) were encountered at Dry Lake near Marlbank in late August, a month later another a female <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2014/09/a-female-saffron-winged-meadowhawk.html">S. costiferum</a> was seen foraging in a patch of wildflowers near the intersection of the trans-Canada Trail and Lakeview Lane.</div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Although generally considered to be uncommon the <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2014/06/east-of-tweed-along-trans-canada-trail.html">Arrowhead Spiketail</a> (Cordulegaster obliqua) can be found in this part of the county on a regular basis. During the month of June one female and two males were spotted at the <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2013/08/cordulegaster-naiad.html">sand-bottomed woodland stream</a> where Spiketail naiads (and lots of them!) were discovered last year. And although no adults were observed three large Cordulegaster naiads were also found in <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2014/05/another-stream-full-of-spiketails.html">a stream a couple of kilometers further east</a>.</div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2014/07/the-slender-bluets-of-stoco-lake.html">Slender Bluets</a> (Enallagma traviatum westfalli) of Stoco Lake have certainly been fruitful and multiplying, with over fifty encountered between June 26th and September 10th. These damselflies were likely flying earlier in the season as the first one sighted appeared to be at least one week old.</div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">On the negative side a couple of expected (albeit uncommon) "regulars" – the <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2011/06/swift-river-cruiser-macromia.html">Swift River Cruiser</a> (Macromia illinoiensis illinoiensis) and the <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2011/08/azure-bluet-enallagma-aspersum.html">Azure Bluet</a> (Enallagma aspersum) – were a no-show. Maybe next year ...</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-26807234772758204742014-10-30T14:15:00.000-07:002014-10-30T14:15:56.371-07:00An Autumnal Atteva aurea<p align = "left">Often mistaken for a beetle, an Ailanthus Webworm Moth nectaring at a Bull Thistle provides a little splash of color among the surrounding dried grasses and wildflowers gone to seed. The boldly contrasting patterning and colors are thought to be aposematic, a warning that the moth is distasteful or toxic.</p>
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<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPU7K6HAt4ckJtPIUZ0iTZPOl-qn7VPvHazkBR8sIS7bWgzG-v-ihcHLCDGrVJPd8ESgDjW9GNGl4GYXkh9b8ijkxOHp6hLnWLgxdCv3ghIi8X71zKAvJcnALNgoa06CR6fVxj9Xgns8Q2/s1600/atteva_aurea_dorsal1_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPU7K6HAt4ckJtPIUZ0iTZPOl-qn7VPvHazkBR8sIS7bWgzG-v-ihcHLCDGrVJPd8ESgDjW9GNGl4GYXkh9b8ijkxOHp6hLnWLgxdCv3ghIi8X71zKAvJcnALNgoa06CR6fVxj9Xgns8Q2/s400/atteva_aurea_dorsal1_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The <a href = "http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Atteva-aurea">Ailanthus Webworm Moth</a> has a wingspan of from 20 mm to 30 mm, and as its name implies the larvae feed on the leaves of Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima).</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-79265034552357859372014-10-28T12:49:00.001-07:002014-10-28T13:06:46.615-07:00A Belated Butterfly<p align = "left"><a href = "https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/onbutterflies/95klrQWUJdA">Three Monarchs were reported in Toronto on October 27th</a> so this male is not exceptionally behind schedule on the long journey to its wintering grounds in Mexico. But October 28th is definitely the latest I have seen one in my area (south-central Hastings County, Ontario).<br/ ><br/ >The butterfly was generally southbound but flying into the prevailing breeze, stopping frequently to fuel up at some late blooming Bull Thistles. As a rule I wouldn't bother with capturing such an easily identifiable insect but I thought it might be worth checking if it was tagged (no, it was not).</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhil9rB7BmFR_2LR74aenAdGAapyBJ6EI5FD2OunOnp20ZSE7iuBRogYzHHOIe8I58E5VV3k16PHJWTh37GmwwH7h91bERyDUMgLyoV6VblnMjud5lmXYBv8JChYV6iP3ywucZI-wivaTtG/s1600/monarch_male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhil9rB7BmFR_2LR74aenAdGAapyBJ6EI5FD2OunOnp20ZSE7iuBRogYzHHOIe8I58E5VV3k16PHJWTh37GmwwH7h91bERyDUMgLyoV6VblnMjud5lmXYBv8JChYV6iP3ywucZI-wivaTtG/s400/monarch_male.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Although it rained this morning the sun peeked out for a couple of hours and the temperature hovered near 20°C. It felt a lot warmer due to the humidity and a few Cabbage Whites and Clouded Sulphurs were also out and about, mostly nectaring at Dandelions or "puddling" at moist soil. Within the past week a Painted Lady, a Mourning Cloak and a some Eastern Commas have also been sighted.</div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">One thing that certainly is exceptional, considering the time of year, is the awesome weather! After all, we could be looking at snow flying rather than butterflies ...</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-62605762543365877452014-10-16T14:41:00.001-07:002014-10-31T07:57:03.739-07:00October Odes<p align = "left">It's mid-October and the end of odonate season is drawing nigh. As a rule the only species apt to be flying this late are Autumn Meadowhawks, with the odd White-faced Meadowhawk and Spotted Spreadwing for variety. There haven't been any hard frosts as yet and October 14th proved to be sunny with unseasonably warm temperatures near 25°C; a visit to a local field and marsh produced a few surprises.<br/ ><br/ >West of Tweed (44.46667°, -77.31972°) is a dry field which supports short grasses, Staghorn Sumac, Sweetfern, Rubus spp and Hawkweeds, with a scattering of Eastern Red Cedars that are home to a small colony of <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2014/05/the-return-of-juniper-hairstreaks.html">Juniper Hairstreaks</a>. At approporiate times of the year it's a good place to find odonates that like to forage far from water such as Four-spotted Skimmers, Halloween Pennants and Mosaic Darners (Aeshna spp). Of course the ubiquitous Autumn Meadowhawks (Sympetrum vicinum) are still present at this habitat, this is a male ...</p>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26_wI48lSQkkzsKoPyNcZ-C-L8i16vb6GmWU_p021Y2Tj9w7iVOIaYCXRbvx4QFelPA_cKahM8PFBPB5QKoI8FcKGywMMSmPPMfbt4sDNNOvXviMkqJfdwWKiWqjTdI5VQrdvSPpD9wN8/s1600/sympetrum_vicinum_male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26_wI48lSQkkzsKoPyNcZ-C-L8i16vb6GmWU_p021Y2Tj9w7iVOIaYCXRbvx4QFelPA_cKahM8PFBPB5QKoI8FcKGywMMSmPPMfbt4sDNNOvXviMkqJfdwWKiWqjTdI5VQrdvSPpD9wN8/s400/sympetrum_vicinum_male.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">... and a female with its distinctive triangular ovipositor.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73YvyONiBrKN47_IRXBWRAuW12IP__gbQ1zpd7UaEB6-c8locWfcpsEFBFTgSu7JkLKn_mJ46PRku7FVsf30KtAr8HKJJYSfYMeR3mLJD6ln6ONAOpEAKJm1uWRGHclzHXbZmWQfw20b4/s1600/sympetrum_vicinum_female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73YvyONiBrKN47_IRXBWRAuW12IP__gbQ1zpd7UaEB6-c8locWfcpsEFBFTgSu7JkLKn_mJ46PRku7FVsf30KtAr8HKJJYSfYMeR3mLJD6ln6ONAOpEAKJm1uWRGHclzHXbZmWQfw20b4/s400/sympetrum_vicinum_female.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The three female Common Green Darners (Anax junius), however, were unexpected as most of their kind packed up and departed for more temperate climes two or three weeks ago. Shortly after the photo of the female in flight was taken the dragonfly angled sharply upward in pursuit of an Asian Lady Beetle, but on the verge of grasping it veered off and let it be. Ladybirds secrete a defensive chemical, an alkaloid called coccinellin, and the dragonfly seemed to recognize the beetle was potentially distasteful or toxic.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGhyphenhyphenDQfhK2T3_HVu-UoT1YJj8aiowkkWXYirUwo9pLy8o9SRbhyphenhyphenfS6iTMR6V4-w6ozAo8VspZWE590HWvexu8qdUk6hBwjzFbGQ_2Ia0LHvyTwzn44LVKVl1QTKgwZOwT1clniFo-bGha/s1600/anax_junius_female_flying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGhyphenhyphenDQfhK2T3_HVu-UoT1YJj8aiowkkWXYirUwo9pLy8o9SRbhyphenhyphenfS6iTMR6V4-w6ozAo8VspZWE590HWvexu8qdUk6hBwjzFbGQ_2Ia0LHvyTwzn44LVKVl1QTKgwZOwT1clniFo-bGha/s400/anax_junius_female_flying.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtExIqJnHwjs5TgR7ba2MCSCYP3z4cTv9_eobg0-PPD3ddfIayN3W01AFv5XbfMp0Jwpy1IITWjswRm59l9IOR5QBMr7T8UznMLyvb6naqkwNBFnLx137cMxas8Myqn0Hf3q6uqB_Z0v9/s1600/anax_junius_female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtExIqJnHwjs5TgR7ba2MCSCYP3z4cTv9_eobg0-PPD3ddfIayN3W01AFv5XbfMp0Jwpy1IITWjswRm59l9IOR5QBMr7T8UznMLyvb6naqkwNBFnLx137cMxas8Myqn0Hf3q6uqB_Z0v9/s400/anax_junius_female.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">An even better find was a large (about 35 mm long) female Enallagma spp. This damselfly emerged fairly recently, its colors are bright and the black markings on its abdomen still have the glossy metallic sheen of youth. Study of the mesostigmal plates verified that this is a Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile). A late flier indeed, the last local bluet (E. carunculatum) was encountered on September 24th. According to the <a href = "http://store.algonquinpark.on.ca/cgi/algonquinpark/00517.html">Field Guide to The Dragonflies and Damselflies of Algonquin Provincial Park and the Surrounding Area</a>, Enallagma civile is known to fly in early October, but this is the latest I have seen this damselfly in my area.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepx7SaPK0nnZnKVctr1Eq36MXeG3xwnQAZo_SjwIvum-o8hKbPIBfl_rTtCejNnI8QXaFOA1tvwAeGm4-MlWEujS3V3H2urlmvqHQIm1gj0ur8sMqnj81gGUjGJwPdO0yzW0iGzd-G239/s1600/enallagma_civile_female_lateral.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepx7SaPK0nnZnKVctr1Eq36MXeG3xwnQAZo_SjwIvum-o8hKbPIBfl_rTtCejNnI8QXaFOA1tvwAeGm4-MlWEujS3V3H2urlmvqHQIm1gj0ur8sMqnj81gGUjGJwPdO0yzW0iGzd-G239/s400/enallagma_civile_female_lateral.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjju9TtjUCAYabnZSen2ZGbZHQ8EHcW7k5knC7UhtNX4YiOlNhPhxf_5DXHd6gK_2TaWps32UzMjV273tJsLDXFsF-wWnef4WO6jdX90BDbSoDkYDCWvhyphenhyphen1PGzwmmsLIFPYQD-FSct1lDFK/s1600/enallagma_civile_female_abdomen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjju9TtjUCAYabnZSen2ZGbZHQ8EHcW7k5knC7UhtNX4YiOlNhPhxf_5DXHd6gK_2TaWps32UzMjV273tJsLDXFsF-wWnef4WO6jdX90BDbSoDkYDCWvhyphenhyphen1PGzwmmsLIFPYQD-FSct1lDFK/s400/enallagma_civile_female_abdomen.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YUXZAygKNN0O17x4vjKpTFKSHjYBpJ8OoG4nWfyRR0_OJxOhaPSTacyJsdZfFCBdS8QZI2ARqgBqmpsWT2nYhCtxsiZ7ZTYCOjcrq8ouO-QjdkP-1ShnbDCQ98XOii6Dp2ADw7GL2FIz/s1600/enallagma_civile_female_head_thorax.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YUXZAygKNN0O17x4vjKpTFKSHjYBpJ8OoG4nWfyRR0_OJxOhaPSTacyJsdZfFCBdS8QZI2ARqgBqmpsWT2nYhCtxsiZ7ZTYCOjcrq8ouO-QjdkP-1ShnbDCQ98XOii6Dp2ADw7GL2FIz/s400/enallagma_civile_female_head_thorax.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The habitat at 44.46889°, -77.31528° is a typical local wetland with Cattails and a variety of rushes and sedges, with the taller vegetation consisting of a few Tamarack and various small willows and alders. Two male White-faced Meadowhawks (Sympetrum obtrusum) were encountered here, they might well be the last for this year as their numbers have slowly but surely been declining with the passage of autumn. The Autumn Meadowhawks are still out in full force; about sixty were estimated to be flying with roughly equal numbers of males and females. Of course most were engaged in a frenzied last minute orgy of mating and oviposition, doing all they can to ensure their genes make it into the next generation before the onset of cold weather puts an end to their little lives ...</div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">No female Spotted Spreadwings (Lestes congener) have been seen at this marsh during the last couple of surveys. It appears that the males can't find any either and in desperation are taking whatever they can get. Yes, that's two males in tandem in the second out-of-focus photo. The other male wasn't compliant and they separated ... some relationships are doomed to failure from the very start ...</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLXBMwSCjN1WtIsImG1dDCb5IGvHXVbSFBsMOlJ1bE12aH7pRJRcQcT2IzAagj6r-CW1VEuFjD6VUCq7ZTwChidR_RPhMwEB8Z8yMfeZI2BuKrsrewsb1ENBIYOLAW_ghNzmtcZWg9xzw/s1600/lestes_congener_male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLXBMwSCjN1WtIsImG1dDCb5IGvHXVbSFBsMOlJ1bE12aH7pRJRcQcT2IzAagj6r-CW1VEuFjD6VUCq7ZTwChidR_RPhMwEB8Z8yMfeZI2BuKrsrewsb1ENBIYOLAW_ghNzmtcZWg9xzw/s400/lestes_congener_male.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTV4_oTMdspowOZrHtfcW5D9o3Lb0xh9PV2evL6V9OC3iSdHEFJFRhAWUJWajZ1Uq8PARjbMOL7PrUksXy6gO5mEO7xebQdWwCH7-O1nkU0xYX2lTl_vRZJLTDvPB0GovOvx1uYsZ2wgb/s1600/lestes_congener_males_tandem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTV4_oTMdspowOZrHtfcW5D9o3Lb0xh9PV2evL6V9OC3iSdHEFJFRhAWUJWajZ1Uq8PARjbMOL7PrUksXy6gO5mEO7xebQdWwCH7-O1nkU0xYX2lTl_vRZJLTDvPB0GovOvx1uYsZ2wgb/s400/lestes_congener_males_tandem.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">There are still some Aeshna spp flying, not unknown in October but not common either. I didn't have a net to capture the two darners for closeup shots but they both obligingly perched or hovered long enough to be identified. One was a beautiful green form female Canada Darner (Aeshna canadensis), it could well be the same individual captured and photographed at this habitat on October 1st. An old male Lance-tipped Darner (Aeshna constricta), its colors somewhat obscured and wings whitened and frayed by age, was also doing its rounds.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKic5pc7pnoYLuJ0NNfooiWKhv_jPKKyT4gKQZctbXMpPsNbwy3u2GfCsPc1PxNDVTnnUm4dhyuNWdVXLs0QehxEneqWIksN_ImMeAq3EI-FacD8dlPJmvVYSUtoZpuNu95Ez2YVDAaW80/s1600/aeshna_canadensis_green_female_lateral_07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKic5pc7pnoYLuJ0NNfooiWKhv_jPKKyT4gKQZctbXMpPsNbwy3u2GfCsPc1PxNDVTnnUm4dhyuNWdVXLs0QehxEneqWIksN_ImMeAq3EI-FacD8dlPJmvVYSUtoZpuNu95Ez2YVDAaW80/s400/aeshna_canadensis_green_female_lateral_07.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">All in all, not a bad count considering the location and time of year. No doubt there are a couple or three other species still hanging in there, if so photos or accounts will be posted, stay tuned ...</div>
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<br/ ><div align = "left">October 22nd – time, as it has a way of doing, has passed and is now moving toward late October. Today was sunny and breezy with the temperature hovering around 10°C, and there were over twenty male and seven female Autumn Meadowhawks (all seven females were in tandem) and a lone female White-faced Meadowhawk flying at the marsh. As might be expected the White-faced Meadowhawk was an old girl with dulled colors and frayed wings.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxw27e0eN-SI73bcJ7geQ9_Ewn2P81640J4ahwydufVFZkk7Ice3jrh-4WSdF3ZH-ioABNNeMpi1HU9jOR3R42jeehaqSXETdtM5IbFzfsxJSz6UgMVoHrmAUL-c58uJV0AeGeZaNYErqr/s1600/sympetrum_obtrusum_female.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxw27e0eN-SI73bcJ7geQ9_Ewn2P81640J4ahwydufVFZkk7Ice3jrh-4WSdF3ZH-ioABNNeMpi1HU9jOR3R42jeehaqSXETdtM5IbFzfsxJSz6UgMVoHrmAUL-c58uJV0AeGeZaNYErqr/s400/sympetrum_obtrusum_female.JPG" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Despite not having observed any for the past couple of weeks, there are still some female Spotted Spreadwings around, in fact three of them, as well as four males.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLfuB1oU-B5d6-3gjxBNDmrzMHS_ChVhk1YuhtfLpnJoKtWFIk0O5FT882WWQCpq6iPptQx3R9stTWgHZCsw8zgZskq9Pu8L3zo5ryEvoNuil927hgg3ffGCGcxsCtfrjRRNzMP3TsUeLM/s1600/lestes_congener_female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLfuB1oU-B5d6-3gjxBNDmrzMHS_ChVhk1YuhtfLpnJoKtWFIk0O5FT882WWQCpq6iPptQx3R9stTWgHZCsw8zgZskq9Pu8L3zo5ryEvoNuil927hgg3ffGCGcxsCtfrjRRNzMP3TsUeLM/s400/lestes_congener_female.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Last but not least, one Aeshna spp was hawking insects along the trail but it was too far away for me to make out any details and ascertain the species. And it seems that the late flying dragonflies and damselflies may be with us a little bit longer. There's no frost in the forecast for at least a week and next Tuesday the temperature will be a balmy 17°C.</div>
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<br/ ><div align = "left">October 23rd – sunny with a light breeze blowing and the temperature close to 16°C. About twenty Autumn Meadowhawks were foraging amidst the tall vegetation bordering the Tweed Fairgrounds and the soccer field. Two female Green Darners and a male Lance-tipped Darner were also sighted in this area.</div>
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<br/ ><div align = "left">October 25th – generally overcast, windy, temperature about 15°C. A male Lance-tipped Darner was observed patrolling along the trail near the marsh west of town, an old (or perhaps just cold) individual with dulled colors.</div>
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<br/ ><div align = "left">October 27th – still at the marsh, a sunny day but on the cool side with the mercury (a figure of speech, actually there's red alcohol in the competitively priced thermometer I'm using) hovering near 13°C. Despite the less than congenial temperature there were about fifty Autumn Meadowhawks flying with twenty being in tandem pairs. The Spotted Spreadwings are still with us and three males and a female were perching on the shrubs and grasses. As might be expected these little damselflies are staring to show their age, with advance of autumn the brassy luster of their youth has turned to a more muted gray-brown.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWFFjvJ1ryqtTpP6Ak-Sxix9WDtTcMYbS2YFPidF1IcSPjBSVYe_hm9kzBFyvqBYS_EKTJDy7nGscBp2eHqjNemaYzOewb9grPskEy6kBb6IL-X7oKBFvG2RwaewcAUeUHgpTrEEgIauJ/s1600/lestes_congener_old_male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWFFjvJ1ryqtTpP6Ak-Sxix9WDtTcMYbS2YFPidF1IcSPjBSVYe_hm9kzBFyvqBYS_EKTJDy7nGscBp2eHqjNemaYzOewb9grPskEy6kBb6IL-X7oKBFvG2RwaewcAUeUHgpTrEEgIauJ/s400/lestes_congener_old_male.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHgVXuECoNWBBSqlHl6H6oZL2nSQzPVb6ck24x7TILAvioloQPg-v8j2OZLkIdFi6tq0RbgoK0YpQ_CRB0O_pzl9-n-utyP437n53xvaaM9tA68OU9X9tgyrEyrP96ZLqcgepEnmfH363R/s1600/lestes_congener_old_female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHgVXuECoNWBBSqlHl6H6oZL2nSQzPVb6ck24x7TILAvioloQPg-v8j2OZLkIdFi6tq0RbgoK0YpQ_CRB0O_pzl9-n-utyP437n53xvaaM9tA68OU9X9tgyrEyrP96ZLqcgepEnmfH363R/s400/lestes_congener_old_female.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br/ ><div align = "left">October 28th – sunny, and Mother Nature has turned up the thermostat to near 20°C. Three tandem pairs of Autumn Meadowhawks were spotted east of Tweed along the shore of the Moira River – are these to be the last odonates of 2014? As of this writing (October 31st) it's only a few degrees above the freezing point of water, some snow flurries are in the air and over the next two or three days the mercury will enter the realms of negativity and dip below the dreaded zero mark at night ...</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-83284407901368480922014-09-25T15:22:00.000-07:002014-09-27T07:03:27.059-07:00An Equinoctial Odonate<p align = "left">Perhaps post-equinoctial would be more appropriate, as this immature male Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella) was encountered on September 24th, 2014 at the Tweed Fairgrounds (south-central Hastings County, Ontario).</p>
<div align = "left">The Twelve-spotted Skimmer is a summer dragonfly, the first local fliers were observed at the Vanderwater Conservation Area in mid-June, a couple of very old males on their last legs were sighted as recently as ten days ago. But this is a young dragonfly, as yet lacking the pruinescence on the abdomen typical of fully mature males, and to see one flying this late in the year – the second day of autumn – is unusual to say the least.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGQr_jjV86ID3my5RzV3wLHfp5_tqfQiEPpC9hdH6eJdEw41DlCZuJE1NrYXuUwhpesjCnJ5cEzpR8TaNcIxPQ26PGygWRbnp8uBYzIinAOAN-u057vXzt1HM3CA5sdH5Sba8dONLfh-S/s1600/libellula_pulchella_immature_male_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGQr_jjV86ID3my5RzV3wLHfp5_tqfQiEPpC9hdH6eJdEw41DlCZuJE1NrYXuUwhpesjCnJ5cEzpR8TaNcIxPQ26PGygWRbnp8uBYzIinAOAN-u057vXzt1HM3CA5sdH5Sba8dONLfh-S/s400/libellula_pulchella_immature_male_06.jpg" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-86384068508093248502014-09-25T14:48:00.000-07:002014-09-25T14:50:18.826-07:00Striking Spiders<p align = "left">Striking – arresting the attention and producing a vivid impression on the sight or the mind, attracting attention by reason of being unusual, extreme, or prominent, conspicuously attractive or impressive.</p>
<div align = "left">A dazzling Dark Fishing Spider, arresting the attention of an observer by virtue of her size, from the cephalothorax to the tip of the abdomen she is a mere 20 mm in length. Dolomedes tenebrosus can attain a body size of up to 26 mm with the legs spanning 90 mm but this one is deflated after laying her eggs. Like most Pisauridae (a.k.a. Nursery Web Spiders) she stands guard over her brood until they a bit older and better able to fend for themselves.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpelt8YlrvmAiOzV9iWVrFM1fC0NjUQSEdHaEfCSZeykYuZc6O8lSBX3Gzy9fvjgnxM3-01M6Sc2eOQYY6FiKpf6RJHCk0QC24LnYNK0hUA6-0GQAU9KwxnNNOWQzHW-gtbD5NyJMpk4OW/s1600/dolomedes_tenebrosus_female_guarding_nest_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpelt8YlrvmAiOzV9iWVrFM1fC0NjUQSEdHaEfCSZeykYuZc6O8lSBX3Gzy9fvjgnxM3-01M6Sc2eOQYY6FiKpf6RJHCk0QC24LnYNK0hUA6-0GQAU9KwxnNNOWQzHW-gtbD5NyJMpk4OW/s400/dolomedes_tenebrosus_female_guarding_nest_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The spiderlings have already been through one molt and the pale exuviae can be seen littering the nursery.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXTWFy0Qipo0nf66f36SER_x0jfGBpm7QlP5s1PkMS1qG1dJS6BwGPKigbh6pjd4fP7dHg5zgo-MMDljKrzkUqZ5AuP79xWMXVOWSukWnlUZYKJXzPQTDR0g274Spx_X_MDTRXAsn8qKN/s1600/dolomedes_tenebrosus_nest_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXTWFy0Qipo0nf66f36SER_x0jfGBpm7QlP5s1PkMS1qG1dJS6BwGPKigbh6pjd4fP7dHg5zgo-MMDljKrzkUqZ5AuP79xWMXVOWSukWnlUZYKJXzPQTDR0g274Spx_X_MDTRXAsn8qKN/s400/dolomedes_tenebrosus_nest_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">A couple of closeups of the female, with one of her offspring clinging to her abdomen in the second photo.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeGu4BRDXXDABs1dseWhy7xwydF4FlGd-8PDk8paoT_6kjalPBOPsyaH4fTFtKO3GYNKB-jMlqLcQOssvie6pw7a5mfAKlvFPQ0m6NDPt4hUAy1hSJZZfP8bbH3ZoIUmVODz_VPr0u81i1/s1600/dolomedes_tenebrosus_female_dorsal1_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeGu4BRDXXDABs1dseWhy7xwydF4FlGd-8PDk8paoT_6kjalPBOPsyaH4fTFtKO3GYNKB-jMlqLcQOssvie6pw7a5mfAKlvFPQ0m6NDPt4hUAy1hSJZZfP8bbH3ZoIUmVODz_VPr0u81i1/s400/dolomedes_tenebrosus_female_dorsal1_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbKsZnyig1xMB1TXQrsES3WFzT71NoaLZxlh8ENeaohNo-Vc6jCliw-JFbWBMfHAin-HlpAQ_ksUygEauyxQc6ZFOMQ__l4t6tNUwROutMAj6al2UCX-i5dLYU3lw6BzPKrse5j3dQf87/s1600/dolomedes_tenebrosus_female_with_spiderling_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbKsZnyig1xMB1TXQrsES3WFzT71NoaLZxlh8ENeaohNo-Vc6jCliw-JFbWBMfHAin-HlpAQ_ksUygEauyxQc6ZFOMQ__l4t6tNUwROutMAj6al2UCX-i5dLYU3lw6BzPKrse5j3dQf87/s400/dolomedes_tenebrosus_female_with_spiderling_02.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br/ ><div align = "left">A friend brought this wondrous Wolf Spider to me for identification, but unfortunately for the spider it was DOA when it arrived. The body length of this particular female <a href = "http://bugguide.net/node/view/997106">Tigrosa aspersa</a> was 23 mm and the legs measured 70 mm across, however, these "wolfies" can reach a respectable 30 mm.</div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The spider did indeed produce a vivid impression on the sight and the mind – the person who killed it woke up in the night and found the spider crawling on them; I wasn't informed what part of their anatomy. They immediately dispatched it (this was not the intent or one of the definitions of "striking" in the title), but under the circumstances it's pretty hard to fault a person for being startled ...</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPaAqcqcKIz2f-XHbz33G9LBCBGm1EWbIMtmHoAfeNpgtoNr6ac0-1-jlLxSFY3i7sqaV6aiH0ehZizMqoNGNLFdr-hbKYlzykwENZjrQ83q1WFbrzDzrDcs96nKBH4XgWfoIiswwjZta7/s1600/tigrosa_aspersa_dorsal_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPaAqcqcKIz2f-XHbz33G9LBCBGm1EWbIMtmHoAfeNpgtoNr6ac0-1-jlLxSFY3i7sqaV6aiH0ehZizMqoNGNLFdr-hbKYlzykwENZjrQ83q1WFbrzDzrDcs96nKBH4XgWfoIiswwjZta7/s400/tigrosa_aspersa_dorsal_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheyCbX5v_Bpssum2Lf_1hArTXkj8l7g3CDpzzvFQljXn6fU2XRZfS5rs1A0C_Nuk8TF6nDDTUcRnREWDlDadYUjZ5p9NE_0R5xuF9j77VlsvN3ltB458x57HHb4mAvbPNopWkqQiV9l3Mz/s1600/tigrosa_aspersa_ventral_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheyCbX5v_Bpssum2Lf_1hArTXkj8l7g3CDpzzvFQljXn6fU2XRZfS5rs1A0C_Nuk8TF6nDDTUcRnREWDlDadYUjZ5p9NE_0R5xuF9j77VlsvN3ltB458x57HHb4mAvbPNopWkqQiV9l3Mz/s400/tigrosa_aspersa_ventral_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The arrangements spider's eyes are unique to each family, and this one's eye pattern is typical of the family Lycosidae.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJMYB2l2Y2uCOP3AME6T1hpsl1QA9_qnfoCfuRJ59EPsvQ-8hgeY8dwRwAEuZNx3aNu9cJyq-jNepQZW6qa3i4hP-0TklR0biKz8PNFRFMYlskKEGj2cgjgFTGJXCuhNmgTcMld1LNsbY/s1600/tigrosa_aspersa_eye_pattern_dorsal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJMYB2l2Y2uCOP3AME6T1hpsl1QA9_qnfoCfuRJ59EPsvQ-8hgeY8dwRwAEuZNx3aNu9cJyq-jNepQZW6qa3i4hP-0TklR0biKz8PNFRFMYlskKEGj2cgjgFTGJXCuhNmgTcMld1LNsbY/s400/tigrosa_aspersa_eye_pattern_dorsal.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeH-QL7aKcIbq42_TCAu8Jle2qTzUQtpXWn0jmf7JCSOJWspYvUCWi0KzKLfmGhvtgPuaqchA9XqDOpdTzDUDrZ9MJiQIj8e28qJe9DK9WeB6NvDlJ0Xcd5E1uNq7qcV8mghz4wwhqYTPs/s1600/tigrosa_aspersa_eye_pattern_anterior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeH-QL7aKcIbq42_TCAu8Jle2qTzUQtpXWn0jmf7JCSOJWspYvUCWi0KzKLfmGhvtgPuaqchA9XqDOpdTzDUDrZ9MJiQIj8e28qJe9DK9WeB6NvDlJ0Xcd5E1uNq7qcV8mghz4wwhqYTPs/s400/tigrosa_aspersa_eye_pattern_anterior.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br/ ><div align = "left">A marvelous Marbled Orbweaver, in my opinion this is by far the most beautifully colored and patterned spider I have ever encountered. Araneus marmoreus is small compared to the foregoing two spiders, the body measures about 20 mm and the legs are relatively short, but it makes up visually what it lacks in sheer bulk – conspicuously attractive or impressive indeed!</div>
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<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWa9kbKZcEogJ9xEJITku14qLPZ3bCvxjwZuDFkAndM4txCTO9_ejJWUWUp0TsNns85WULv8WYxTobTRSqlXnoeBDUkyQuQ1fKyFuGI1UKm_-G5JXv-l5rEDwF_zKi4v-BWmNLu1Awk7M/s1600/araneus_marmoreus_female_dorsal_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWa9kbKZcEogJ9xEJITku14qLPZ3bCvxjwZuDFkAndM4txCTO9_ejJWUWUp0TsNns85WULv8WYxTobTRSqlXnoeBDUkyQuQ1fKyFuGI1UKm_-G5JXv-l5rEDwF_zKi4v-BWmNLu1Awk7M/s400/araneus_marmoreus_female_dorsal_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5orQ06gnzP_mrdJI019L6bdav5pSvlBoq0G9OcuVhFHIfaG1asDnG8OK4ea6zeilVTaTyhcW62cZTUtI5waUbiC7Gd6tLF1iZ8of7yf_QIYvr3z19YqJmha_70tnQ-DekQrGiC2EGtFa/s1600/araneus_marmoreus_female_oblique2_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5orQ06gnzP_mrdJI019L6bdav5pSvlBoq0G9OcuVhFHIfaG1asDnG8OK4ea6zeilVTaTyhcW62cZTUtI5waUbiC7Gd6tLF1iZ8of7yf_QIYvr3z19YqJmha_70tnQ-DekQrGiC2EGtFa/s400/araneus_marmoreus_female_oblique2_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_kLLMDvbpweDMxgpRlsN0uJ2_wvVHqPOk2-4TPkJKVOvWlnl6p1GTYnTctlitaXyFbiWrP5OSEP1EDTqvOZxHVV0Dbmn8LM6c2MDjS5lwFaQCc3A9q5t0foVfqjk8m3thOT8zI7GRxRe/s1600/araneus_marmoreus_female_lateral_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_kLLMDvbpweDMxgpRlsN0uJ2_wvVHqPOk2-4TPkJKVOvWlnl6p1GTYnTctlitaXyFbiWrP5OSEP1EDTqvOZxHVV0Dbmn8LM6c2MDjS5lwFaQCc3A9q5t0foVfqjk8m3thOT8zI7GRxRe/s400/araneus_marmoreus_female_lateral_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaZC-54gHB53LQF1jLbAZAwj7O_mJN66fYijSiVIMIH0ikrTCv0LZj5AmJax2rqXpUk3umOA27bHdq0JjR3AHiZzJYK-sHx8vPZLe1sSMO79VsIP-s2rUaGuHWY0EkE3vjNwNm3Dh1j1b/s1600/araneus_marmoreus_female_ventral_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaZC-54gHB53LQF1jLbAZAwj7O_mJN66fYijSiVIMIH0ikrTCv0LZj5AmJax2rqXpUk3umOA27bHdq0JjR3AHiZzJYK-sHx8vPZLe1sSMO79VsIP-s2rUaGuHWY0EkE3vjNwNm3Dh1j1b/s400/araneus_marmoreus_female_ventral_01.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br/ ><div align = "left">The Marbled Orbweaver featured above is a female, and she's gravid and ready to lay her eggs any day to start the life cycle of her kind anew. On the other hand the female Longjawed Orbweaver (Tetragnatha spp) in the following photo won't likely get her chance to pass her genes on to the next generation, that opportunity now belongs to the small wasp, only about 3 mm in length, that's clinging to the underside of the spider.</div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The image was acquired under poor lighting conditions and is a bit out of focus but the wasp's ovipositor, ready to deliver its egg (or eggs?), is clearly visible in the photo. It's interesting to note that the wasp is in a "safe zone" and the hapless spider cannot reach it with its jaws.</div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The picture has been uploaded to <a href = "http://bugguide.net/node/view/1000173">BugGuide.Net</a> where hopefully someone can identify the wasp. As of now I have no idea as to the wasp's species (Ichneumon, perhaps?) or life cycle – does it lay one egg per spider, or more? Will the spider be paralyzed by the hymenopteran's venom, or will it continue to go through the motions as the wasp larva (or larvae?) consume it from within? Whatever the story may be, like everything else in the world of nature we can be certain it's fascinating and compelling, possibly even (from our human viewpoint) bizarre ... which are all synonyms for the word "striking".</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYuik1WgKoqsLvak3Y2MU8m-v83jPHxa-czoW_V8hDgCt6ozFhV9J50F83StRl-YFhiyReefAPYy6Xe6ERd4PYojLuCRSKH7ImyteYSWY22n8Q_bG5w3ARVRz8_W6cRqM87d8k97NXa16C/s1600/wasp_ovipositing_tetragnatha_012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYuik1WgKoqsLvak3Y2MU8m-v83jPHxa-czoW_V8hDgCt6ozFhV9J50F83StRl-YFhiyReefAPYy6Xe6ERd4PYojLuCRSKH7ImyteYSWY22n8Q_bG5w3ARVRz8_W6cRqM87d8k97NXa16C/s400/wasp_ovipositing_tetragnatha_012.jpg" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-47179387323645043282014-09-24T14:42:00.000-07:002014-09-24T14:42:03.716-07:00A female Saffron-winged Meadowhawk<p align = "left">East of Tweed, near a patch of wildflowers along Lakeview Lane (44.478429°, -77.301881°) – my third sighting of a Saffron-winged Meadowhawk this year (the other two were at Dry Lake, south of Marlbank). Sympetrum costiferum is larger – this individual measured 38 mm – and darker than the average Sympetrum apt to be encountered in our area, and it has a habit of perching on the ground.</p>
<div align = "left">As with other Sympetrum, the female Saffron-winged Meadowhawks is orange (compare to the red abdomen and brown thorax of the <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2014/09/saffron-winged-meadowhawk-sympetrum.html">male</a>).</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-agrDBZTzrqXttY2lzUpDl0JbT41qK75m_MLYDparoGu1YY4jqnb-FTfpcEEWiDYJZRd06yKp3DWmgJs90cNxMG0FUH-h3mNKKgnHU1IAGks76cwgzQvJvao4vrqw3mmbP7LJbaJTuuYe/s1600/sympetrum_costiferum_female_lateral_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-agrDBZTzrqXttY2lzUpDl0JbT41qK75m_MLYDparoGu1YY4jqnb-FTfpcEEWiDYJZRd06yKp3DWmgJs90cNxMG0FUH-h3mNKKgnHU1IAGks76cwgzQvJvao4vrqw3mmbP7LJbaJTuuYe/s400/sympetrum_costiferum_female_lateral_06.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The veins along the leading edges of the wings are saffron colored and the pterostigmata are long and pale orange.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmZ9-0tw3TckKJ1GsFCrw-v3lAgg3Zq848XhGVHgWnxiFi_jxoZRxowYqLSQny57K81riAwcWqqRN45n2WgB0Av1NSG4G8xmXnMB31Ki1AYKyzzgEa5boJ7KXlYRHy_JAxbIpNKCnakhl/s1600/sympetrum_costiferum_female_wings_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmZ9-0tw3TckKJ1GsFCrw-v3lAgg3Zq848XhGVHgWnxiFi_jxoZRxowYqLSQny57K81riAwcWqqRN45n2WgB0Av1NSG4G8xmXnMB31Ki1AYKyzzgEa5boJ7KXlYRHy_JAxbIpNKCnakhl/s400/sympetrum_costiferum_female_wings_06.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">Closeups of the face ...</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOMf62dRUHlJggdUEM2MMyl3X7YlbKJgvnrijcCD2rMNHZpkBG-b8eHZhfBYCc8363ygW7U-1xxMtwEafT6mr2zxkIBk1ZGzNqdXpVCVpEsvvcxVVDUGGIDRc6KSdnk72Zwp3Ly8mqdQAV/s1600/sympetrum_costiferum_female_face_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOMf62dRUHlJggdUEM2MMyl3X7YlbKJgvnrijcCD2rMNHZpkBG-b8eHZhfBYCc8363ygW7U-1xxMtwEafT6mr2zxkIBk1ZGzNqdXpVCVpEsvvcxVVDUGGIDRc6KSdnk72Zwp3Ly8mqdQAV/s400/sympetrum_costiferum_female_face_06.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">... and its genital plate, a part of the dragonfly's anatomy that is unique and distinctive for each species.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFpRpRFvRGeGEhGXWKLoJwmXZfBXyBWcvg6_exj4640btG6Q5KY5EtoSuEtZ27Bf0JlcqT4vIrIhb005A70JN5ZKlDlfeG3ABsmN1dWbbPj_54bkm_WWCJA_AcUCEiNlOyQxupW2Eer76/s1600/sympetrum_costiferum_female_genital_plate_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFpRpRFvRGeGEhGXWKLoJwmXZfBXyBWcvg6_exj4640btG6Q5KY5EtoSuEtZ27Bf0JlcqT4vIrIhb005A70JN5ZKlDlfeG3ABsmN1dWbbPj_54bkm_WWCJA_AcUCEiNlOyQxupW2Eer76/s400/sympetrum_costiferum_female_genital_plate_06.jpg" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-48632333938383009262014-09-20T08:20:00.000-07:002014-09-20T08:20:11.210-07:00Amethyst Aster (Aster x amethystinus)<p align = "left">A hybrid between two very different looking species, the New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) and the Heath Aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides), the Amethyst Aster (Aster x amethystinus) exhibits characteristics of both parent plants which, not surprisingly, were abundant in the high and dry field where the Amethyst Asters were encountered.<br/ ><br/ >The following groups of three photos illustrate the features of the Amethyst Aster, New England Aster and the Heath Aster respectively.</p>
<div align = "center">The overall aspects of the plants.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oyygdlQZbXCy_X8bOmGWQNA6decqVOYAIk1JUQ17F1sH0VLywmIdqYUctVMtRsyS3tfrgBJOU8vsu_V6NMErVysDbkcpq0Vl82nGcx6mhB-ITzvIqNsimHXJlBvPd7WkGqpAH7wxTMYA/s1600/amethyst_aster_plant_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oyygdlQZbXCy_X8bOmGWQNA6decqVOYAIk1JUQ17F1sH0VLywmIdqYUctVMtRsyS3tfrgBJOU8vsu_V6NMErVysDbkcpq0Vl82nGcx6mhB-ITzvIqNsimHXJlBvPd7WkGqpAH7wxTMYA/s400/amethyst_aster_plant_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RhGRej59Q09rRCyP_08375HG_7IpUGRV50zKmr3noIegNYYHorPpMbbQOhOvC-e-F2G7eBYA7WzFmhyphenhyphen2lP8PjFQuSKLZQvDYVkZxl7L7i5r6WI6kftWUp1A2kRioqAeOi6_NTnxbrjNe/s1600/new_england_asters_group_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RhGRej59Q09rRCyP_08375HG_7IpUGRV50zKmr3noIegNYYHorPpMbbQOhOvC-e-F2G7eBYA7WzFmhyphenhyphen2lP8PjFQuSKLZQvDYVkZxl7L7i5r6WI6kftWUp1A2kRioqAeOi6_NTnxbrjNe/s400/new_england_asters_group_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMEjWl57aTkVLpPlY7kFdOJSZCtUEDj2GUGjEMg51hLlWKjOdQbG55QNNaWucrg3Sd-m6xuUOTWNu_xHyXLMQuK1k_eXr5GDL5dkLWqafyiXGKE6gs9wQot2ZJ-RnGSpfl2aCeUegthS4/s1600/heath_aster_plant_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMEjWl57aTkVLpPlY7kFdOJSZCtUEDj2GUGjEMg51hLlWKjOdQbG55QNNaWucrg3Sd-m6xuUOTWNu_xHyXLMQuK1k_eXr5GDL5dkLWqafyiXGKE6gs9wQot2ZJ-RnGSpfl2aCeUegthS4/s400/heath_aster_plant_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The blossoms resemble those of the New England Aster but are only about half as large and bear fewer ligulate flowers.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tM4bVGkplx12LKa0gq74NiifTExRA9Mtr8hlr5VlAUFmg8pBFnTWneca97SwctepCS7KZ-whYWj08P2pVDyJD_pzYYjwFd6ZG0kbiVG8dCPDZ2COlT8K3uyDibEwHEQg8VJ6Dz5GQ1dF/s1600/amethyst_aster_flower_scale_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tM4bVGkplx12LKa0gq74NiifTExRA9Mtr8hlr5VlAUFmg8pBFnTWneca97SwctepCS7KZ-whYWj08P2pVDyJD_pzYYjwFd6ZG0kbiVG8dCPDZ2COlT8K3uyDibEwHEQg8VJ6Dz5GQ1dF/s400/amethyst_aster_flower_scale_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBWC6WMrGqwXHVBWSr-8W0BeUxCg64Ojxz5ZQ3klCZpFeMkXKBRgwWHhyHP5afbS4ltihpf614jXyr5uVZvx8ogUSnWol8d0rpG3uzIissvyAbJkZQabeS3o5OYxY1zWaxg8eSUHCndQR/s1600/new_england_aster_pale_blue_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBWC6WMrGqwXHVBWSr-8W0BeUxCg64Ojxz5ZQ3klCZpFeMkXKBRgwWHhyHP5afbS4ltihpf614jXyr5uVZvx8ogUSnWol8d0rpG3uzIissvyAbJkZQabeS3o5OYxY1zWaxg8eSUHCndQR/s400/new_england_aster_pale_blue_05.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilcq8wLyNF8BvqNBp1FEknj13v7AKEHia5IW4vZwrRxOiUgCH8U3yLOiQFvkMKa_spYH6nqIeq59zUVXHu579kTadVv8bZyP2KRArmPW1g_hSLV3-2Pj8Yv2G1TS4E1G-p2dG63Z90TZ0E/s1600/heath_aster_flowers_dorsal_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilcq8wLyNF8BvqNBp1FEknj13v7AKEHia5IW4vZwrRxOiUgCH8U3yLOiQFvkMKa_spYH6nqIeq59zUVXHu579kTadVv8bZyP2KRArmPW1g_hSLV3-2Pj8Yv2G1TS4E1G-p2dG63Z90TZ0E/s400/heath_aster_flowers_dorsal_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Even the involucral bracts or phyllaries are intermediate between those of the progenitor species.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyB1AHwmEP1Ps_M01kbUY7QcFQnKJR3mlSuo21kiLEocLdKgQ7zqmIWOuVHhenYu_3GfuZ6aN8rwgT68ouxA3HU5dhpVFk9m527O-gU8yqISWfFwA02LPUYDyCNkh_uarvAGKBy8kob8rV/s1600/amethyst_aster_phyllaries_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyB1AHwmEP1Ps_M01kbUY7QcFQnKJR3mlSuo21kiLEocLdKgQ7zqmIWOuVHhenYu_3GfuZ6aN8rwgT68ouxA3HU5dhpVFk9m527O-gU8yqISWfFwA02LPUYDyCNkh_uarvAGKBy8kob8rV/s400/amethyst_aster_phyllaries_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTBUZWgXpWbVFpBSeLqoL8wQVcA8L4fLpQsQjc3mTeFEc3kbGnaf0sBbCsvdxARrmD1j-4KLsljFVWnx7A7TFQDtYSg1nSYFv9Wx5cew6DezuY0xcNhhBHiqbqnEFYeoj_zFeMwOylEc5b/s1600/new_england_aster_phyllaries_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTBUZWgXpWbVFpBSeLqoL8wQVcA8L4fLpQsQjc3mTeFEc3kbGnaf0sBbCsvdxARrmD1j-4KLsljFVWnx7A7TFQDtYSg1nSYFv9Wx5cew6DezuY0xcNhhBHiqbqnEFYeoj_zFeMwOylEc5b/s400/new_england_aster_phyllaries_03.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTrIUopFjBUe-enhAjnPOC9oM0EWXdEmJp-JAaQxQl-NknrY9T1mhal8PcqrMqyMuffZa_Bq9WBaCW7CaM_xeJk6WeQ1bySzV-NOa7yL3rJgi7Cbd04m7TWauaYRVbbkhxO2W3fcQT0nUc/s1600/heath_aster_phyllaries_lateral_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTrIUopFjBUe-enhAjnPOC9oM0EWXdEmJp-JAaQxQl-NknrY9T1mhal8PcqrMqyMuffZa_Bq9WBaCW7CaM_xeJk6WeQ1bySzV-NOa7yL3rJgi7Cbd04m7TWauaYRVbbkhxO2W3fcQT0nUc/s400/heath_aster_phyllaries_lateral_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">More studies of the Amethyst Aster – the relatively small leaves are crowded and clasp the stem.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8T01gZiulYJetov7nvCzwhq1ajzbWxMlFKvZ9_ihsRX0XiCBgCU1KbfEzIpylAqWZnB8l_uD8NvQ4iLM6tha0utjOH9X8b0bMdOu807s1hjCtt0algTBAvCYlQ7wS4yLPU0WRiTE9EKuX/s1600/amethyst_aster_flowers_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8T01gZiulYJetov7nvCzwhq1ajzbWxMlFKvZ9_ihsRX0XiCBgCU1KbfEzIpylAqWZnB8l_uD8NvQ4iLM6tha0utjOH9X8b0bMdOu807s1hjCtt0algTBAvCYlQ7wS4yLPU0WRiTE9EKuX/s400/amethyst_aster_flowers_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoOQSsyVUPCtv3aDP5FwT4W3DGBQ2zLJP2qXrETdi4WY5Fl1cVV0tnWMiD_m7gXkgPOVPToSeVd_-E-403q8QCTLbsyzwFrv5HNMTZre2mgNl-4sLDHsKYfrIX_TprRPvrESaw2rOlvIsN/s1600/amethyst_aster_flowers_undersides_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoOQSsyVUPCtv3aDP5FwT4W3DGBQ2zLJP2qXrETdi4WY5Fl1cVV0tnWMiD_m7gXkgPOVPToSeVd_-E-403q8QCTLbsyzwFrv5HNMTZre2mgNl-4sLDHsKYfrIX_TprRPvrESaw2rOlvIsN/s400/amethyst_aster_flowers_undersides_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">The main stem of the plant is hairy.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVEdt-tbZE2f7LLObhKjZ62Twspf2d1PWbI2YrP_yuLo63PyPRGR1Ui-Dh5g6u6OMcOe_hhCo5XUtZALSRj5ifrpXZ71C_GepdIOiYpdEt3exEpBpLUg3B0_RkwBCFcpEVZRdlRYxwp_rn/s1600/amethyst_aster_stem_leaves_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVEdt-tbZE2f7LLObhKjZ62Twspf2d1PWbI2YrP_yuLo63PyPRGR1Ui-Dh5g6u6OMcOe_hhCo5XUtZALSRj5ifrpXZ71C_GepdIOiYpdEt3exEpBpLUg3B0_RkwBCFcpEVZRdlRYxwp_rn/s400/amethyst_aster_stem_leaves_01.jpg" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-52794624476714166542014-09-17T15:28:00.001-07:002014-09-18T14:40:39.513-07:00A Late Season Common Whitetail<p align = "left">Encountered west of Tweed near a marsh bordering the trans-Canada Trail (44.46889°, -77.31528°) – a surprising find as the final few surviving Common Whitetails (Plathemis lydia) were flying nearly a month ago, and no others have been sighted until now. The last sighting in this area was a male on August 18, 2014 near the intersection of River St. and the trans-Canada Trail (44.473668°, -77.312911°).<br/ ><br/ >The dulled colors aside, this female is in really good condition with no wear and tear on the wings, it was extremely wary and alert and it sure could fly. Half an hour of patient stalking were required to capture the agile odonate.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijWjtUgUqZAnZ0Y7xApQTtnx0XmdDEiqmK7va_GTeXaVjGst7I6WxpxZJAdY6F0mgKksla19-lCplWZ8RCb9BI50fZhrFGjvIrgE5AtYBqnXVO_WRPzxazicrNTsDtepk8PekPdjmnIMn0/s1600/plathemis_lydia_female_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijWjtUgUqZAnZ0Y7xApQTtnx0XmdDEiqmK7va_GTeXaVjGst7I6WxpxZJAdY6F0mgKksla19-lCplWZ8RCb9BI50fZhrFGjvIrgE5AtYBqnXVO_WRPzxazicrNTsDtepk8PekPdjmnIMn0/s400/plathemis_lydia_female_06.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">As of today – September 17th, 2104 – the dragonfly is still alive and well. Sad to say, her days are numbered. Even if she manages to evade the Darners patrolling the marsh (six species currently known – and lots of them!) the first frost of autumn lies in the not too distant future ...</div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Adult dragonflies can live for a few weeks if they don't fall victim to predators or the elements. Looking at the lackluster colors of the eyes and thorax and the frayed wings of this male Common Green Darner (Anax junius), one can only wonder how old it might be.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirNGIwlKMf4Q5fUemS1AobxaRQJUGULVD2J987frugl0LUXfJWAOeR0InnkA-WfWqYyWu8kTuB8isr_Sor-584wiC5I4t6e1FKwoe9TLh03KLQyLgyhTbLX2CsOQe2_CM5oBrs63qmmiPk/s1600/anax_junius_mature_male_09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirNGIwlKMf4Q5fUemS1AobxaRQJUGULVD2J987frugl0LUXfJWAOeR0InnkA-WfWqYyWu8kTuB8isr_Sor-584wiC5I4t6e1FKwoe9TLh03KLQyLgyhTbLX2CsOQe2_CM5oBrs63qmmiPk/s400/anax_junius_mature_male_09.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">An superannuated female Lance-tipped Darner (Aeshna constricta). Again, the coloration and patterning – originally a beautiful yellow-green – is obscured, the cerci are broken, and the wings have obviously seen their fair share of use and abuse.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgkk0gYWo61Nuk1WADm9Y2u3RDUQOs-r0Z7Z37ZWMFRazSjCu8CReLXxlYV5axDENI-yWovl4tLmo5jzu0itr9mhKgY7o58NbmbDxlUSfpEdkmerAmboFCJQi1N7du5_EGfkg5PB_h0E_/s1600/aeshna_constricta_old_female_collage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgkk0gYWo61Nuk1WADm9Y2u3RDUQOs-r0Z7Z37ZWMFRazSjCu8CReLXxlYV5axDENI-yWovl4tLmo5jzu0itr9mhKgY7o58NbmbDxlUSfpEdkmerAmboFCJQi1N7du5_EGfkg5PB_h0E_/s400/aeshna_constricta_old_female_collage.JPG" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The colors of this male Canada Darner's (Aeshna canadensis) are fairly bright and only the whitish discoloration and ragged edges of the wings suggest its age.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLgY8dLjdlSE_BYNnm6krxogblSCNqSxIIL5DFA5u6w7eqhrWCKxHm74VFa991nvUUpoOd5ad62D90vO2llqO4n5wXqV2kf8X4Wm4LTchGApD-Bq-lWyeYWzNI_tILBRPL6XlyPf7AMi0/s1600/aeshna_canadensis_male_dorsal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLgY8dLjdlSE_BYNnm6krxogblSCNqSxIIL5DFA5u6w7eqhrWCKxHm74VFa991nvUUpoOd5ad62D90vO2llqO4n5wXqV2kf8X4Wm4LTchGApD-Bq-lWyeYWzNI_tILBRPL6XlyPf7AMi0/s400/aeshna_canadensis_male_dorsal.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The dragonfly's face, however, was something of a shock – the brown clypeus is hardly typical of this species. Discoloration of the exoskeleton due to old age? Or an aberrantly colored individual?</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMXjn64nTDxgp9HHw5VO8nZ0dgv7a32H3AkiyFJAwKwOsCx2mVRp4a3YZZ94fqztzshaFjdtXr9YMkQH24UW_WFK3VSDl9wFNSWsKzcGTsptewvrHqiYMc-c7gHCkRTja6Jl9nD44tnBP/s1600/aeshna_canadensis_male_aspects.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMXjn64nTDxgp9HHw5VO8nZ0dgv7a32H3AkiyFJAwKwOsCx2mVRp4a3YZZ94fqztzshaFjdtXr9YMkQH24UW_WFK3VSDl9wFNSWsKzcGTsptewvrHqiYMc-c7gHCkRTja6Jl9nD44tnBP/s400/aeshna_canadensis_male_aspects.JPG" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-41535033673816410382014-09-16T07:42:00.001-07:002014-09-20T07:25:38.460-07:00Lake Darner (Aeshna eremita)<p align = "left">At first glance the Lake Darner looks very similar to the Canada Darner. The main distinguishing characteristics are the distinct dark cross-stripe on the face, the very deeply notched anterior thoracic stripe and a second thoracic stripe that is relatively broad compared to other Aeshna species.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh66NJlMu4MU_-ecdkkmTbFkyg8rAq_Ig8rt9FuwGE6jvJqaIfb7DdU0RjN9M5lxZebhDDCy_2h1uvAKwURNc93Cogh_Ibgwc-4_39a977BFcr-7afINoPGwJzKobGME1lVrDHSUgmwPJjs/s1600/aeshna_eremita_male_aspects_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh66NJlMu4MU_-ecdkkmTbFkyg8rAq_Ig8rt9FuwGE6jvJqaIfb7DdU0RjN9M5lxZebhDDCy_2h1uvAKwURNc93Cogh_Ibgwc-4_39a977BFcr-7afINoPGwJzKobGME1lVrDHSUgmwPJjs/s400/aeshna_eremita_male_aspects_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">On the average Lake Darners are larger than Canada Darners; this male measured 75 mm in length. In addition the cerci of Aeshna eremita are strongly bent upward and bear prominent bumps on the upper surface, but without a Canada Darner handy to compare these features to the differences were not obvious in the field.</div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">A female Lake Darner, at 72 mm almost as long as the male encountered on September 15th. The field marks are right on the money and identical to those of the male, with a notched (the notch being nearly semi-circular) first thoracic stripe and wide second thoracic stripe ...</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOYR6DjeqbsCqEEuXehtsMDi4XhytVaWpJ1Jyxz39XQVkicTPL6JybmHZE6Z8ebJNGUfExOK_1vhDMo1wE1l4Zmru6McRQdpnbYMBqWVtT1-OWT4Ia2YQpPS6zX7MCsbqas7FkJosCl_E/s1600/aeshna_eremita_female_lateral_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOYR6DjeqbsCqEEuXehtsMDi4XhytVaWpJ1Jyxz39XQVkicTPL6JybmHZE6Z8ebJNGUfExOK_1vhDMo1wE1l4Zmru6McRQdpnbYMBqWVtT1-OWT4Ia2YQpPS6zX7MCsbqas7FkJosCl_E/s400/aeshna_eremita_female_lateral_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">... a central line on S2 joining the band on S1, and fused blue spots on S10 (the male deviated on this feature, his were touching, but just barely).</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTutukCA8ndP7GrOU5e7lYz0H-3IDneV5uO8giOdpORVZeUvzu2xS79gtG7w62FLSaOJVHEebasCdhAmSylgkauX34eG6V2IpbYpUIAZhp-Kc0iuzqQJgp7kl_QUgwe9x3SdMH-YxNyw1b/s1600/aeshna_eremita_female_dorsal_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTutukCA8ndP7GrOU5e7lYz0H-3IDneV5uO8giOdpORVZeUvzu2xS79gtG7w62FLSaOJVHEebasCdhAmSylgkauX34eG6V2IpbYpUIAZhp-Kc0iuzqQJgp7kl_QUgwe9x3SdMH-YxNyw1b/s400/aeshna_eremita_female_dorsal_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">A closeup of the face depicting the cross-stripe.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTkuNAPQmCp5p1fZAAQVFrkbGbiyREAZvkK_R5Bma8MDH2s-uA4CmL4EYCuSr2wFxAbhyphenhyphenIxvTskqFbWdpvjDPZCvFVnCaxDYSrw08yu3oOWGncJFy5n6H2YJG0X6VwkhQwv13cDwOUn44D/s1600/aeshna_eremita_female_face_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTkuNAPQmCp5p1fZAAQVFrkbGbiyREAZvkK_R5Bma8MDH2s-uA4CmL4EYCuSr2wFxAbhyphenhyphenIxvTskqFbWdpvjDPZCvFVnCaxDYSrw08yu3oOWGncJFy5n6H2YJG0X6VwkhQwv13cDwOUn44D/s400/aeshna_eremita_female_face_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The terminal appendages (cerci) are rounded at their tips and similar to those of the female Canada Darner. Again, note the fused blue spots on S10.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-xVfOZU4oYFPAbDevA6WCgnvzgdyv2Q_D55vrMf4QS-OkOsZPb2XD_Yu_bA6svvu0MkeskLJKPJmzuJbnJRr1u6Qc34dg-QN46You-1ESOZ6ny9pGq6cXHkthQVyqJM9YlbvVV2O8KWo/s1600/aeshna_eremita_female_appendages_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-xVfOZU4oYFPAbDevA6WCgnvzgdyv2Q_D55vrMf4QS-OkOsZPb2XD_Yu_bA6svvu0MkeskLJKPJmzuJbnJRr1u6Qc34dg-QN46You-1ESOZ6ny9pGq6cXHkthQVyqJM9YlbvVV2O8KWo/s400/aeshna_eremita_female_appendages_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Details of the genital plate and styli, however, these features aren't useful for separating this darner from other related species (at any rate, they are not mentioned in field guides).</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJMd2v36IqgJxkHnrf-j6CObieheXxgSgiVxjUwxE-AiUuDpsZdiYsEpbkWlcoJBmbfqYPCZ8IecaeHalIoGz2zpzXJtOjp7cLJmTpMrfiCxM8g4eYxBmBDmb2s7922qPgj5tlKmMUv7g/s1600/aeshna_eremita_female_styli_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJMd2v36IqgJxkHnrf-j6CObieheXxgSgiVxjUwxE-AiUuDpsZdiYsEpbkWlcoJBmbfqYPCZ8IecaeHalIoGz2zpzXJtOjp7cLJmTpMrfiCxM8g4eYxBmBDmb2s7922qPgj5tlKmMUv7g/s400/aeshna_eremita_female_styli_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The Lake Darners encountered thus far have been unbelievably tame. The female had captured an insect and, looking for a place to sit and eat it in peace, tried perching on my face twice. A male (perhaps attracted to the female?) stopped to perch in the tall grass within arm's reach as the female was being photographed.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-86180994006691555762014-09-13T09:00:00.000-07:002014-09-13T09:04:18.414-07:00A Stinkhorn is Born<p align = "left">Theoretically, in the best of all possible worlds a stinkhorn can expand from its immature "egg" stage to full size within thirty minutes. It actually takes several days to produce the nascent fruitbodies (primordia), but once formed, the fungus can bulk up rapidly by taking in water.<br/ ><br/ >The following series of photos illustrating the growth of a Ravenel's Stinkhorn (Phallus ravenellii) spans about seven hours, maybe not fast enough to win any medals in the Fungal Olympiad 100 mm dash, but still a respectable rate of growth.</p>
<div align = "center">10:09 AM</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHvJNaNaYkkvXiBfclkV5uACcOjOP3suHNNR833sZCHVOXJpWFsc8DJsb7YPE2EjzF28Qmn0uv9TVdYMOluiL-hVWW8P8RH801d0Oz7R0K6GoCwYk7hkIs-JXzX5b0LSy2auSJBEWcV5MV/s1600/01_phallus_ravenelii_growth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHvJNaNaYkkvXiBfclkV5uACcOjOP3suHNNR833sZCHVOXJpWFsc8DJsb7YPE2EjzF28Qmn0uv9TVdYMOluiL-hVWW8P8RH801d0Oz7R0K6GoCwYk7hkIs-JXzX5b0LSy2auSJBEWcV5MV/s400/01_phallus_ravenelii_growth.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">10:52 AM</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyZ4EF5lyI35RAIhNwCtiLxtNHnTnbaa4HTpl3JbMBjXvpzrcd2MBqMwa5XJD6q40I1l3Q-pe3T2ZzmFzouuuuYv8jTF-2X5MMyrk1mM6QGq7w22wJu9mG1kMoWaP1bRenQPVtHn8d9OI/s1600/02_phallus_ravenelii_growth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyZ4EF5lyI35RAIhNwCtiLxtNHnTnbaa4HTpl3JbMBjXvpzrcd2MBqMwa5XJD6q40I1l3Q-pe3T2ZzmFzouuuuYv8jTF-2X5MMyrk1mM6QGq7w22wJu9mG1kMoWaP1bRenQPVtHn8d9OI/s400/02_phallus_ravenelii_growth.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">11:30 AM ... soon enough there were flies were checking out the sticky – and despite its obnoxious odor – sugary goo, which also contains the spores.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMmVoxfOqWN6UR_HISZ-7BHijrO0X7Oiz4BFRI3vwT9E8xl8jjmaclPUM1RTlDuBNCJzU2o11roviIODXgU-uqGskTN_tp-E5qnkpJuBMjyF8nCuXnGSH1j9Sgcoiz3OFkuZJ9sNUTf9Pr/s1600/03_phallus_ravenelii_growth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMmVoxfOqWN6UR_HISZ-7BHijrO0X7Oiz4BFRI3vwT9E8xl8jjmaclPUM1RTlDuBNCJzU2o11roviIODXgU-uqGskTN_tp-E5qnkpJuBMjyF8nCuXnGSH1j9Sgcoiz3OFkuZJ9sNUTf9Pr/s400/03_phallus_ravenelii_growth.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">12:02 PM</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYP0wAO7j9C14iLZXd88cJKndBoz5UkPtuXUpNKDPOQnppmmU_kV20lN99NZ9YkSiewL0Sb-WIBcGt21wD_8cQ_ImdPP4om5PHAB9YTf_GxIkXAD6x-dihnqnsjGRd1xET8EkTztMhVtpq/s1600/04_phallus_ravenelii_growth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYP0wAO7j9C14iLZXd88cJKndBoz5UkPtuXUpNKDPOQnppmmU_kV20lN99NZ9YkSiewL0Sb-WIBcGt21wD_8cQ_ImdPP4om5PHAB9YTf_GxIkXAD6x-dihnqnsjGRd1xET8EkTztMhVtpq/s400/04_phallus_ravenelii_growth.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">12:37 PM</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXvSoQsKF7IocNBtsMPNdwUAW4oXDyh8bKF6DkySnmi8V-URnNKDtq7Mdldfdvntb8YL883eEp_Xui92uatI9GCDfu5ggbQNiF_kfJcErnLwOvp6h9K2DyAAhObjOulsNudC7_EUhPiO6/s1600/05_phallus_ravenelii_growth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXvSoQsKF7IocNBtsMPNdwUAW4oXDyh8bKF6DkySnmi8V-URnNKDtq7Mdldfdvntb8YL883eEp_Xui92uatI9GCDfu5ggbQNiF_kfJcErnLwOvp6h9K2DyAAhObjOulsNudC7_EUhPiO6/s400/05_phallus_ravenelii_growth.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">1:45 PM</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkvmd9Gz1EIKrJogc-GkuiRc4H3iuEsQenj_7k7ZaTa030ZogLQLW6RX-2NzAy0FvB6fTGc3mcZbzqxwaiUPeOH_Zt4ieEHOYKwjtLI96_3zOJpoFrl6KU2SG8iHIp5krT7zTf_f66mfc7/s1600/06_phallus_ravenelii_growth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkvmd9Gz1EIKrJogc-GkuiRc4H3iuEsQenj_7k7ZaTa030ZogLQLW6RX-2NzAy0FvB6fTGc3mcZbzqxwaiUPeOH_Zt4ieEHOYKwjtLI96_3zOJpoFrl6KU2SG8iHIp5krT7zTf_f66mfc7/s400/06_phallus_ravenelii_growth.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">2:54 PM</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTQuCIZFM6-EzztxRd-Md4GybJYIJ9J2Si_WNIkjkYGSRj4RLMGFgEf92SfUwS3JjyW3waRugLEi64V6iDuZYbAthS1l5D113a-LDHE82S5_NHcBA71Wf_-eXixWyS6tINnGv4FjSxfpk/s1600/07_phallus_ravenelii_growth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTQuCIZFM6-EzztxRd-Md4GybJYIJ9J2Si_WNIkjkYGSRj4RLMGFgEf92SfUwS3JjyW3waRugLEi64V6iDuZYbAthS1l5D113a-LDHE82S5_NHcBA71Wf_-eXixWyS6tINnGv4FjSxfpk/s400/07_phallus_ravenelii_growth.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">3:21 PM</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMP92UPwYT97MMDp-jMA32l6mrc-K7jIXx4f611O39GAOvfhdHgqaKPfnZM7F8TM1XI8374JB-bi88pzFbEik-U3AstLjCCnXizeu6A10yViK2kM_ihHdOz9l3n1LIe6PS8wOKekgypMRK/s1600/08_phallus_ravenelii_growth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMP92UPwYT97MMDp-jMA32l6mrc-K7jIXx4f611O39GAOvfhdHgqaKPfnZM7F8TM1XI8374JB-bi88pzFbEik-U3AstLjCCnXizeu6A10yViK2kM_ihHdOz9l3n1LIe6PS8wOKekgypMRK/s400/08_phallus_ravenelii_growth.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">4:59 PM</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmA5OE31xSUp0682FuW0ty80fb3G9kZlRPGzFoChJXQojt4nluVgVCl0tjD85Z1cscnkp8rsMhlKNq8-sh5V5_g8NWmUo8s7v9au2XyxbvkAl7h4neEJSK_0JV0SSbfWJzZc2orzNf1mT/s1600/09_phallus_ravenelii_growth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmA5OE31xSUp0682FuW0ty80fb3G9kZlRPGzFoChJXQojt4nluVgVCl0tjD85Z1cscnkp8rsMhlKNq8-sh5V5_g8NWmUo8s7v9au2XyxbvkAl7h4neEJSK_0JV0SSbfWJzZc2orzNf1mT/s400/09_phallus_ravenelii_growth.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">There was already an older stinkhorn to growing to the right of the "newborn"; the pair of fetid fungi made their presence known at a distance of a good three meters and no doubt insectile senses could detect the stinkhorn's odorous advertisment from a much greater distance. A carpenter ant and two species of flies paid a visit, and upon departure the insects took tiny samples of the spore mass with them, sowing the genes of the phallic fungi far and wide.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMG_r8Oy70rLM4DkWEl5tTKnko7p1d4EDj98m1HA6_hjT_Yo4BFFeboLq1YWp_3MTB_X_v8jLs_EU0NkxyryXLvmRX6vw6yhL5UY6HrvS01UTgIS0X-NXopYglkhqwrTz8LrDih7AgSfwt/s1600/phallus_ravenelii_group_06_07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMG_r8Oy70rLM4DkWEl5tTKnko7p1d4EDj98m1HA6_hjT_Yo4BFFeboLq1YWp_3MTB_X_v8jLs_EU0NkxyryXLvmRX6vw6yhL5UY6HrvS01UTgIS0X-NXopYglkhqwrTz8LrDih7AgSfwt/s400/phallus_ravenelii_group_06_07.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-LA-kG9tCiXV97CW-0CAXxUpISBFspFCCSyN-_z04ccYYLSxtnDKIvP-Cn2jQtOcuMcEvdQQeYtRR5u4MxWY41_M8uZCnRV4Bz5UtEGJcEMk2wALBt8r9jGtHcjyLNTyveMjbwaDyDRZ/s1600/phallus_ravenelii_with_fly_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-LA-kG9tCiXV97CW-0CAXxUpISBFspFCCSyN-_z04ccYYLSxtnDKIvP-Cn2jQtOcuMcEvdQQeYtRR5u4MxWY41_M8uZCnRV4Bz5UtEGJcEMk2wALBt8r9jGtHcjyLNTyveMjbwaDyDRZ/s400/phallus_ravenelii_with_fly_06.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdUSl60Np7PCrTdtPwuaXW5DY_WZ_BN4fYOBkABKFgaeRDHbt4_y-2SG44Wi_QBAqkVLsoQ9ebSM9jo9LGb3QGu2waAA93ApKGo8c3qBA7C8eIqyYjSbPFy3TdcV1KxkCx4lfwWbtSAXH/s1600/phallus_ravenelii_with_fly_ant_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdUSl60Np7PCrTdtPwuaXW5DY_WZ_BN4fYOBkABKFgaeRDHbt4_y-2SG44Wi_QBAqkVLsoQ9ebSM9jo9LGb3QGu2waAA93ApKGo8c3qBA7C8eIqyYjSbPFy3TdcV1KxkCx4lfwWbtSAXH/s400/phallus_ravenelii_with_fly_ant_06.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">A few other fungi were present on the lawn, such as these Xylaria polymorpha, more commonly called Dead Man's Fingers, and they do indeed resemble four fingers – and a thumb – poking out of the ground.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIp4Nv-rlWMMxnR7m4AGI-wDCGcT4x3bHD65Gr-eBCmdO5P3Q6droJeel22YW3F9nJGlbZDKvWVCp2krfC-BUpi-q_sWllf4QnUM3hpVkItuk2ta2J5xRppKFjSm7O7HxjIdzegkGgSvCW/s1600/xylaria_polymorpha_group_07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIp4Nv-rlWMMxnR7m4AGI-wDCGcT4x3bHD65Gr-eBCmdO5P3Q6droJeel22YW3F9nJGlbZDKvWVCp2krfC-BUpi-q_sWllf4QnUM3hpVkItuk2ta2J5xRppKFjSm7O7HxjIdzegkGgSvCW/s400/xylaria_polymorpha_group_07.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">This cluster of Bird's-Nest Fungi has seen better days and is too old to identify as to species. The "eggs" (periodoles) – each containing thousands of spores – that usually occupy the bottoms of the cups or nests (peridia) are long gone, leaving only their impressions in the bottoms of the cups. Like the stinkhorns, Bird's-Nest Fungi deviate from the usual fungal scheme of relying on the wind for spore dispersal. The "eggs" are ejected when a raindrop hits the "nest"; each egg has a sticky string (funiculus) that latches on to sticks, leaves and other woodland floor litter.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAPdwTKotOcYtd4ZiUmSPMA4QzEXJYcP_X4VNNA12KCQ68l205SNGJ_loJeuOP5qJG5SuRHlgH-VbO5QLpR7vRUQ-fG15PTZozFeXtcSUPzYKk3PMjWa0vmX1dVsCq4iAEkQZ1fIY295Z/s1600/cyathus_striatus_group_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAPdwTKotOcYtd4ZiUmSPMA4QzEXJYcP_X4VNNA12KCQ68l205SNGJ_loJeuOP5qJG5SuRHlgH-VbO5QLpR7vRUQ-fG15PTZozFeXtcSUPzYKk3PMjWa0vmX1dVsCq4iAEkQZ1fIY295Z/s400/cyathus_striatus_group_04.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Should you happen to be a nematode worm, fear this fungus! Rather featureless and nondescript, it not only makes up for an unremarkable appearance with a tongue-twisting not so ho-hum handle – Hohenbuehelia angustata – it is also a predator, or more accurately, <a href = "http://www.uoguelph.ca/~gbarron/2008/june208.htm">nematophagous</a>.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhz9rHEe15eM3dYLjzLZCf7ONRJayK2nNZbiKT9bV3DSJ9P03axjqFXZ3TAm4zFIgOKdyxTSdPN2whDOxNS5U867HSRgng15_RB2EeEFchFYMhXRkMo3mep42-ch99uMr3-q3_XplRewv/s1600/hohenbuehelia_angustata_group_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhz9rHEe15eM3dYLjzLZCf7ONRJayK2nNZbiKT9bV3DSJ9P03axjqFXZ3TAm4zFIgOKdyxTSdPN2whDOxNS5U867HSRgng15_RB2EeEFchFYMhXRkMo3mep42-ch99uMr3-q3_XplRewv/s400/hohenbuehelia_angustata_group_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0j8LmRf0rewhcTdhISCZ9K73Rjnk1L-nkyXy-2PfbtQHygfOXof53SsXovgDKfgUg7kxTqgEkAyg6kCgxkU-ldfb7rXtauvj82HMcwJaW6iy2ePL8nXN69AI7woWI37aaFuYiRUwT_bgj/s1600/hohenbuehelia_angustata_gills_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0j8LmRf0rewhcTdhISCZ9K73Rjnk1L-nkyXy-2PfbtQHygfOXof53SsXovgDKfgUg7kxTqgEkAyg6kCgxkU-ldfb7rXtauvj82HMcwJaW6iy2ePL8nXN69AI7woWI37aaFuYiRUwT_bgj/s400/hohenbuehelia_angustata_gills_01.jpg" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-60656783829385242162014-09-05T11:32:00.000-07:002014-09-24T14:13:43.843-07:00Easily identified Aeshna<p align = "left">In contrast to the <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2014/08/difficult-to-distinguish-darners.html">difficult to distinguish females of the Lance-tipped Darner and Black-tipped Darner</a>, the following two dragonflies are distinctive and can often be identified in flight if seen at close range. The females of both species are colored and patterned pretty much like the the males.</p>
<div align = "left">Shadow Darner (Aeshna umbrosa), male – photographed in early September
<br/ >
<br/ >Habitat – Tweed, Ontario: a marsh west of town, bordering the Eastern Ontario Trail (44.46889°, -77.31528°). Typical local wetland with rushes, Cattails, Arrowheads and other emergent vegetation, the predominant shrubs are Speckled Alders and various species of Willow
<br/ >Behavior – prefers to fly over small open areas of water among the alders and willows
<br/ >
<br/ >– the narrow yellowish-green thoracic stripes are recurved at the top (underneath the wings), resembling walking canes
<br/ >– relatively small greenish abdominal spots, giving the dragonfly a darker aspect than other local Aeshna spp
<br/ >– the spatulate cerci appear similar to those of the Lance-tipped Darner when viewed laterally, but are wider and look very different in dorsal view
<br/ >– no cross-stripe on the face, or a very thin brown line at most</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCRP29JNh7aWffZtOMPRp3ds98MLX3jRaxzKTMs60Xc3B1_EvWG5bqpoEd2s4pX-zcZhdBa0d2gTE7wD7gGRP5ODOcwa7bSd9I8sB-XG8w4DOyOLDr_zpLuD8zEqeb5r9Y6TjizTN31RC/s1600/aeshna_umbrosa_male_collage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCRP29JNh7aWffZtOMPRp3ds98MLX3jRaxzKTMs60Xc3B1_EvWG5bqpoEd2s4pX-zcZhdBa0d2gTE7wD7gGRP5ODOcwa7bSd9I8sB-XG8w4DOyOLDr_zpLuD8zEqeb5r9Y6TjizTN31RC/s400/aeshna_umbrosa_male_collage.JPG" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">A green form female Shadow Darner encountered in late September.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbcbPsliE6FMhyphenhyphenK4YaowENHJHOUyTFbArx5j-nzuWwFYu_PA7GBJlXXy7wg4IUaHBJQ7kGNFf4RYIhyr1wf7Uc1rO4KuInRLRUuFay8Cv7MMRB2Zgp2nnSOh635Uvkp0hb0ClZID_ULBD1/s1600/aeshna_umbrosa_green_female_collage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbcbPsliE6FMhyphenhyphenK4YaowENHJHOUyTFbArx5j-nzuWwFYu_PA7GBJlXXy7wg4IUaHBJQ7kGNFf4RYIhyr1wf7Uc1rO4KuInRLRUuFay8Cv7MMRB2Zgp2nnSOh635Uvkp0hb0ClZID_ULBD1/s400/aeshna_umbrosa_green_female_collage.JPG" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Mottled Darner (Aeshna clepsydra), male – photographed in early September
<br/ >
<br/ >Habitat – Tweed, Ontario: Stoco Lake, east of the boat pier (44.474563°, -77.306227°). Sand and mud bottom, relatively shallow stagnant water, emergent plants such as rushes, White Water Lilies, Wapato and Pickerelweed
<br/ >Behavior – forages low amidst the rushes and other emergent vegetation along the lake shoreline
<br/ >
<br/ >– the lateral sides of the thorax are mottled in yellow, green and blue
<br/ >– relatively large light blue abdominal spots, giving the dragonfly a much paler aspect than other local Aeshna spp
<br/ >– the cerci are straight and unadorned, with a small spine at the tip
<br/ >– the face has a dark cross-stripe</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzDKj1ZFxPrKKKgIbbe_TgPekjlOpHse6zYa3eE1yVhSFciBSVMcyX6CIoUxwKwFHww0LiO8jN10bMdJZ8gLqPmlFzh8e9XFlYpjZTsgUQDDLkv-wz4Oi0_UsJ2HY10BRK2ouo8dubGtCw/s1600/aeshna_clepsydra_male_collage_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzDKj1ZFxPrKKKgIbbe_TgPekjlOpHse6zYa3eE1yVhSFciBSVMcyX6CIoUxwKwFHww0LiO8jN10bMdJZ8gLqPmlFzh8e9XFlYpjZTsgUQDDLkv-wz4Oi0_UsJ2HY10BRK2ouo8dubGtCw/s400/aeshna_clepsydra_male_collage_01.JPG" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnXYm5uO08oUaQDbhjKiAOP3NuZqmX7BVUW5o6RxE_DtvAFAUjJ7VlEn1YqcqGcFRdK8DeTR58-cGgh2PFC0oTDPyfZHdrfs8Ert8vBddoYekc6Ua1x5rKXI12lWX3a82L7MgmmFd6j9G/s1600/aeshna_clepsydra_male_collage_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnXYm5uO08oUaQDbhjKiAOP3NuZqmX7BVUW5o6RxE_DtvAFAUjJ7VlEn1YqcqGcFRdK8DeTR58-cGgh2PFC0oTDPyfZHdrfs8Ert8vBddoYekc6Ua1x5rKXI12lWX3a82L7MgmmFd6j9G/s400/aeshna_clepsydra_male_collage_02.JPG" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The Mottled Darner might be easy to identify, but it is a difficult dragonfly to find, an uncommonly encountered odonate at best. It was a real privilege to watch three of these dazzling darners foraging only a half a meter away, flitting just above the water among the emergent rushes near the boat pier (there were others flying further east among the rushes and Pickerelweed, but not close enough to be absolutely certain they were indeed Mottled Darners). The last known encounter in the Tweed area was on <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2009/09/mottled-darner-aeshna-clepsydra.html">September 24th, 2009</a>.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-74506300697181176792014-09-02T13:32:00.000-07:002014-09-02T13:35:12.320-07:00A Well Known Spider<p align = "left">A friend brought me this impressively large female spider – a good 25 mm in length – for identification, he said his porch was literally crawling with them. I had never seen anything like it before and after several fruitless Internet searches was none the wiser as to its identity.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqb4ziocoXr5BxFBz18vTiBjd5XVTZn4_j0g_5avs5TnCgPYhy8ouLmCRG46s2XLdslyTAGEeHXcz6V6TcmUxW5LekyU9ax21bEd8iH0TWOp4zvPUGfvkLPHLHCIlpRpbfheXkesPbnbA/s1600/araneus_cavaticus_dorsal_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqb4ziocoXr5BxFBz18vTiBjd5XVTZn4_j0g_5avs5TnCgPYhy8ouLmCRG46s2XLdslyTAGEeHXcz6V6TcmUxW5LekyU9ax21bEd8iH0TWOp4zvPUGfvkLPHLHCIlpRpbfheXkesPbnbA/s400/araneus_cavaticus_dorsal_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgssNfv0nylG4Yu-LIO3swKJjIeWoUhEDjizFQ1P49hR377aUCdIjn0AkqCW6X7NxRNjCNFAS1PABl4Y6wkrOH4kw0Vfhh6aV8N3GSoY06XrokiLEfXn67CaK8OFfNCm3eLzxWvQB2P5Lp6/s1600/araneus_cavaticus_oblique_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgssNfv0nylG4Yu-LIO3swKJjIeWoUhEDjizFQ1P49hR377aUCdIjn0AkqCW6X7NxRNjCNFAS1PABl4Y6wkrOH4kw0Vfhh6aV8N3GSoY06XrokiLEfXn67CaK8OFfNCm3eLzxWvQB2P5Lp6/s400/araneus_cavaticus_oblique_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrfd4Wyx5O5B4DCEP-B4WS9PXN93ywb0OaK_XHdzS5uiZzp44fB38yqExmJZjXlxB2WiCQBILqM3m8_Fpqk1cPiItBPnb2bqaLisyVg0_IvoqRsSyoTyYGfrN6n9hqCsh4TIoPzVM24cu/s1600/araneus_cavaticus_lateral_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrfd4Wyx5O5B4DCEP-B4WS9PXN93ywb0OaK_XHdzS5uiZzp44fB38yqExmJZjXlxB2WiCQBILqM3m8_Fpqk1cPiItBPnb2bqaLisyVg0_IvoqRsSyoTyYGfrN6n9hqCsh4TIoPzVM24cu/s400/araneus_cavaticus_lateral_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYBm2CO29byC90olxgjYLiKzmhVfMhyOnPZc5QtHMmSNFIcCZWiQzI-NOgIlGAKJw4HKsJQ6BS6dvvTmueCvgq_gqT-9t3acGCRH9WhNxuQJvcFElAoPmKFRNSdtnKPvFRLdfIZXGyYzHc/s1600/araneus_cavaticus_ventral_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYBm2CO29byC90olxgjYLiKzmhVfMhyOnPZc5QtHMmSNFIcCZWiQzI-NOgIlGAKJw4HKsJQ6BS6dvvTmueCvgq_gqT-9t3acGCRH9WhNxuQJvcFElAoPmKFRNSdtnKPvFRLdfIZXGyYzHc/s400/araneus_cavaticus_ventral_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/><div align = "center">The eye pattern is definitely Araneus.</div>
<br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKLJ1tuh56b8IWT50DCxYItqZVGpDyco_t53bUjabjggOHG-XI5Jl3W0Cw-QJm2oY3hfOf94KMgm41gBiV32R07GnCztVh4hY5gFn0qiZYk3RTtFPT3zTuDK3Xfh_j-04KT1TrvoKaZ4c/s1600/araneus_cavaticus_eyes_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKLJ1tuh56b8IWT50DCxYItqZVGpDyco_t53bUjabjggOHG-XI5Jl3W0Cw-QJm2oY3hfOf94KMgm41gBiV32R07GnCztVh4hY5gFn0qiZYk3RTtFPT3zTuDK3Xfh_j-04KT1TrvoKaZ4c/s400/araneus_cavaticus_eyes_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/><div align = "center">Ventral aspect of the chelicerae</div>
<br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSaw__DtWp_I7oVmpP8l6onZ2rC6SZrq5h5H5TGh74yF4cXnh5W6QXNaWcPgXFM6E46ftuSULScAYie_4HHbzCHjAZIBL3M2iRE7oaJ-kGf6Ft_OimOc0G8i9Sw5EnumyEpigjR14iDGs/s1600/araneus_cavaticus_chelicerae_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSaw__DtWp_I7oVmpP8l6onZ2rC6SZrq5h5H5TGh74yF4cXnh5W6QXNaWcPgXFM6E46ftuSULScAYie_4HHbzCHjAZIBL3M2iRE7oaJ-kGf6Ft_OimOc0G8i9Sw5EnumyEpigjR14iDGs/s400/araneus_cavaticus_chelicerae_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/><div align = "center">Scape</div>
<br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdvQ3VGCkpC8jdHRnfPA2LXfoQjTJcNoMdKTc7LVCnfTTgHg2W3fijiAw0whcGNO4zGe5MssRx0K5mfj3sJtrbeCFW_hlOYwyjiW6iGUSSFlA325xmwUL2I8R6PoYoJPKdqyOVxciCKTI/s1600/araneus_cavaticus_scape_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdvQ3VGCkpC8jdHRnfPA2LXfoQjTJcNoMdKTc7LVCnfTTgHg2W3fijiAw0whcGNO4zGe5MssRx0K5mfj3sJtrbeCFW_hlOYwyjiW6iGUSSFlA325xmwUL2I8R6PoYoJPKdqyOVxciCKTI/s400/araneus_cavaticus_scape_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/><div align = "left">The photos of the spider were uploaded to <a href = "http://bugguide.net/node/view/986569">BugGuide.Net</a> and the mystery arachnid was quickly pegged as a Barn Spider (Araneus cavaticus). I'm reliably informed by many other people that this spider is by no means rare, in fact, it's very common on and under porches, in barns and other rural outbuildings – and yet my submission to BugGuide.Net is the first data point for Ontario.</div>
<br/><div align = "left">In fact this spider is not only ubiquitous but has no small claim to fame – this is Charlotte A. Cavatica in the children's book Charlotte's Web, written by E.B. White.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-56779636520663526542014-09-02T11:46:00.001-07:002014-09-02T12:02:02.268-07:00Saffron-winged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum costiferum)<p align = "left">Attaining a length of up to 35 mm (± 2 mm), the Saffron-winged Meadowhawk appears larger in the field than the average Sympetrum spp, approaching the size of a Blue Dasher. This meadowhawk's behaviour also quite different from that of its cousins, it's wary and extremely difficult to approach, staying on the wing for long periods, and preferring to rest on the vegetation over the water rather than the shoreline plants.<br/ ><br/ >The Saffron-winged Meadowhawk is reputed to be local and uncommon, and I had always considered it to be rare as it's seldom encountered in this neck of the woods, my last (and to date, only!) sighting was at Stoco Lake in early August, 2009.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pEcd8ytaGb15yAiIgFnTZFF5wjndGLLKbPpaSdY5TaGk77YTRu2ktnUWItMLHglvIva5sXK7LWWQtuZhBAPz_R2pijfIF9yUNt4dH3Vr93UbMT7VgaVzjBXnPGqaj9LdBx7ti8dBEA1b/s1600/sympetrum_costiferum_m2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pEcd8ytaGb15yAiIgFnTZFF5wjndGLLKbPpaSdY5TaGk77YTRu2ktnUWItMLHglvIva5sXK7LWWQtuZhBAPz_R2pijfIF9yUNt4dH3Vr93UbMT7VgaVzjBXnPGqaj9LdBx7ti8dBEA1b/s400/sympetrum_costiferum_m2.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">But perhaps it isn't so uncommon after all, maybe successful "dragonhunting" is a matter of finding suitable habitat first and then looking for the dragonfly. Dry Lake, south of Marlbank near the intersection of Hog's Back Road and Moneymore Road (44.419895°, -77.107758°), is quite unlike other local wetlands – it's shallow and very calcerous, with a slimy, limy bottom, and several fen indicator plant species were present along the shoreline.<br/ ><br/ >As often as not, different water conditions and plant life generally mean a different suite of dragonflies ... and on the afternoon of August 24, I lucked out and sighted two Saffron-winged Meadowhawks.</div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The sides of the Saffron-winged Meadowhawk's thorax are a rusty brown color, giving the insect a distinctly darker aspect in the field than other meadowhawks (we're talking about the mature male in these photos, females and young males are yellow-orange). According to the books the legs have fine yellow stripes, a feature lacking in this individual, but perhaps (this is guesswork on my part) this is an older insect and the marks on the legs have faded with age.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXEVZMomUgLmINqVJWE3B4XTEq9Ccq3uSP4ABFi5bK_NkFg4ZEzmYeXtiaIOJemw4LuPovZDS_GLFVyUEC0z5OLlScHlHNHDRnfZK8a_2_v5SH-BKyGFfKVG3S1tFjN2fBJDVuwelYMO56/s1600/sympetrum_costiferum_male_lateral_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXEVZMomUgLmINqVJWE3B4XTEq9Ccq3uSP4ABFi5bK_NkFg4ZEzmYeXtiaIOJemw4LuPovZDS_GLFVyUEC0z5OLlScHlHNHDRnfZK8a_2_v5SH-BKyGFfKVG3S1tFjN2fBJDVuwelYMO56/s400/sympetrum_costiferum_male_lateral_05.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The veins along the front edges of the wings are saffron (this fades with increasing age), and the sides of the abdomen bear relatively thin black lateral markings rather than the large triangles of most of our other local Sympetrum species.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RT5Ufy97jt5ToLzQ3F9TMXfr5njAsuvV14kbHbERAK_DGJ2k3-vD8T7pKROKAfT7D1qCNRucF0CGijFEzWigGCcvKSGPUavQ3aifZJ1gnmIdO69uRCba_JelQqVzkrtPSFXCCNathefS/s1600/sympetrum_costiferum_male_wings_abdomen_lateral_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RT5Ufy97jt5ToLzQ3F9TMXfr5njAsuvV14kbHbERAK_DGJ2k3-vD8T7pKROKAfT7D1qCNRucF0CGijFEzWigGCcvKSGPUavQ3aifZJ1gnmIdO69uRCba_JelQqVzkrtPSFXCCNathefS/s400/sympetrum_costiferum_male_wings_abdomen_lateral_05.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">S8 and S9 usually have small black dorsal marks.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNWlpQW86Z_C2e6iUynPJOUyypTd8Bd6FiiQWXTkCrB_bc4Ag6sSp1veW6q6SwYz0KW-wMD0AVomDZoh6ZTAwqWiaFHBx8Zw0700w8PL6SrMXB63dGNMKip7ZzOMGe11P_GAhUA01Ti-f/s1600/sympetrum_costiferum_male_dorsal_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNWlpQW86Z_C2e6iUynPJOUyypTd8Bd6FiiQWXTkCrB_bc4Ag6sSp1veW6q6SwYz0KW-wMD0AVomDZoh6ZTAwqWiaFHBx8Zw0700w8PL6SrMXB63dGNMKip7ZzOMGe11P_GAhUA01Ti-f/s400/sympetrum_costiferum_male_dorsal_05.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">A mug shot.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0V5x3qbeIOI-K6SoAxoICjjO0PGfWOxg4D6blMdk3e-V6Gz8nwp_OcL7A5g8sJph_YcKvAxOvDNUoQjwKjKyTYhIC8TfQRXvQwO4l_WvD6MqxLooURf1KpLSdnuPjNC7iUonrmFT1IeuH/s1600/sympetrum_costiferum_male_face_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0V5x3qbeIOI-K6SoAxoICjjO0PGfWOxg4D6blMdk3e-V6Gz8nwp_OcL7A5g8sJph_YcKvAxOvDNUoQjwKjKyTYhIC8TfQRXvQwO4l_WvD6MqxLooURf1KpLSdnuPjNC7iUonrmFT1IeuH/s400/sympetrum_costiferum_male_face_05.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">The long pterostigmata are reddish-orange.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhR0Oai2D2VgECzWB0gmnQ55tGyUlGW2LIooh2VcvqmU5RWcvhiWpf4tdnU_heMNgjRYafdv5I7-Zj1tUwq-W2WVyVffJNahrw7vQiX6589t7TnQejwJP2FVkRvAm74yDed2_OZkCZizZP/s1600/sympetrum_costiferum_male_pterostigmata_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhR0Oai2D2VgECzWB0gmnQ55tGyUlGW2LIooh2VcvqmU5RWcvhiWpf4tdnU_heMNgjRYafdv5I7-Zj1tUwq-W2WVyVffJNahrw7vQiX6589t7TnQejwJP2FVkRvAm74yDed2_OZkCZizZP/s400/sympetrum_costiferum_male_pterostigmata_05.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">A ventral view of the abdomen and a closeup of the epiporoct.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZvSnEZrppiHTP3JwBQ8PdrpGXIfxvC1KlkWj8eR67Utelt5YqM5o_B_ouLe3zSRUAUy1zvd1z2dfhicRctPT7mJZq7WIm022uMmNElgvpuSnoA_1MmIEAhq8tIlmdFuKOHQuHynjun8b/s1600/sympetrum_costiferum_male_abdomen_ventral_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZvSnEZrppiHTP3JwBQ8PdrpGXIfxvC1KlkWj8eR67Utelt5YqM5o_B_ouLe3zSRUAUy1zvd1z2dfhicRctPT7mJZq7WIm022uMmNElgvpuSnoA_1MmIEAhq8tIlmdFuKOHQuHynjun8b/s400/sympetrum_costiferum_male_abdomen_ventral_05.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7T3aOZbiHp4PP7tcYh0c57Yzta-6qoAZTW1JaycLYq9OhtqNA-AqRMhfSuxk1L8yKBIidyRwOTCpVXWp4ZqHUTZ1JmrIBpY82bpQfTx4vsI2YMsfDWXYpjhwWPd0dG3Hv8WfNwpbwEuL/s1600/sympetrum_costiferum_male_terminalia_ventral_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7T3aOZbiHp4PP7tcYh0c57Yzta-6qoAZTW1JaycLYq9OhtqNA-AqRMhfSuxk1L8yKBIidyRwOTCpVXWp4ZqHUTZ1JmrIBpY82bpQfTx4vsI2YMsfDWXYpjhwWPd0dG3Hv8WfNwpbwEuL/s400/sympetrum_costiferum_male_terminalia_ventral_05.jpg" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-73602856382862793042014-09-02T10:18:00.002-07:002014-09-02T10:35:31.684-07:00Upland White Aster (Solidago ptarmicoides)<p align = "left">Formerly grouped with the asters and named Aster ptarmicoides, the taxonomical powers that be decided that this plant's flower structure is more akin to that of the goldenrods and moved it to the genus Solidago (which are themselves members of the family Asteraceae, so when all is said and done, this is still an "aster").<br/ ><br/ >Sunny, dry areas in alvars and calcerous fens are a good place to look for the Upland White Aster; these photos were taken in mid-August at the Menzel Centennial Provincial Nature Reserve, and Dry Lake south of Marlbank. In fact, at Dry Lake it was growing with other plants associated with the Stoco Fen, such as Shrubby Cinquefoil and Grass of Parnassus.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rUQJNjZQytUimVECvbn7fnbT3ub1WA4xn50n6WIQb5erUlTamRgj8gnrFDn4AlORdxTDkI7At11lL7-i8W5E3xZJ2ndcMMwvl_IMpRyZ4VnbuKpKe-BMNqbCyEsrufuj3aRuzwy9cOpP/s1600/solidago_ptarmicoides_flowers_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rUQJNjZQytUimVECvbn7fnbT3ub1WA4xn50n6WIQb5erUlTamRgj8gnrFDn4AlORdxTDkI7At11lL7-i8W5E3xZJ2ndcMMwvl_IMpRyZ4VnbuKpKe-BMNqbCyEsrufuj3aRuzwy9cOpP/s400/solidago_ptarmicoides_flowers_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHC9hf-EfdkTZpvdU2LLMwqq2Iv_THPoRLA8umznmJ9AU733z_56upA3I7HivzQybkmtHhDTS5hGXP5yW0V9GvyNfBC6i775bhYUG3xk9gK_C68-HLYFRA4A33WXwo0pkR-msI-DVTppLr/s1600/solidago_ptarmicoides_flowers_closeup_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHC9hf-EfdkTZpvdU2LLMwqq2Iv_THPoRLA8umznmJ9AU733z_56upA3I7HivzQybkmtHhDTS5hGXP5yW0V9GvyNfBC6i775bhYUG3xk9gK_C68-HLYFRA4A33WXwo0pkR-msI-DVTppLr/s400/solidago_ptarmicoides_flowers_closeup_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">A look at the involucral bracts or phyllaries.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EFZg7sOxJn825AYv0o7RILfT-6npLzGRLp1gBdG4MB1A68RyLeRvYiDQw3IVpV8XfL8e0JX6KWZ_02uh3OT326NzwWBe1xptWkEFf9vjBFN2lHqVVkUyDzZn6LqNUMH4vyNdLw1AYyce/s1600/solidago_ptarmicoides_phyllaries_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EFZg7sOxJn825AYv0o7RILfT-6npLzGRLp1gBdG4MB1A68RyLeRvYiDQw3IVpV8XfL8e0JX6KWZ_02uh3OT326NzwWBe1xptWkEFf9vjBFN2lHqVVkUyDzZn6LqNUMH4vyNdLw1AYyce/s400/solidago_ptarmicoides_phyllaries_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEielL9ehGmfqu74Co-u9jDu3PBgFC-TFCZpFPuHcjbaSvGoNmqAVKtFAghv6ZqPv0W6fX1wlU7moUX0g6iWF4fmBe2hcwexjggkFQgaP18UMKjcJs116vxWtwKNcbvi4DkNo4oE-lcIQpHG/s1600/solidago_ptarmicoides_phyllaries_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEielL9ehGmfqu74Co-u9jDu3PBgFC-TFCZpFPuHcjbaSvGoNmqAVKtFAghv6ZqPv0W6fX1wlU7moUX0g6iWF4fmBe2hcwexjggkFQgaP18UMKjcJs116vxWtwKNcbvi4DkNo4oE-lcIQpHG/s400/solidago_ptarmicoides_phyllaries_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">The stems and leaves.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWNtQvY9PyrT-qo2n7d6UttsOyZwFC2PtZZiTn3-h2DOAnomsbTcoWtwCUxNHE9Sqhko8bhMmfjKEAT3YSDcdw_tDRKf630MQ4aradtIuGNRzT0zUCSlFwLWbzL0O4poha3Sx1WhbZuxT/s1600/solidago_ptarmicoides_leaves_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWNtQvY9PyrT-qo2n7d6UttsOyZwFC2PtZZiTn3-h2DOAnomsbTcoWtwCUxNHE9Sqhko8bhMmfjKEAT3YSDcdw_tDRKf630MQ4aradtIuGNRzT0zUCSlFwLWbzL0O4poha3Sx1WhbZuxT/s400/solidago_ptarmicoides_leaves_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYhR5eBIiLQ21KYZchDUku0xuIYb3TwmRMrKfE3UMxLo85J4S9j-Xe7tLgVFyOGUpZ41ecLXCrQfKAod6LboEGwiaD5VhXfXQsy5rmhwMLeFRy5bUW28-99zD3Ziswy-wKh4T5rr0bpTB/s1600/solidago_ptarmicoides_stem_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYhR5eBIiLQ21KYZchDUku0xuIYb3TwmRMrKfE3UMxLo85J4S9j-Xe7tLgVFyOGUpZ41ecLXCrQfKAod6LboEGwiaD5VhXfXQsy5rmhwMLeFRy5bUW28-99zD3Ziswy-wKh4T5rr0bpTB/s400/solidago_ptarmicoides_stem_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">This showy little wildflower grows to a height of 30 cm to 50 cm, and, as further proof of its genetic kinship with the goldenrods, the Upland White Aster is known to <a href = "http://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/upland-white-goldenrod">hybridize with other species of Solidago</a>.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-18911338122831160442014-08-20T13:34:00.000-07:002014-08-22T13:16:37.524-07:00Difficult to distinguish Darners<p align = "left">Yes, even after seven years of "dragonhunting" there are some species that prove to be my nemesis (or should that be nemeses?) when it comes to separating them in the field, namely, the females of Black-tipped and Lance-tipped Darners.<br/ ><br/ >Male dragonflies are never a problem, they are easily distinguished by their terminalia, such as, for example, this male Black-tipped Darner (Aeshna tuberculifera). The inset shows the claspers and the "black-tip" – the all black S10, although in some individuals this segment may bear tiny blue spots.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7O63CVZ1Qmi3x1oypAjNeMTJiw3hALzbG8jHpLhJYQIIXHZWUgAHEHFcFL6KFY3JpMAaT2TSbfFjTax_xsI2c-hbcBIrfiY66uI1NGIVC4_LxJvC5TQ1LjYEMpBpVV9pecYuVxD9goSwV/s1600/aeshna_tuberculifera_male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7O63CVZ1Qmi3x1oypAjNeMTJiw3hALzbG8jHpLhJYQIIXHZWUgAHEHFcFL6KFY3JpMAaT2TSbfFjTax_xsI2c-hbcBIrfiY66uI1NGIVC4_LxJvC5TQ1LjYEMpBpVV9pecYuVxD9goSwV/s400/aeshna_tuberculifera_male.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The female Black-tipped Darner (Aeshna tuberculifera) is very similar to the male in terms of color and patterning. So far so good ...</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXWKP2U3qeh2yov2k-Am4zxOP1uMXXODAU3Snf4ARgObQO_iGcs9IubMeybYozUZF-BqMF7Xl0CC37kW_ISqYmYHfGjCmtMJfOJIKDGUAZCGklqdq6b72gGDrDM0CSiE7uexYMvPuYFGCd/s1600/aeshna_tuberculifera_female.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXWKP2U3qeh2yov2k-Am4zxOP1uMXXODAU3Snf4ARgObQO_iGcs9IubMeybYozUZF-BqMF7Xl0CC37kW_ISqYmYHfGjCmtMJfOJIKDGUAZCGklqdq6b72gGDrDM0CSiE7uexYMvPuYFGCd/s400/aeshna_tuberculifera_female.JPG" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Lance-tipped Darner (Aeshna constricta), male ... the inset illustrates the "lance-tipped" cerci, also note the blue spots on the upper surface of S10.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZb07PVtSS4zTUJ9nMIzVhf_vdngkaWzUK4Q2cfYLJ5KvxsWta3MSMUJSXAs874Vfdes0vJzIer7S8u0VbJw9hvobbYSPzx2Ae0XbRl_sYAlH8azxuCR5LznMS1j8PunMFRAaAaJ41An7/s1600/aeshna_constricta_male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZb07PVtSS4zTUJ9nMIzVhf_vdngkaWzUK4Q2cfYLJ5KvxsWta3MSMUJSXAs874Vfdes0vJzIer7S8u0VbJw9hvobbYSPzx2Ae0XbRl_sYAlH8azxuCR5LznMS1j8PunMFRAaAaJ41An7/s400/aeshna_constricta_male.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Now let's look at a couple of Lance-tipped Darner (Aeshna constricta) blue form females – as noted in field guides the styli are long and quite visible, but the styli of the Black-tipped Darner are noticeable as well, and lengths can be difficult to judge in the field. Unlike the male's last abdominal segment, the female Lance-tipped Darner's S10 doesn't bear any blue spots, so that doesn't help.<br/ ><br/ >With a length of 71 mm to 78 mm the Black-tipped Darner is theoretically larger than the Lance-tipped Darner, which weighs in at 65 mm to 72 mm. But length is also tough to guesstimate in the great outdoors, and who bothers to cart a ruler around with them on a nature hike?</div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">Lance-tipped Darner female #1</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXb4-Ug4V2ZnkjzU9CTndqBeyB3sYiFrwQlqd9yTJNpx-VaEbLg7xScMksSoa6Cm-LPDA48WkfNnOWUBoz1ufdsFz5H2TyGkFwaUacv-nD_C4ZSAwt8DuWK1axEeGILpkL10mXUtJ6CEk/s1600/aeshna_constricta_blue_female1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXb4-Ug4V2ZnkjzU9CTndqBeyB3sYiFrwQlqd9yTJNpx-VaEbLg7xScMksSoa6Cm-LPDA48WkfNnOWUBoz1ufdsFz5H2TyGkFwaUacv-nD_C4ZSAwt8DuWK1axEeGILpkL10mXUtJ6CEk/s400/aeshna_constricta_blue_female1.JPG" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhok9lMsM6dQBRW6gincF5ldIP6fSdWId78xwh0iGGxk9OjpszMQ6zQmPje3-5tOCMEcnbQ-ov5QCOrTQYhPFjWFyniRC0B_oexMbq8oDfkwFyHVetYYC-3kSE7SroXce_-2izJCB1VGNy7/s1600/aeshna_constricta_blue_female1_cerci.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhok9lMsM6dQBRW6gincF5ldIP6fSdWId78xwh0iGGxk9OjpszMQ6zQmPje3-5tOCMEcnbQ-ov5QCOrTQYhPFjWFyniRC0B_oexMbq8oDfkwFyHVetYYC-3kSE7SroXce_-2izJCB1VGNy7/s400/aeshna_constricta_blue_female1_cerci.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">Lance-tipped Darner female #2</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkEewaHfjWQnXjrWnJlQACxRfj6KTXKPN-qHiiCwhnIQGmtotIc9KAHXxjbuBNEjRO3JQt7QL3_efrLpF4QiAdRnQalniB1MpzGUcIUWg8iAl9W8GKNpfPtsTnvI3ysRn9wTGVh4Z0T2I/s1600/aeshna_constricta_blue_female2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkEewaHfjWQnXjrWnJlQACxRfj6KTXKPN-qHiiCwhnIQGmtotIc9KAHXxjbuBNEjRO3JQt7QL3_efrLpF4QiAdRnQalniB1MpzGUcIUWg8iAl9W8GKNpfPtsTnvI3ysRn9wTGVh4Z0T2I/s400/aeshna_constricta_blue_female2.JPG" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvL2bO0zMyw8B2WVvP9b7kSr811ViJJZ76yHcM_OPa9aPcS6rxBS7_K6rMaP5ycBwVhykl67EevqQf5q8xFlege42ZqRED81zc0PpQxu2I3Ad_3mF_V7r7E3qi0mBb-lqXnzkOZeyw91B/s1600/aeshna_constricta_blue_female2_cerci.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvL2bO0zMyw8B2WVvP9b7kSr811ViJJZ76yHcM_OPa9aPcS6rxBS7_K6rMaP5ycBwVhykl67EevqQf5q8xFlege42ZqRED81zc0PpQxu2I3Ad_3mF_V7r7E3qi0mBb-lqXnzkOZeyw91B/s400/aeshna_constricta_blue_female2_cerci.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The following study of the differences between the females of these two species is based both on the material found in field guides and my own observations. Markings can vary according to the individual insect and by region so I'm not sure how reliable my observations are in the context of the big picture, but they work for me.<br/ ><br/ >Lance-tipped Darner (Aeshna constricta), female:
<br/ >– The lateral thoracic stripes are relatively narrow and notched.
<br/ >– The dark lines separating the lateral blue abdominal spots are very straight and quite narrow.
<br/ >– The blue line on S2 is continuous, and there is generally more blue than dark in this area.
<br/ >The last two factors conspire to give the Lance-tipped Darner's abdomen a bluer overall aspect than the abdomen of the Black-tipped Darner.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpQB8WQ8yMvlyUBgjYyOhgCB3XPZlMbXnC5-ZprHnG89qc7w6geUWywS0HAVu7KJDL_DnhzxYv7DYW7ojFR1TypYK22lVvDIfMzx5CW22HUmRZw8E6AP3i9WJyoCkWp7OpDMjNDnSVhEK/s1600/aeshna_constricta_blue_female2_annotated.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpQB8WQ8yMvlyUBgjYyOhgCB3XPZlMbXnC5-ZprHnG89qc7w6geUWywS0HAVu7KJDL_DnhzxYv7DYW7ojFR1TypYK22lVvDIfMzx5CW22HUmRZw8E6AP3i9WJyoCkWp7OpDMjNDnSVhEK/s400/aeshna_constricta_blue_female2_annotated.JPG" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Comparing the female Black-tipped Darner (Aeshna tuberculifera):
<br/ >– The lateral thoracic stripes are broad and pale, sometimes almost white, and when the dragonfly is perched in a shady place they almost seem to glow.
<br/ >– The dark lines separating the lateral blue abdominal spots are somewhat irregular, and larger than in the Lance-tipped Darner.
<br/ >– The blue line on S2 is broken, there is more dark than blue on this part of the dragonfly.
<br/ >– The face usually bears a thin brown cross-stripe.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNYwOc9bf7NdohSi5jgHVl8Yks9Qzi4fHYydy31v8y-rQcLeo1jxkJ-YiyLf-KccZT3VtBwEUlH9Ppe3WActdx9dTwg_0H1XazPTZfn6jbTSAmVh-SZgVsVaevMlzgirzGBwKHtYcjp-i/s1600/aeshna_tuberculifera_female_annotated.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNYwOc9bf7NdohSi5jgHVl8Yks9Qzi4fHYydy31v8y-rQcLeo1jxkJ-YiyLf-KccZT3VtBwEUlH9Ppe3WActdx9dTwg_0H1XazPTZfn6jbTSAmVh-SZgVsVaevMlzgirzGBwKHtYcjp-i/s400/aeshna_tuberculifera_female_annotated.JPG" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Although not common, green and yellow form females occur more frequently among Lance-tipped Darners than Black-tipped Darners. There were a total of about fifty of these striking insects foraging high in the air and perching on the shrubs and this was the only green female encountered.<br/ ><br/ >Note that although the <b><u>colors</u></b> are different in the next two examples, the <b><u>patterning</u></b> is still consistent with the blue form Lance-tipped Darner females studied above.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UZ93OLTB5utqdS23uHIHd_N319hWuZNs-b9Y7hJYXf1GElky8seoKsWIP9uXJVSHCaH1qpZHFGxmXMuAVXhiAJZpTy8_KMismIzyOaOMAysDOSRwFymWEXOh4zqY4aCcrEZMGXN1Qklx/s1600/aeshna_constricta_green_female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UZ93OLTB5utqdS23uHIHd_N319hWuZNs-b9Y7hJYXf1GElky8seoKsWIP9uXJVSHCaH1qpZHFGxmXMuAVXhiAJZpTy8_KMismIzyOaOMAysDOSRwFymWEXOh4zqY4aCcrEZMGXN1Qklx/s400/aeshna_constricta_green_female.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Two yellow form females were flying but I was only able to capture one of them.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkSFOYA27Qvy2y4rkYYNHbGT-JRoaEEsPLAlgBMcjDqV090lE2lkg_OuFtoZzdGyljw6IiOAOwuQJ0NKC5lJNHQiBByDExk6w506qe0Ulfz3SGcH-_5H4oK-96gF2pkeVMqtmgvUMC34Z/s1600/aeshna_constricta_yellow_female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkSFOYA27Qvy2y4rkYYNHbGT-JRoaEEsPLAlgBMcjDqV090lE2lkg_OuFtoZzdGyljw6IiOAOwuQJ0NKC5lJNHQiBByDExk6w506qe0Ulfz3SGcH-_5H4oK-96gF2pkeVMqtmgvUMC34Z/s400/aeshna_constricta_yellow_female.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Before sending this beauty on her way I had to capture an image of those awesome eyes ...</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTquf8t8x-sOJH4IfVj6SzlX4Wo-avpKkVMzWSS3RpaoRq-t7HZPrB1nj1c-eubZCAJ2UZB-GTnrmdroJiGRBm_u9jDhkSkOod66t0zToGOhaY1Hs1SMXwDKq7R7uWFqAVwapi6jisNn0A/s1600/aeshna_constricta_yellow_female_face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTquf8t8x-sOJH4IfVj6SzlX4Wo-avpKkVMzWSS3RpaoRq-t7HZPrB1nj1c-eubZCAJ2UZB-GTnrmdroJiGRBm_u9jDhkSkOod66t0zToGOhaY1Hs1SMXwDKq7R7uWFqAVwapi6jisNn0A/s400/aeshna_constricta_yellow_female_face.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">A green form female Lance-tipped Darner in a more natural pose, hiding in plain sight despite its size and eye-catching markings. The complex patterning breaks up the dragonfly's profile and makes it difficult to espy when it's perching among the tangle of background vegetation.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxBF9sJTvTF9awKWL2L7_YVvZynXbv1r7bmNMH4euib5UVr8R3_ES_gFNxhGgrq7JppgmLYmdu1kGzdKU_dKoMpJM4zRATfxGcO1C0iNTW5ZjY8eQ80vP4h4CSfC_PevBsfI_6sT2QrKR/s1600/aeshna_constricta_green_female_perching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxBF9sJTvTF9awKWL2L7_YVvZynXbv1r7bmNMH4euib5UVr8R3_ES_gFNxhGgrq7JppgmLYmdu1kGzdKU_dKoMpJM4zRATfxGcO1C0iNTW5ZjY8eQ80vP4h4CSfC_PevBsfI_6sT2QrKR/s400/aeshna_constricta_green_female_perching.jpg" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-20695830331296100232014-08-20T12:23:00.000-07:002014-08-20T12:26:06.997-07:00Christmas in mid-August<p align = "left">And why not Christmas in August? In my opinion any day a person discovers a cool plant or animal new to them feels like Christmas.<br/ ><br/ >On this particular day I was searching for odonate naiads in a a sand-bottomed woodland stream near the intersection of the trans-Canada Trail and Sulphide Road (44.494167°, -77.285556°). I happened to look up, and growing on a shaded rocky bank covered with thin soil was a luxuriant patch of (what else?) Polystichum acrostichoides, better known as Christmas Fern.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJAZoPccxu_najOq-fT_sboPRX8Cr2e24zIdcHMqUmcVsYPsqTOIssoxZcxFHne52enMYY376aS-Lh203OCtUsXKWQtxV2W5kKShBztPwGsBl_lAOWKXgbTpWW_WuIY9ZVa22ulkwfLZu/s1600/christmas_fern_patch_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJAZoPccxu_najOq-fT_sboPRX8Cr2e24zIdcHMqUmcVsYPsqTOIssoxZcxFHne52enMYY376aS-Lh203OCtUsXKWQtxV2W5kKShBztPwGsBl_lAOWKXgbTpWW_WuIY9ZVa22ulkwfLZu/s400/christmas_fern_patch_03.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKg7aTPz1utc7GpJbc_FloV2IgUEyJWmDTePEcYPvF_x_MzYRymb7Crxts0t3SZTdQpdk727t21n6BOx1YzqB-Wjnm3Lh9CS69XfiFWDRW_xsUCIwtOVnjD3pZgEdbyR-ack7pbQRmVGKb/s1600/christmas_fern_group_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKg7aTPz1utc7GpJbc_FloV2IgUEyJWmDTePEcYPvF_x_MzYRymb7Crxts0t3SZTdQpdk727t21n6BOx1YzqB-Wjnm3Lh9CS69XfiFWDRW_xsUCIwtOVnjD3pZgEdbyR-ack7pbQRmVGKb/s400/christmas_fern_group_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTXTkGLK6fu0Z_UAhorZouSvVcLtvTjw6q8SOkGJ8fTzlIuRIy1ROXksxPpkwCU93rBKQPtZcTN_9KTA2LuFYODYc3SUPBaea8xcpgJgL9nc8gjx6qYhES9XdG5_fYiv_GqvRcmkWnHXW/s1600/christmas_fern_group_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTXTkGLK6fu0Z_UAhorZouSvVcLtvTjw6q8SOkGJ8fTzlIuRIy1ROXksxPpkwCU93rBKQPtZcTN_9KTA2LuFYODYc3SUPBaea8xcpgJgL9nc8gjx6qYhES9XdG5_fYiv_GqvRcmkWnHXW/s400/christmas_fern_group_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">A lower and upper surfaces of a fertile frond – only the pinnae toward the tip produce spores. The two lowest pinnae are angled downward.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyV0DbWsCPHxLbQKZ6V5mN6fIhiAphp_150YQGgz8Oo3DUCdanAYtyNFrL2Ff3VHsTpbx30S9tSUySyzpWhsFjF52w2CuARCG7DPz1F4RwSmlQ2WuYZ3O2xwcMEt48kk-LEo_QIJIJv03d/s1600/christmas_fern_fertile_frond_lower_surface_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyV0DbWsCPHxLbQKZ6V5mN6fIhiAphp_150YQGgz8Oo3DUCdanAYtyNFrL2Ff3VHsTpbx30S9tSUySyzpWhsFjF52w2CuARCG7DPz1F4RwSmlQ2WuYZ3O2xwcMEt48kk-LEo_QIJIJv03d/s400/christmas_fern_fertile_frond_lower_surface_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyA8DOzAa5sWskz0u2uuKCwsBa8k2dXJi3HR7CmFgd_ohuWrCT-262eBF9ArW49OfrVzZnHx9EjagN2vTaAuQ9yEaR9VEIXFmBiWKV-_cK9f2_kSpSs00HVwYKt2A9k6qFGmCw-9GQKDOK/s1600/christmas_fern_fertile_frond_upper_surface_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyA8DOzAa5sWskz0u2uuKCwsBa8k2dXJi3HR7CmFgd_ohuWrCT-262eBF9ArW49OfrVzZnHx9EjagN2vTaAuQ9yEaR9VEIXFmBiWKV-_cK9f2_kSpSs00HVwYKt2A9k6qFGmCw-9GQKDOK/s400/christmas_fern_fertile_frond_upper_surface_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">A closer look at the dense clusters of sori.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdsrEpANtutxBwcqlWEa8nAUvNKdPuBCcUbZQCX9ug71oWxd8UHtWnXNbsxyC3bY1ho2EZBwm8oiuvjuCS0dwJ32cnrFPT3NfGU8gzWOmkrrwGAc8LlhDGBceKlpbw9SJ2ZaKRRQawHHD/s1600/christmas_fern_sori_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdsrEpANtutxBwcqlWEa8nAUvNKdPuBCcUbZQCX9ug71oWxd8UHtWnXNbsxyC3bY1ho2EZBwm8oiuvjuCS0dwJ32cnrFPT3NfGU8gzWOmkrrwGAc8LlhDGBceKlpbw9SJ2ZaKRRQawHHD/s400/christmas_fern_sori_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The pinnae (note the bristly margins) have upward pointing lobes near their bases, think of the toe on a Christmas stocking.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2tMfo8D7N1yw5rE_i5481D4r_LjtrNR5KGNjoeIIpb7OZouQyfStTj5MegPogYLQd5nM-qRR40URVRZ0b68JmOlnyBNktm18hiXRTpTsVM6gvn0kI-DKFN0Nuju3kcf42NmaXhOjpIRd/s1600/christmas_fern_pinna_lower_surface_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2tMfo8D7N1yw5rE_i5481D4r_LjtrNR5KGNjoeIIpb7OZouQyfStTj5MegPogYLQd5nM-qRR40URVRZ0b68JmOlnyBNktm18hiXRTpTsVM6gvn0kI-DKFN0Nuju3kcf42NmaXhOjpIRd/s400/christmas_fern_pinna_lower_surface_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0mR0f5Q7YAq9eWLx0ILcYTkEnqZPekabXFbQ6HJ2C6JhyXtegSbnVrqE1dIbFNfKAZCl2QhkUvBwuRYffFbNeOMWOeTcOt2hddwltCxvCMGTEjDRTcUlaS1kcAIwmA0yLdzX5Ii9dSB1Y/s1600/christmas_fern_pinnae_lower_surface_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0mR0f5Q7YAq9eWLx0ILcYTkEnqZPekabXFbQ6HJ2C6JhyXtegSbnVrqE1dIbFNfKAZCl2QhkUvBwuRYffFbNeOMWOeTcOt2hddwltCxvCMGTEjDRTcUlaS1kcAIwmA0yLdzX5Ii9dSB1Y/s400/christmas_fern_pinnae_lower_surface_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">The stipe and rachis are scaly.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFyRJs9R_uhtrSIOC9DKQyULKv1oWECAf0VZZKSSd_I5sFM6HkQufk9ksW95cKl_ObbdsdcQUvXRZfkV7Bd5PHqQ9jcGG-7Xdujd-020Tx9idsJ89Jfae33fjzC9Ay27PKLF-6iNjsLHTi/s1600/christmas_fern_stipes_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFyRJs9R_uhtrSIOC9DKQyULKv1oWECAf0VZZKSSd_I5sFM6HkQufk9ksW95cKl_ObbdsdcQUvXRZfkV7Bd5PHqQ9jcGG-7Xdujd-020Tx9idsJ89Jfae33fjzC9Ay27PKLF-6iNjsLHTi/s400/christmas_fern_stipes_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDysGnqL4Gsg6XeBEVWkP5fRZDgUcpffvZPtKvk0CTYbcE3YqARVjHzREPvlTK58tU2x7vjbQHOSzcIaT9G_zB82oX4-dY0vfWgp379cJuIdQOLGJUCCLt20QvZPiuQDV6RfeFpLLRHGX/s1600/christmas_fern_rachis_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDysGnqL4Gsg6XeBEVWkP5fRZDgUcpffvZPtKvk0CTYbcE3YqARVjHzREPvlTK58tU2x7vjbQHOSzcIaT9G_zB82oX4-dY0vfWgp379cJuIdQOLGJUCCLt20QvZPiuQDV6RfeFpLLRHGX/s400/christmas_fern_rachis_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The dark green glossy leaves – both the sterile fronds and non-reproductive parts of the fertile fronds – persist throughout the winter, always a welcome break from the monotonous white of a winter's day. Although there are other fern species with evergreen fronds, for whatever reason this one earned the name Christmas Fern.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-81101850314556541042014-08-12T10:21:00.004-07:002014-08-13T13:10:42.755-07:00A Forcipate Emerald at the Stoco Fen<p align = "left">Reputed to be rare and local, perhaps the Forcipate Emerald is more common than generally thought and is merely secretive, with a preference for habitats that are inaccessible to the average person, such as bogs and alder swamps – or the <a href = "http://joebartok.blogspot.ca/2011/07/stoco-fen.html">Stoco Fen</a>.<br/ ><br/ >Somatochlora forcipata is a medium sized dragonfly with a length of 45 mm to 50 mm. It flies from early June until mid-August and this male, encountered on August 11th, is beginning to show its age and its few yellow markings are obscured.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7twalgPo8DhhyphenhyphendBYUaSAqgdoHQejQDFPRpg2nASm5vN-UJsJfjgGtQ2iUr16UlZvCQ4Ts2VMFVjWLdP7huz9M2RpobkgPO2JqiP4JotoY13F5DIRUDo_pd-l9NQfDz5cJoS4DqZY3N-9e/s1600/somatochlora_forcipata_male_lateral_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7twalgPo8DhhyphenhyphendBYUaSAqgdoHQejQDFPRpg2nASm5vN-UJsJfjgGtQ2iUr16UlZvCQ4Ts2VMFVjWLdP7huz9M2RpobkgPO2JqiP4JotoY13F5DIRUDo_pd-l9NQfDz5cJoS4DqZY3N-9e/s400/somatochlora_forcipata_male_lateral_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">One thing time doesn't fade in an Emerald are its eyes. In fact, they start out life as rather dull orbs, and acquire the luminous green that seems to glow with an inner light only with increasing maturity.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDsnOrQyGm6HXtLT9jWQH54Oz87BdNeapvls6u0jpg3WOmYLMTqiiWdjVXBLuZdLvkaA2Q6mXicDZfvii5F4Uha8Xh-O5J8CbC8f0DCOENn5PrOCnYw5XL1tOdwWj0avUcAAWY6bzssYm/s1600/somatochlora_forcipata_male_eyes_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDsnOrQyGm6HXtLT9jWQH54Oz87BdNeapvls6u0jpg3WOmYLMTqiiWdjVXBLuZdLvkaA2Q6mXicDZfvii5F4Uha8Xh-O5J8CbC8f0DCOENn5PrOCnYw5XL1tOdwWj0avUcAAWY6bzssYm/s400/somatochlora_forcipata_male_eyes_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">The abdomen is relatively slender.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGweFT6uJmxOsCejKXJDIlDu8iEAgYoHpA6lmV9tt_j1Tta65pj2ZOYa1mGOcG8lg0EPuBHmE6BjBd_uVAAh0n6TTJbXCc9dMjwtoC34qviJWxLnUG2orsmeTOh-w4mk_kPH_6sIw2rlK/s1600/somatochlora_forcipata_male_claspers_abdomen_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGweFT6uJmxOsCejKXJDIlDu8iEAgYoHpA6lmV9tt_j1Tta65pj2ZOYa1mGOcG8lg0EPuBHmE6BjBd_uVAAh0n6TTJbXCc9dMjwtoC34qviJWxLnUG2orsmeTOh-w4mk_kPH_6sIw2rlK/s400/somatochlora_forcipata_male_claspers_abdomen_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Many Somatochlora spp – especially older dragonflies with dulled colors – resemble one another closely even when perching and have to be identified in the hand. Even so care must be taken because the terminalia of the Forcipate, Incurvate, Kennedy's and Delicate Emeralds look superficially similar to one another. Here's series of images making a 180° "walk-around" the claspers.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4rWQKrBiqKT2B1IWTqu7HyYZ5wnoSz1ZcfWj5af2VIN1pPs4QFBf4YIEp6AFvLMuG9fDeaY7fBXXtqoyLvQ3zmW3OFEttTFicQ2vz8nRF-HXq-10i1g8GxaDNDhBYVO-YDv6-jOqijqY/s1600/somatochlora_forcipata_male_claspers_dorsal_oblique_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4rWQKrBiqKT2B1IWTqu7HyYZ5wnoSz1ZcfWj5af2VIN1pPs4QFBf4YIEp6AFvLMuG9fDeaY7fBXXtqoyLvQ3zmW3OFEttTFicQ2vz8nRF-HXq-10i1g8GxaDNDhBYVO-YDv6-jOqijqY/s400/somatochlora_forcipata_male_claspers_dorsal_oblique_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyI7ymQURWtwxrlgtubtuiPRHj9YQQsQzp1OjOtn0boaXNy5eA49BjGO7lJCwA6c-g4aZ-uhZi2GyvjJ4rIz9sLK6dCcZVMAwKkRmiA7t1va3d2IG1FwLzA4M08TWVForZ5YOXlrfIfVK/s1600/somatochlora_forcipata_male_claspers_lateral_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyI7ymQURWtwxrlgtubtuiPRHj9YQQsQzp1OjOtn0boaXNy5eA49BjGO7lJCwA6c-g4aZ-uhZi2GyvjJ4rIz9sLK6dCcZVMAwKkRmiA7t1va3d2IG1FwLzA4M08TWVForZ5YOXlrfIfVK/s400/somatochlora_forcipata_male_claspers_lateral_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpA5xjVMJEv_v_sFXSHq5rFZLA4Y07urD-F9Bvjp2vyZn6yt6Tv4q_eFw1iRfqEEMS3GYBgck42yaNoc1Jwx0R34bgJGw30fhwKnPfF_miwUnM3OFit52LOhtT6ZmjMqZTTovrIWvuAxHn/s1600/somatochlora_forcipata_male_claspers_lateral2_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpA5xjVMJEv_v_sFXSHq5rFZLA4Y07urD-F9Bvjp2vyZn6yt6Tv4q_eFw1iRfqEEMS3GYBgck42yaNoc1Jwx0R34bgJGw30fhwKnPfF_miwUnM3OFit52LOhtT6ZmjMqZTTovrIWvuAxHn/s400/somatochlora_forcipata_male_claspers_lateral2_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKV2zN9PYB2y40wccXse5odm8cAQT_v3vw_jKoebj5U2RNBwWwuPc5ZM7N5ZPIduJOLW16b4K7a8o9Oyk1ZXqu1E7ummmy_2KNa0k70nCmiEZPWbkZRARepqF7hjojR7jYPygmcJGmOu1P/s1600/somatochlora_forcipata_male_claspers_ventral_oblique_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKV2zN9PYB2y40wccXse5odm8cAQT_v3vw_jKoebj5U2RNBwWwuPc5ZM7N5ZPIduJOLW16b4K7a8o9Oyk1ZXqu1E7ummmy_2KNa0k70nCmiEZPWbkZRARepqF7hjojR7jYPygmcJGmOu1P/s400/somatochlora_forcipata_male_claspers_ventral_oblique_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXCclFEeLuuB7M6BuEvzg_8dxEN1OkqRIhS8rg2i924tI-vFfrb9IZ-LFYr9VQe-nzqF_LXdO5gnORziKNLFax1L9GHgQxSBoA_qiE4Uhvmg6ZPCYtGpz3ClgB3t2OIn6MLg4LS-ksvIt/s1600/somatochlora_forcipata_male_claspers_ventral_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXCclFEeLuuB7M6BuEvzg_8dxEN1OkqRIhS8rg2i924tI-vFfrb9IZ-LFYr9VQe-nzqF_LXdO5gnORziKNLFax1L9GHgQxSBoA_qiE4Uhvmg6ZPCYtGpz3ClgB3t2OIn6MLg4LS-ksvIt/s400/somatochlora_forcipata_male_claspers_ventral_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">A few other unidentified Emeralds (including a possible <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2011/08/more-photos-from-fen.html">Brush-tipped Emerald</a>)and Darners were sighted at the fen, and it is currently host to a robust community of Band-winged Meadowhawks (Sympetrum semicinctum). Who knows what other odonate surprises might be lurking out there in this <a href = "http://joebartok.blogspot.ca/2011/06/ladys-slippers-and-slippery-slope.html">unique little corner of the world</a>?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-47317552146985634432014-08-01T12:46:00.000-07:002015-02-06T11:29:17.468-08:00Eastern Least Clubtail (Stylogomphus albistylus)<p align = "left">Yesterday while counting dragonflies and damselflies along the shoreline of the Moira River, south of the dam, I spied an odonate the size of a Powdered Dancer – about 40 mm long – come in for a landing. Much to my surprise the "Powdered Dancer" proved to be a tiny Gomphid. It was extremely wary and flew off when I approached it to take a picture, and the following photo, a far cry from being the acme of digital art, was all I managed to get. I sighted the little dragonfly a few minutes later but again couldn't get close enough for a decent photo or a really good look at its markings.<br/ ><br/ >I was fairly certain my mystery dragonfly was a female Eastern Least Clubtail and one of the experts at Ont-Odes was of the same opinion. I resolved, weather permitting, to return the following day armed with a net and binoculars and see if I could acquire better evidence toward a positive ID.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4PGPFffxYPXZ8piZYzM6-jtFn9X19gMkL7UAbDTIKkt90kNg2m-tBh3a8RwwXpT0EhD6fpmVIevxOq7R8mUwglyO6hKmLr6vawcwpPt7mlQZkOfytI0TZS9Ok_-IgVC5pRnX07eDxRftr/s1600/gomphid_unidentified.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4PGPFffxYPXZ8piZYzM6-jtFn9X19gMkL7UAbDTIKkt90kNg2m-tBh3a8RwwXpT0EhD6fpmVIevxOq7R8mUwglyO6hKmLr6vawcwpPt7mlQZkOfytI0TZS9Ok_-IgVC5pRnX07eDxRftr/s400/gomphid_unidentified.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Not long after arriving I spotted one of the diminutive dragonflies perching on some rocks not far from the shoreline. The pale terminalia clearly contrasted with the dark background of the water, and I think this may have been a male (I doubt if the tiny nubs that constitute a female's cerci would have been visible looking through the binoculars). However, I couldn't really tell for certain if I was looking at claspers and when I approached with the net the insect took flight.<br/ ><br/ >After another half an hour of patiently waiting a female landed right at the spot of yesterday's encounter (no doubt the same individual). She wasn't quite so alert today and I managed to capture her. She's on the older side, past middle age, and although not seriously worn her wings show a little bit of fraying at the edges. The dragonfly's length is 40 mm dead on (I used a straw on site and measured it at home later).</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5PpytAJj6vV6UQivYk1aN_8r0D0exZv4Es29KzfFywF_AHMlbVECzO0K1nLTt3j1vAnk926jqX6oIl0CWMN5CNRiCHC-SpUINfuJE3hK2x9PC2zD7WJti07h_RNw1OnJ8M4MJkxZ5XWnE/s1600/stylogomphus_albistylus_female_lateral.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5PpytAJj6vV6UQivYk1aN_8r0D0exZv4Es29KzfFywF_AHMlbVECzO0K1nLTt3j1vAnk926jqX6oIl0CWMN5CNRiCHC-SpUINfuJE3hK2x9PC2zD7WJti07h_RNw1OnJ8M4MJkxZ5XWnE/s400/stylogomphus_albistylus_female_lateral.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The Eastern Least Clubtail (Stylogomphus albistylus) is gracile dragonfly, and the tip of the abdomen is not prominently clubbed, even less so in females than males. The abdominal segments are boldly ringed with greenish-yellow.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZn06Vb07cUStefYJWNR6x13I1zf2evQI_WToHPRRaqAbLOrM0D-xCWMUfvjx6m-icM5Qt211mxFYh4VumY0WUH-vCtfa1BCDl_xCnpSQllCeeoIW2vPXSZSCRA3uQCKt7_AS3Dxr5X_s/s1600/stylogomphus_albistylus_female_dorsal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZn06Vb07cUStefYJWNR6x13I1zf2evQI_WToHPRRaqAbLOrM0D-xCWMUfvjx6m-icM5Qt211mxFYh4VumY0WUH-vCtfa1BCDl_xCnpSQllCeeoIW2vPXSZSCRA3uQCKt7_AS3Dxr5X_s/s400/stylogomphus_albistylus_female_dorsal.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">A look at the beautiful – almost luminous – green eyes and prominent markings on upper surface of the thorax.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkO2jZEkapEEvGFksJ9OqbM8iyBOZIUsc2prligzlEvkPaswrJBNE7q4M20a1gVc0AzWtswafa1F_cXyN_8Y693ccOqV6fE5ARXFBwBL-hoWKQ-q9_guRbFRkOqhqAVQsgueJSVtxSsuim/s1600/stylogomphus_albistylus_female_thorax.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkO2jZEkapEEvGFksJ9OqbM8iyBOZIUsc2prligzlEvkPaswrJBNE7q4M20a1gVc0AzWtswafa1F_cXyN_8Y693ccOqV6fE5ARXFBwBL-hoWKQ-q9_guRbFRkOqhqAVQsgueJSVtxSsuim/s400/stylogomphus_albistylus_female_thorax.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">A mug shot – don't mistake that "grin" for a smile, she was not a happy camper and constantly kept trying to bite me.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDkvvXWFmxDRFDu0bV4YyiOPWEriq_tFsPJFRigoNYbUZWJL2-PNMIuexh0qb-slQpzd2T26uiq7lb1IKAhmw4su66vDiGYlZvFfclz5JfRm-8h7eea8-ZmY1B98KRhz7esy2_3CJcbSm/s1600/stylogomphus_albistylus_female_face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDkvvXWFmxDRFDu0bV4YyiOPWEriq_tFsPJFRigoNYbUZWJL2-PNMIuexh0qb-slQpzd2T26uiq7lb1IKAhmw4su66vDiGYlZvFfclz5JfRm-8h7eea8-ZmY1B98KRhz7esy2_3CJcbSm/s400/stylogomphus_albistylus_female_face.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Although the female's cerci are nothing like the intricately sculpted structures of the male, the terminalia are pale – almost white – in both sexes.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJs6Cj83JTnAi4HscQE2aZXgjxRXPWR5mL2R28fFcPBi74-FWqMdX1L8Fb_FPJS2JlO15nVjrCkoN2OeTG-V2HD5uQDAptIjk83XRMPVWe_GA_dq13S40W1c3P5e-FffFg3p7iOpEaT3L/s1600/stylogomphus_albistylus_female_terminalia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJs6Cj83JTnAi4HscQE2aZXgjxRXPWR5mL2R28fFcPBi74-FWqMdX1L8Fb_FPJS2JlO15nVjrCkoN2OeTG-V2HD5uQDAptIjk83XRMPVWe_GA_dq13S40W1c3P5e-FffFg3p7iOpEaT3L/s400/stylogomphus_albistylus_female_terminalia.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">After the photo session the little lady was free to go her way in peace, or whatever little peace there may be in the odonate world. There was a Black-shouldered Spinyleg perching on the rocks in the same area, and though none were about today there are usually a few Dragonhunters patrolling the river. Both species are fast, powerful fliers and should one of these much larger clubtail cousins espy the Eastern Least Clubtail there's no doubt as to the outcome ...</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZN3VuTfkaBlob_PUnrhKgyD3oNgKhb59ycE10ckB8gaXu9FJeOgg-xlWPxjUx7HBNFjoelYNhXD9a1uy83oNzkMamo2eb6p7vQY67pK67l-Kk7qno_zF2khbeuVHNahb-1fksem_8Gq-I/s1600/stylogomphus_albistylus_female_perching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZN3VuTfkaBlob_PUnrhKgyD3oNgKhb59ycE10ckB8gaXu9FJeOgg-xlWPxjUx7HBNFjoelYNhXD9a1uy83oNzkMamo2eb6p7vQY67pK67l-Kk7qno_zF2khbeuVHNahb-1fksem_8Gq-I/s400/stylogomphus_albistylus_female_perching.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">So many things come down to nothing more than luck. Considering this dragonfly's habit of perching on emergent rocks in the middle of the river it's no wonder I've overlooked it despite surveying this spot fairly thoroughly for several years, and had it not been for yesterday's chance encounter I would still be ignorant of this gem's presence so close to home, practically in my back yard.</div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The barren, rocky river shoreline at the Vanderwater Conservation Area seemed like another promising place to search for the Eastern Least Clubtail, as the odonate species there are much the same as closer to home. On June 15th friend and I visited a location (44.38019°, -77.31537°) where in addition to the aforementioned shoreline there is also a forest, a woodland stream and a seep along the side of the road, and a dry meadow, all within tens of meters of one another, making for an interesting juxtaposition of habitats. And at a bridge not far from the Vanderwater Conservation Area (44.421932°, -77.306281°) he encountered and photographed a <a href = "https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/ont-odes/rusty$20snaketail/ont-odes/-AURbuOryMg/stOmlNA9940J">Rusty Snaketail (Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis)</a>.</div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">August 08 was warm and sunny, it seemed like a perfect day to check out the Vanderwater Conservation Area and – jackpot! – at about 2:00 PM in the afternoon I sighted a male Eastern Least Clubtail. He was extremely wary and with good reason, as a Black-shouldered Spinyleg and a Dragonhunter were active in the area.<br/ ><br/ >However, I waited patiently and sure enough he kept returning to his favourite spot. The dragonfly seemed to become accustomed to my presence and decided I wasn't a threat, and I was eventually able to get close enough to capture some images of this uncommon but beautiful little dragonfly.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPfzu6PQ61iFRWY6rpvLkDKggVxy7X9AFqJzhx5a91Zl1LaLNnK0LTFwVNHT-svOEOqAhW5KJjIGt9s5Av-bWRjbd8X-fAuqNm9S6Hofz0xRcgi5rWCW-TM4EX8O-aQTl6rf9scVXePwg/s1600/stylogomphus_albistylus_male_dorsal_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPfzu6PQ61iFRWY6rpvLkDKggVxy7X9AFqJzhx5a91Zl1LaLNnK0LTFwVNHT-svOEOqAhW5KJjIGt9s5Av-bWRjbd8X-fAuqNm9S6Hofz0xRcgi5rWCW-TM4EX8O-aQTl6rf9scVXePwg/s400/stylogomphus_albistylus_male_dorsal_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJgqmuHkX4YhyQuEP7kOnc2Sj_nEtmsWrN2YU7dF6BRSOfi_wG6ugP-PQegI8OSTRKzYh-5UD4P_3DNTtOqV7vmd7ez7tPCY97oTghihQ82P27Q3Ms1Xul6DhQ6Ok9nNqyHfX9dfRwqq12/s1600/stylogomphus_albistylus_male_lateral_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJgqmuHkX4YhyQuEP7kOnc2Sj_nEtmsWrN2YU7dF6BRSOfi_wG6ugP-PQegI8OSTRKzYh-5UD4P_3DNTtOqV7vmd7ez7tPCY97oTghihQ82P27Q3Ms1Xul6DhQ6Ok9nNqyHfX9dfRwqq12/s400/stylogomphus_albistylus_male_lateral_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVIbTAHAoeXDgrUesnqk4HWH5kTo0TWF6-Nsj92P0H-o9F9T9v9IsUORh3u7qaOXomgz6rs-twJUGm6LbmU3ny3OS-l7Yu97oZ5EhR6nhQ8Cmzipz1MQeZLox_SL76OiDxcszhXnhJxyf/s1600/stylogomphus_albistylus_male_oblique_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVIbTAHAoeXDgrUesnqk4HWH5kTo0TWF6-Nsj92P0H-o9F9T9v9IsUORh3u7qaOXomgz6rs-twJUGm6LbmU3ny3OS-l7Yu97oZ5EhR6nhQ8Cmzipz1MQeZLox_SL76OiDxcszhXnhJxyf/s400/stylogomphus_albistylus_male_oblique_01.jpg" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-66862833845773168252014-07-23T12:21:00.000-07:002014-08-12T09:41:37.017-07:00A Melange of Moths<p align = "left">Conspicuous, colorful and often beautifully patterned, the butterflies tend to monopolize the Lepidopteran spotlight. Although many moths are indeed small, cryptically colored and only come out at night, this isn't always the case.<br/ ><br/ >With a wingspan of about 55 mm the Virgin Tiger Moth (Grammia virgo) is one of the larger "tigers", and like many of its Arctiid cousins it has contrasting patterns and flashy colors to warn bats or birds of its toxicity. As a rule these moths rest with their wings closed but luckily this one showed off its stunning red and black hind wings.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQoiXkQFDg0YHczYAkzVC47AXzF-lucCV2Agw4VZedaVxGMueu-rczWyRCWc0z65MzzbXP27_LkJjngoZGNCFOtShl5fZPNi0K-oSe473xQH7rUHC5EcYF3BnepjxdcrwOyfI3pXIf6P1f/s1600/grammia_virgo_dorsal_view_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQoiXkQFDg0YHczYAkzVC47AXzF-lucCV2Agw4VZedaVxGMueu-rczWyRCWc0z65MzzbXP27_LkJjngoZGNCFOtShl5fZPNi0K-oSe473xQH7rUHC5EcYF3BnepjxdcrwOyfI3pXIf6P1f/s400/grammia_virgo_dorsal_view_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ATraQxiw3kiEV_0Mm6FeSEkpBEomYSzLA1yFnUPPoj3uEpTtqrpKicNxsl6dzMIS_a9IKyLRzQr6104Jnfyr4wSlG-JR8dhhXxEi7HRHi9Kfqg8kNNjFFv68eRtPTnBOYHDO3pWDQKTu/s1600/grammia_virgo_hindwings_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ATraQxiw3kiEV_0Mm6FeSEkpBEomYSzLA1yFnUPPoj3uEpTtqrpKicNxsl6dzMIS_a9IKyLRzQr6104Jnfyr4wSlG-JR8dhhXxEi7HRHi9Kfqg8kNNjFFv68eRtPTnBOYHDO3pWDQKTu/s400/grammia_virgo_hindwings_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The Beautiful Wood-Nymph (Eudryas grata) also sports bold patterns but for an entirely different reason – to imitate a bird dropping (the real thing can be seen to the right in the first photo). When the moth is perching on a wall, the fuzzy front legs spread at a wide angle help contribute to the illusion of a random "splat".</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Scl0fj3DKXrSzH2gmrfCpBvoLp7xgkxEeFgLPCApsNM1olrMSELBx4Ce_smh-JRxLTEbMpjSAnN3_pR3sOL3_OUo4ux3mpavBk1qYimeG-qmywjnea1YXa2gNs_gG94BOpdr7OvXpQ9z/s1600/eudryas_grata_and_bird_dropping_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Scl0fj3DKXrSzH2gmrfCpBvoLp7xgkxEeFgLPCApsNM1olrMSELBx4Ce_smh-JRxLTEbMpjSAnN3_pR3sOL3_OUo4ux3mpavBk1qYimeG-qmywjnea1YXa2gNs_gG94BOpdr7OvXpQ9z/s400/eudryas_grata_and_bird_dropping_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRUgqMWcQwDSuJtSk0Nc9eqBvULEfKFKFDusEiWEdtf7ePTLDRfbZVRe9lRXnmj5rxD6vPMGnqmtpynegpvBCyzs7FJtWR4CKUM3Caamj_gfHKJJ-_PkXJAfypS7BLayc5kAy0BPgKLMss/s1600/eudryas_grata_anterior_aspect_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRUgqMWcQwDSuJtSk0Nc9eqBvULEfKFKFDusEiWEdtf7ePTLDRfbZVRe9lRXnmj5rxD6vPMGnqmtpynegpvBCyzs7FJtWR4CKUM3Caamj_gfHKJJ-_PkXJAfypS7BLayc5kAy0BPgKLMss/s400/eudryas_grata_anterior_aspect_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tUD0u-O3SqoDyyBmuF9piXJXhOOf8g2SJiiz1xYMgKy8XCOEcFk6cBoyqOSExGaABC3L3HgqOfrgX9GMWMp_BLrN7pi3P_W1vcbpvRLqQr3sDQ4-tEFJ_RL8r76F50gChDiVggjy8PD6/s1600/eudryas_grata_dorsal_view_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tUD0u-O3SqoDyyBmuF9piXJXhOOf8g2SJiiz1xYMgKy8XCOEcFk6cBoyqOSExGaABC3L3HgqOfrgX9GMWMp_BLrN7pi3P_W1vcbpvRLqQr3sDQ4-tEFJ_RL8r76F50gChDiVggjy8PD6/s400/eudryas_grata_dorsal_view_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgAbtqgcdFSJ7qmE26Cgi-5k3KsZSbClcqJb4v45P9zGiWQzI0f3xIKe44xk0hTEDon9Yu3RoGzhyphenhyphentII3Buqgqie9ajF5JYn9BJwBIVqX53qKlAEWwJQc0EFMepIfXVasqBNzdCYW778v/s1600/eudryas_grata_lateral_view_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgAbtqgcdFSJ7qmE26Cgi-5k3KsZSbClcqJb4v45P9zGiWQzI0f3xIKe44xk0hTEDon9Yu3RoGzhyphenhyphentII3Buqgqie9ajF5JYn9BJwBIVqX53qKlAEWwJQc0EFMepIfXVasqBNzdCYW778v/s400/eudryas_grata_lateral_view_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">A mating pair of Rose Hooktips (Oreta rosea) masquerading as a dead leaf.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9PkF7dj9NU8zPkRlWaLk55zNGT0xdzhteKb5qgnDnnePamZeU9Flg47OAOg5uFaSJJX4S1w5aeh1KJV0oHmsNlch84PKqBFkVuJC-XP_GmJrlgFsuDlGFU-saQimmXf4-bRIx3_1aJFBV/s1600/oreta_rosea_mating_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9PkF7dj9NU8zPkRlWaLk55zNGT0xdzhteKb5qgnDnnePamZeU9Flg47OAOg5uFaSJJX4S1w5aeh1KJV0oHmsNlch84PKqBFkVuJC-XP_GmJrlgFsuDlGFU-saQimmXf4-bRIx3_1aJFBV/s400/oreta_rosea_mating_03.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The variety of disguises, deceptions and impostures are seemingly endless, for example, this male Virginia Creeper Clearwing (Albuna fraxini) gives a pretty good impression of being a small wasp.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPDOTAoH0Y1VQa19YD2-jis1LSGAz2-eKTBxF-bBgaD4vpQLFk3TC7LHzCdfrKdw9VLuiNCbr2mdn9tc23UYjvR-cMcmMW0dn3_Z_2H3EQcR9Q1jJfMHOJrDBcV_Fdfm5HSO5QIRVckCp/s1600/albuna_fraxini_male_lateral_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPDOTAoH0Y1VQa19YD2-jis1LSGAz2-eKTBxF-bBgaD4vpQLFk3TC7LHzCdfrKdw9VLuiNCbr2mdn9tc23UYjvR-cMcmMW0dn3_Z_2H3EQcR9Q1jJfMHOJrDBcV_Fdfm5HSO5QIRVckCp/s400/albuna_fraxini_male_lateral_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">A Short-lined Chocolate (Argyrostrotis anilis) ...</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_VJVsb5GCJgJwa5IEI4pAWeUNehNrTccxnIDOufqhxZ6BaYKfgE60dSPdwqBzzOkETQwTqFbBa3ZxPd8kiSy15u_MqdAFqA1O53SD09wvZ1CI0I3PEPKnaJKB-W2fZvj0Ln8QKowZAT-/s1600/argyrostrotis_anilis_oblique_aspect_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_VJVsb5GCJgJwa5IEI4pAWeUNehNrTccxnIDOufqhxZ6BaYKfgE60dSPdwqBzzOkETQwTqFbBa3ZxPd8kiSy15u_MqdAFqA1O53SD09wvZ1CI0I3PEPKnaJKB-W2fZvj0Ln8QKowZAT-/s400/argyrostrotis_anilis_oblique_aspect_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">.... and an Orange Mint Moth (Pyrausta orphisalis) ... hmmmm ... chocolate and mint, this is starting to sound yummy ...</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIWgnWpQuULidCbz26DNQL6TPewcQY6o6fCfxKihhUGYNVGtbcC6q76PMk_i-PM8TNsQnNDij0fe2kxRE9GN8yFeYSAeSu1MnL3bDayMv36O16N45tGXHT2IKDDSbeTi-_rHpCzu1BBAy/s1600/pyrausta_orphisalis_dorsal_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIWgnWpQuULidCbz26DNQL6TPewcQY6o6fCfxKihhUGYNVGtbcC6q76PMk_i-PM8TNsQnNDij0fe2kxRE9GN8yFeYSAeSu1MnL3bDayMv36O16N45tGXHT2IKDDSbeTi-_rHpCzu1BBAy/s400/pyrausta_orphisalis_dorsal_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Lepidoptera larvae are natural works of art in their own right, sometimes boldly colored like the adults to advertise their inedibility, or covered in bizarre arrays and clumps of hairs or spines – often toxic or irritating – to make them less appetizing or at least tougher to swallow. Ofttimes many of the more strikingly colored caterpillars metamorphose into the aforementioned drab, cryptically colored adults – click on the names to link to an account at Butterflies and Moths of North America.</div>
<br/ ><div align = "center"><a href = "http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Acronicta-oblinita">Smeared Dagger Moth (Acronicta oblinita)</a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Dk_apc_oapn33CflklwENn23M4cCZm9Qv2dnUCzkW4kNQ9I1VlacoN2HDveo65LHnCtBDNRGBS2iJfnsSykdJnwBbMmB1ex5FZvOvy5PfRI_LebMA27X6O_ljJZCGTFWTRqSbTv43PwA/s1600/acronicta_oblinita_lateral_view_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Dk_apc_oapn33CflklwENn23M4cCZm9Qv2dnUCzkW4kNQ9I1VlacoN2HDveo65LHnCtBDNRGBS2iJfnsSykdJnwBbMmB1ex5FZvOvy5PfRI_LebMA27X6O_ljJZCGTFWTRqSbTv43PwA/s400/acronicta_oblinita_lateral_view_03.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center"><a href = "http://bugguide.net/node/view/205">Haploa</a>, not sure which species</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOftsP4C9-nRMAmYDnG97DsqYByrYhRDTuwe3V0AR9PcGp4iHbE5Qr_wZ6cq2F37O5hgsYbtMU6U5GeEE4mEEK8pfv_lHstswgZxldVoLRkC11qVc3DC5h9cPVLYp36pFbi_ET0keNRjuN/s1600/haploa_oblique_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOftsP4C9-nRMAmYDnG97DsqYByrYhRDTuwe3V0AR9PcGp4iHbE5Qr_wZ6cq2F37O5hgsYbtMU6U5GeEE4mEEK8pfv_lHstswgZxldVoLRkC11qVc3DC5h9cPVLYp36pFbi_ET0keNRjuN/s400/haploa_oblique_03.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">The well-known and beloved <a href = "http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Lymantria-dispar">Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar)</a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qS0qT87KbP6zc9oFzdBItzGegJxnxlTiQRBVNjEbAprDWJ25-zs1L_3zC1y8phmER3pQFCuUK779UBoQgy85-8_hiV7oWnaC8MERCibHJfpf3SHcQl1E28l3z-7S_ugtziCG_XZeROlO/s1600/lymantria_dispar_oblique_view_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qS0qT87KbP6zc9oFzdBItzGegJxnxlTiQRBVNjEbAprDWJ25-zs1L_3zC1y8phmER3pQFCuUK779UBoQgy85-8_hiV7oWnaC8MERCibHJfpf3SHcQl1E28l3z-7S_ugtziCG_XZeROlO/s400/lymantria_dispar_oblique_view_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center"><a href = "http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Malacosoma-disstria">Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth (Malacosoma disstria)</a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFqCso46SWRSKKPn-hT2e6_D7nMWpLRQxENy1j_blAOwSIHAzIll0JVq1PXwrri79EF7e4mmhL4YZRWjwSxeDZkUSFR5J-LVbTbDA8hA9EZeD_gVC3txs-WAm2GSGTTjnQlAv4F6A1W3z/s1600/malacosoma_disstria_oblique_view_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFqCso46SWRSKKPn-hT2e6_D7nMWpLRQxENy1j_blAOwSIHAzIll0JVq1PXwrri79EF7e4mmhL4YZRWjwSxeDZkUSFR5J-LVbTbDA8hA9EZeD_gVC3txs-WAm2GSGTTjnQlAv4F6A1W3z/s400/malacosoma_disstria_oblique_view_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center"><a href = "http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Simyra-insularis">Henry's Marsh Moth (Simyra insularis)</a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FLDfmVIxnAwe8gCTUKCM8F-v7OS2leBI3i6OfW9S68A0_ic3TQLA998RCirjb6BxanPb2ZHTQy88d0i_O-zzFn4XHzI9xYKnFe7Fx2heG_1tNdJsCbuKdttqA_bhkRMlZKoeFfzX3Dm9/s1600/simyra_insularis_larva_lateral_view_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FLDfmVIxnAwe8gCTUKCM8F-v7OS2leBI3i6OfW9S68A0_ic3TQLA998RCirjb6BxanPb2ZHTQy88d0i_O-zzFn4XHzI9xYKnFe7Fx2heG_1tNdJsCbuKdttqA_bhkRMlZKoeFfzX3Dm9/s400/simyra_insularis_larva_lateral_view_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center"><a href = "http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Lophocampa-caryae">Hickory Tussock Moth (Lophocampa caryae)</a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgZvA8LDezKw-YZ5Fg9Pg76KuMnYx_Evzcv4EeoVSD89mXe_TYVnqd-O2o3vpLXv-cbY0iPBxr6FteS_c6UVzEydVXREzvPR-gnHHDhY-oz9-lBgkgHJKfM1du2wuLz5HfsiVJ_YwzvVM/s1600/lophocampa_caryae_larva_dorsal_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgZvA8LDezKw-YZ5Fg9Pg76KuMnYx_Evzcv4EeoVSD89mXe_TYVnqd-O2o3vpLXv-cbY0iPBxr6FteS_c6UVzEydVXREzvPR-gnHHDhY-oz9-lBgkgHJKfM1du2wuLz5HfsiVJ_YwzvVM/s400/lophocampa_caryae_larva_dorsal_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Do not touch! The caterpillar of the <a href = "http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Automeris-io">Io moth (Automeris io)</a> is covered in stinging spines that can cause dermatitis (speaking from experience, it feels like brushing against a Stinging Nettle).</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVY7LYZ-nEMYCDVnK3jjMAeJyhSY_MKoy58QfF3YhUc2NNtY1yWH9UprDafhWIj9gC2YYqP1Abvn23x6l8DcBMRvMHgRB3qzKnpEsLrzfgaq_U7ROAMX03ffK-QvEXMNaD6TGXmPhNuUY/s1600/automeris_io_larva_lateral_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVY7LYZ-nEMYCDVnK3jjMAeJyhSY_MKoy58QfF3YhUc2NNtY1yWH9UprDafhWIj9gC2YYqP1Abvn23x6l8DcBMRvMHgRB3qzKnpEsLrzfgaq_U7ROAMX03ffK-QvEXMNaD6TGXmPhNuUY/s400/automeris_io_larva_lateral_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">When it feels threatened the larva of the <a href = "http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Eumorpha-pandorus">Pandorus Sphinx (Eumorpha pandorus)</a> pulls its head and true legs inside its natural version of a turtle-neck sweater.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPls6FlC3U4q5Fkaj5PxIh5EkdYO2nF96kWQU6-eMhqAWQDonSroIly2i_3DjWW0foJdSBSiOA0fnysJIig3fxDeMyszMZ494xlhN5gwzFV9TOGWX2owsSCkGj22BtrtwY7XpqSXmN9_V/s1600/eumorpha_pandorus_larva_oblique_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPls6FlC3U4q5Fkaj5PxIh5EkdYO2nF96kWQU6-eMhqAWQDonSroIly2i_3DjWW0foJdSBSiOA0fnysJIig3fxDeMyszMZ494xlhN5gwzFV9TOGWX2owsSCkGj22BtrtwY7XpqSXmN9_V/s400/eumorpha_pandorus_larva_oblique_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">And what kind of a moth might this be? The pupa was just laying on the ground out in the open; the shed caterpillar skin, complete with the head, is toward the right of the picture. It appears to be alive and undamaged, so its been placed in a "bug cage", and who knows what will eventually emerge? – a moth, or has the pupa been parasitized by a wasp? Time will tell ...</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8a0fWac571BfMqnqG0pJ_MOBTrIyms5Igl0PS2w-72EJwMI3MgD2ijteyBZ1kKQ8E2G1HjyZZUwioRf46q7G7UMI0yDCPo5504_cVmEWWDruBPiN3df1DXVBD1vqybnkUJ_N6X6qzn3Z1/s1600/moth_pupa_unidentified_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8a0fWac571BfMqnqG0pJ_MOBTrIyms5Igl0PS2w-72EJwMI3MgD2ijteyBZ1kKQ8E2G1HjyZZUwioRf46q7G7UMI0yDCPo5504_cVmEWWDruBPiN3df1DXVBD1vqybnkUJ_N6X6qzn3Z1/s400/moth_pupa_unidentified_01.jpg" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-16187922937583955692014-07-23T10:50:00.002-07:002014-08-06T15:08:25.305-07:00Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus)<p align - "left">Encountered any time from mid-May until late August, the Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus) is easily identified by the row of coral colored spots on the underside of its hind wings and lack of a tail.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCtLf6SwTdC5odmW9yYu55UUa504pXNKPzr1S3RqNRCPpgur-Iima-GJwet3ou6tIjeHKv1IQqzczuAPvZjXWDpGQdUJSM6eB7KVPoZpKM0HQ6tpYu3Y8L9iOL_o3F451_SZWvVla9iNq/s1600/satyrium_titus_lateral_left_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCtLf6SwTdC5odmW9yYu55UUa504pXNKPzr1S3RqNRCPpgur-Iima-GJwet3ou6tIjeHKv1IQqzczuAPvZjXWDpGQdUJSM6eB7KVPoZpKM0HQ6tpYu3Y8L9iOL_o3F451_SZWvVla9iNq/s400/satyrium_titus_lateral_left_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ >
<div align = "left">Coral Hairstreak caterpillars feed on Wild Cherry and Chokecherry, and although these trees were present in the area the males were found perching on Common Milkweeds in a high and fry neglected field at a significant distance from the larval host plants. They were very agressive in defending their turf, attacking not only others of their own species but leaving their perches to pursue skippers that were just passing by.</div>
<br/ >
<div align = "left">This has been a good year to find Acadian Hairstreaks (Satyrium acadicum). The larvae feed on various willows, so not surprisingly the butterflies were found perching at about waist height on the low vegetation bordering a local marsh that supports Peachleaf, Sageleaf and Pussy Willows. The adults fly from June through to August.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTugCP_wWLoQAlLz8XzzrL6wCnnaFkWHn7UdU1dwIlxUprDdlHxSZEmzT6_qOXZc9U37npaMDe0uAEXBOi2anhL3V8X8RtjzSMHd6meiaqInkRWi9f9hm9uJuDqIrewdxhyphenhyphenXiB_A3ds2hE/s1600/satyrium_acadicum_lateral_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTugCP_wWLoQAlLz8XzzrL6wCnnaFkWHn7UdU1dwIlxUprDdlHxSZEmzT6_qOXZc9U37npaMDe0uAEXBOi2anhL3V8X8RtjzSMHd6meiaqInkRWi9f9hm9uJuDqIrewdxhyphenhyphenXiB_A3ds2hE/s400/satyrium_acadicum_lateral_05.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ >
<div align = "left">When resting many Satyrium spp have a habit of constantly moving their hind wings up and down. It's thought that the prominent – often orange with contrasting blue or black capped – spots, and tails, are are form of deception meant to resemble eyes and antennae and dupe a predator into aiming at this non-vital area of the insect's body. The butterflies draw even more attention to the false head by the motion of their wings and as the next image illustrates, this is a plausible theory and probably correct.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEkeM4eKJVp3sVgD6wBYzl_EtqoBsjEj5ZRRR3cl5UcsM7N61pl22G1QV2BnTqJiWOJza9xKDtjhuxTryrDAvnRqdzj10n7Xub0Q8ya1bw6m8Oq-KMbRfV4W11P-CtNERjNJTcBPene-s/s1600/satyrium_acadicum_predator_survivor_lateral_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEkeM4eKJVp3sVgD6wBYzl_EtqoBsjEj5ZRRR3cl5UcsM7N61pl22G1QV2BnTqJiWOJza9xKDtjhuxTryrDAvnRqdzj10n7Xub0Q8ya1bw6m8Oq-KMbRfV4W11P-CtNERjNJTcBPene-s/s400/satyrium_acadicum_predator_survivor_lateral_06.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ >
<div align = "left">Surprise, surprise ... an encounter with Canada's only carnivorous butterfly, the Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius). This subtly beautiful little lep is not very common and it's been two years since the last local sighting. It's the caterpillars that are the carnivores, feeding on Woolly Aphids or scale insects that in turn feed on Alder, Hawthorn or Ash, all of which were plentiful where the butterfly was photographed. The adults don't visit flowers but will "puddle" at moist soil or imbibe aphid "honeydew". Expect to see this butterfly in damp woodlands near marshy areas from mid-June to mid-August.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLF-uzuvGnOCVRZIjTvwN191ocNyHvDCrVR__t0a5PT5Jmiy8I2lOMGMwpIOFoga0ZsE7u16AUFWXiAjDIKbquXvjoPcbwwK77RCBo6jfywWgzr0ArSuhRH5Vv5_XWDwUy62puxOcdEZE/s1600/feniseca_tarquinius_lateral_view_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLF-uzuvGnOCVRZIjTvwN191ocNyHvDCrVR__t0a5PT5Jmiy8I2lOMGMwpIOFoga0ZsE7u16AUFWXiAjDIKbquXvjoPcbwwK77RCBo6jfywWgzr0ArSuhRH5Vv5_XWDwUy62puxOcdEZE/s400/feniseca_tarquinius_lateral_view_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ >
<div align = "left">EDIT ... as of August 06, although getting a bit rough around the edges, the Coral Hairstreaks are still flying. This one was encountered west of Tweed at a marsh bordering the trans-Canada Trail.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvFxwSBzEGAEDLdnPty6G1kACIktOSFvAonTPIzDzq4ZENLEcMnjT8Hxxp2Mn-wr-f4OjR5rYBe8QeBANzlp6ydPSkniqJh6BrXEJIKh8P-OGzhwqyk-4Fti0S0qKg4FF1I5bGFM30OxEX/s1600/satyrium_titus_lateral_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvFxwSBzEGAEDLdnPty6G1kACIktOSFvAonTPIzDzq4ZENLEcMnjT8Hxxp2Mn-wr-f4OjR5rYBe8QeBANzlp6ydPSkniqJh6BrXEJIKh8P-OGzhwqyk-4Fti0S0qKg4FF1I5bGFM30OxEX/s400/satyrium_titus_lateral_02.jpg" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18193567415293494866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-846259929135278272.post-27993914872966435802014-07-08T09:14:00.000-07:002014-07-08T10:46:02.900-07:00Photo Potpourri<p align = "left">A collection of miscellaneous encounters from spring and early summer, in chronological order ...</p>
<div align = "left">May 08, Douglas Road, west of Tweed – False Morel or Turban Fungus (Gyromitra esculenta). This mushroom is poison, here's how to <a href = "http://www.michiganmorels.com/morels2.shtml">distinguish the False Morel</a> from the edible morel.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyuIjMZfYA20HOEWBPaMq4JKpM2wNBQyJ0buL6NHynxgWaHot0jIudp-qBfdD0GK4evct9beFXK4A5tarXny7kuHcsUdPX3j_bKji5ySmhdOsIQSNkM28I7lI16mxo0LIU-SvpurRbS7jm/s1600/gyromitra_esculenta_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyuIjMZfYA20HOEWBPaMq4JKpM2wNBQyJ0buL6NHynxgWaHot0jIudp-qBfdD0GK4evct9beFXK4A5tarXny7kuHcsUdPX3j_bKji5ySmhdOsIQSNkM28I7lI16mxo0LIU-SvpurRbS7jm/s400/gyromitra_esculenta_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmEytL3oLjxIajvN-rUkneQyUJBmlozpX7MOuqcdgKtL-2Iah2F2uINz7btDWOXy5cVeXi2Ue44WNxNXqOJGRyDAUCuPN_fOK4XnYnPaFZvzrQGQiWIx36afbMV2aa9bhd1soPVemFeGx/s1600/gyromitra_esculenta_section_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmEytL3oLjxIajvN-rUkneQyUJBmlozpX7MOuqcdgKtL-2Iah2F2uINz7btDWOXy5cVeXi2Ue44WNxNXqOJGRyDAUCuPN_fOK4XnYnPaFZvzrQGQiWIx36afbMV2aa9bhd1soPVemFeGx/s400/gyromitra_esculenta_section_04.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">May 08, Menzel Centennial Provincial Nature Reserve – Goldthread (Coptis trifolia). Well worth the trip to see this flower and the Miterwort, as they don't seem to grow within walking distance.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSBJiM6Wr_qrkBwuWYTHMTwMfgqTaPnFGFKri0R8ieqj22Wl6SVseuIJhqdzznDUxjWxjFDbSK_54LydCLBJSwlkXJ-tUZXatp0DRec1K1J-qwK3O2VZE-4rXtmZCkz8uRhTxdH_6uhtU/s1600/goldthread_flowers2_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSBJiM6Wr_qrkBwuWYTHMTwMfgqTaPnFGFKri0R8ieqj22Wl6SVseuIJhqdzznDUxjWxjFDbSK_54LydCLBJSwlkXJ-tUZXatp0DRec1K1J-qwK3O2VZE-4rXtmZCkz8uRhTxdH_6uhtU/s400/goldthread_flowers2_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">Miterwort (Mitella diphylla)</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPb6pEBNabpi5IQ93CPE3gzXMB-aWW2U7NBAGhAOkJiK3f-QjMp1uLGg5VWEBQWoBlAncS9g6LqdP1pdXfwXuG4V2vCoqqYPqyqL9DV_tZiK0BhGBzSD3QWzEnYakmepZPphYS5ovsWyAQ/s1600/miterwort_group_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPb6pEBNabpi5IQ93CPE3gzXMB-aWW2U7NBAGhAOkJiK3f-QjMp1uLGg5VWEBQWoBlAncS9g6LqdP1pdXfwXuG4V2vCoqqYPqyqL9DV_tZiK0BhGBzSD3QWzEnYakmepZPphYS5ovsWyAQ/s400/miterwort_group_02.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br/ ><div align = "left">June 08, Drag Lake, about 7.25 km west of Tweed – Hobomok Skipper (Poanes hobomok), not the usual color form that's pretty much identical to the male, nor the dark "Pocahontas" morph, but something in between.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJGLrELA6-ysMkuzuvWExhf2AVhuC-lWtmKLGk3A8YKIZ56V6mBDYn-bNb5jAgNfRwD1Vn-E3H56mdhxXY5k0UwaWCn6RcJ6RCfCVy7bdzloDjOB7OS0NQXg2vN_y4JWu5DykgLw3pY3r/s1600/poanes_hobomok_aberrant_color_lareral_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJGLrELA6-ysMkuzuvWExhf2AVhuC-lWtmKLGk3A8YKIZ56V6mBDYn-bNb5jAgNfRwD1Vn-E3H56mdhxXY5k0UwaWCn6RcJ6RCfCVy7bdzloDjOB7OS0NQXg2vN_y4JWu5DykgLw3pY3r/s400/poanes_hobomok_aberrant_color_lareral_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">June 14, Moira River, near the dam and footbridge – this fearless beaver has probably left its mother recently and hasn't learned to tell friend from foe.</div>
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<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9CfvEmPqFXZFnAw9BlnJkuTqbiHJiajSyj5aSnNMlD9hX20i6rPZ0N4iTE-5L-OulHuK3sotHh2vo5ThqPQK9gu_vw2Oj9oKCUEj1IPCW22KQPtfFeWHoKToqbAYBzMEAh5gQ9Wwmmvm/s1600/beaver_lateral_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9CfvEmPqFXZFnAw9BlnJkuTqbiHJiajSyj5aSnNMlD9hX20i6rPZ0N4iTE-5L-OulHuK3sotHh2vo5ThqPQK9gu_vw2Oj9oKCUEj1IPCW22KQPtfFeWHoKToqbAYBzMEAh5gQ9Wwmmvm/s400/beaver_lateral_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJN2SqPzt499q3XGKxkMWYP6yr0RGLy4sn6h9vGlKvpoFgf93gTkJWImHykDHEEFfwG0gSUNrNgbnxKvTnsYX31QVDpN3sAz5uTS1odLvLNhsbS2bkcpTU0i5M3AF-RB2yekysG6aHEs4/s1600/beaver_feeding_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJN2SqPzt499q3XGKxkMWYP6yr0RGLy4sn6h9vGlKvpoFgf93gTkJWImHykDHEEFfwG0gSUNrNgbnxKvTnsYX31QVDpN3sAz5uTS1odLvLNhsbS2bkcpTU0i5M3AF-RB2yekysG6aHEs4/s400/beaver_feeding_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSETvzrJx_ryz5ZpXoTOkYFq04SRb85OcmU8scv_fUtrehBmgKtu5P7cCt0_heHX5Q8rViJAncGcIfp-US2VeGFFPVw-PuQj_UjKW5uBw-fLCJdvXMixlrxArYN_vMK52XX8kOgNvwwei/s1600/beaver_closeup_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSETvzrJx_ryz5ZpXoTOkYFq04SRb85OcmU8scv_fUtrehBmgKtu5P7cCt0_heHX5Q8rViJAncGcIfp-US2VeGFFPVw-PuQj_UjKW5uBw-fLCJdvXMixlrxArYN_vMK52XX8kOgNvwwei/s400/beaver_closeup_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Aurora Damsel (Chromagrion conditum) – seldom encountered in the past, it seems to be everywhere this season. A couple of males at the Vanderwater Conservation Area on June 15 ...</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtcszMY7wP0pPhuUq5sZ0vLglvxUYPfA_P2JF5oRMr0HAYgE9G0uWJNIcEGQsVrFz2OE6zJsv4cYCUV5kmj4_lg0uW25RkMOi8Ewkr1RrBoiwmLo3mzwqZeo7QZrRHVbXw0YKKev4wUFu/s1600/chromagrion_conditum_male_anterior_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtcszMY7wP0pPhuUq5sZ0vLglvxUYPfA_P2JF5oRMr0HAYgE9G0uWJNIcEGQsVrFz2OE6zJsv4cYCUV5kmj4_lg0uW25RkMOi8Ewkr1RrBoiwmLo3mzwqZeo7QZrRHVbXw0YKKev4wUFu/s400/chromagrion_conditum_male_anterior_03.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiki5MIow6zMmxE5lbE1Unyn92ePCM8dpe7yEWZQr6Jb-NaRhtvfRmSXhDWzFn4mCGihKviQpjJa9qklBLQX3VowfxLu8AiFLx3vSiSt-s9BfoNw2xnir8RicRvRyEgpJQK7gEA2ppP2viK/s1600/chromagrion_conditum_male_oblique_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiki5MIow6zMmxE5lbE1Unyn92ePCM8dpe7yEWZQr6Jb-NaRhtvfRmSXhDWzFn4mCGihKviQpjJa9qklBLQX3VowfxLu8AiFLx3vSiSt-s9BfoNw2xnir8RicRvRyEgpJQK7gEA2ppP2viK/s400/chromagrion_conditum_male_oblique_04.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">... and a female at a stream on French Settlement Road on June 21; Aurora Damsels were quite abundant at this site.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbt5CvjjP96trZT2sE_uAQPx11n9nMXfzJjZq-GSMARMHxeGEcVZODVcJT-SfQ3NaquZWtkCRD4NcuHiYxk4i6LWw2pHWbVbXgJe_mjtqmIaJqQsX1c7Gj24QyrjXZKOIhdgCS3aYzLHW/s1600/chromagrion_conditum_female_dorsal_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbt5CvjjP96trZT2sE_uAQPx11n9nMXfzJjZq-GSMARMHxeGEcVZODVcJT-SfQ3NaquZWtkCRD4NcuHiYxk4i6LWw2pHWbVbXgJe_mjtqmIaJqQsX1c7Gj24QyrjXZKOIhdgCS3aYzLHW/s400/chromagrion_conditum_female_dorsal_05.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-wL6Bi04W2NAPkc7OIjBiEBMJPvDrgmwCs7HmddB1eA-sQiEX-08Gmg62i6LXkOxzwYWqtndtCklhviafDUmxhhz459LbpRWofL8kEMKKUEeJNCaBtPdAb5rGXtcDINyVk2vSUQyVRIA/s1600/chromagrion_conditum_female_lateral_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-wL6Bi04W2NAPkc7OIjBiEBMJPvDrgmwCs7HmddB1eA-sQiEX-08Gmg62i6LXkOxzwYWqtndtCklhviafDUmxhhz459LbpRWofL8kEMKKUEeJNCaBtPdAb5rGXtcDINyVk2vSUQyVRIA/s400/chromagrion_conditum_female_lateral_05.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">June 27, a cool Robber Fly – but which one? Laphria index or Laphria ithypyga cannot be separated on the basis of a photograph.</div>
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<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOXKo3YGoFhG75Tm7FkQnB52FS5J8gStK5P5IuO9UVPZykVbWttlonRv9kIabGthArI3EkaZecfMEFsj4TCsam9PFrGs7XjtC5NzUlwoSD_RJXqhg8IdllfSGJUyqO7rZ_UEahF2ZgmmS/s1600/laphria_index_ithypyga_lateral_right_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOXKo3YGoFhG75Tm7FkQnB52FS5J8gStK5P5IuO9UVPZykVbWttlonRv9kIabGthArI3EkaZecfMEFsj4TCsam9PFrGs7XjtC5NzUlwoSD_RJXqhg8IdllfSGJUyqO7rZ_UEahF2ZgmmS/s400/laphria_index_ithypyga_lateral_right_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">June 29, spider vs spider – this robust female Bold Jumper (Phidippus audax) got the jump on a male Gray Cross Spider a.k.a. Bridge Spider (Larinioides sclopetarius).</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjCh4FLUIJSWq0_V8aIm1cv3SebBp66PWFLbnJ9T-Es2dMC9Jwm9vVb_sHCgvUCpVZfa7FxdR8YqCuKfQTlw-_IXdBCCU6XfeSKfBo9-cgiXsdwcuHftYl1W2vP8oUYi0OHLfj1cKfGss/s1600/phidippus_audax_female_eating_larinioides2_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjCh4FLUIJSWq0_V8aIm1cv3SebBp66PWFLbnJ9T-Es2dMC9Jwm9vVb_sHCgvUCpVZfa7FxdR8YqCuKfQTlw-_IXdBCCU6XfeSKfBo9-cgiXsdwcuHftYl1W2vP8oUYi0OHLfj1cKfGss/s400/phidippus_audax_female_eating_larinioides2_04.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">June 30, misadventures with Arrrowhead Spiketails – this is all there is to show for an hour of patiently watching this male make ten trips up and down the stream. A female was also present, and she, too, was camera shy.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRkTAO9bFIp9o8w7UL7EbXlYqzqqIzkRy-NUY6Fw20SFI0hcVF-z_4FmeWmhUXFddytK6dngJ5EitW48NSqNv3nyQqBSFfBaXaCLhZi-J7y6G3hxcJmXAEqwo1oZ6PkYoW-cTqZIIqa7l/s1600/cordulegaster_obliqua_male_oblique_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRkTAO9bFIp9o8w7UL7EbXlYqzqqIzkRy-NUY6Fw20SFI0hcVF-z_4FmeWmhUXFddytK6dngJ5EitW48NSqNv3nyQqBSFfBaXaCLhZi-J7y6G3hxcJmXAEqwo1oZ6PkYoW-cTqZIIqa7l/s400/cordulegaster_obliqua_male_oblique_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">July 03 – a Dun Skipper (Euphyes vestris) ...</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqw97O5RLLnbFerIONYUnyXH_kgyBwhs8B0OcxrAE_jGp9OVPbHpld_2HAUYI1_ihfNfIZhxZUTcRCmUi1p7aAV9BCjS_DAgHp1OWXwIJSt4621OKcWO_3sGYyNyDnSFATjTnSUgEtPHT0/s1600/euphyes_vestris_female_oblique.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqw97O5RLLnbFerIONYUnyXH_kgyBwhs8B0OcxrAE_jGp9OVPbHpld_2HAUYI1_ihfNfIZhxZUTcRCmUi1p7aAV9BCjS_DAgHp1OWXwIJSt4621OKcWO_3sGYyNyDnSFATjTnSUgEtPHT0/s400/euphyes_vestris_female_oblique.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "center">... and a Little Glassywing (Pompeius verna)</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2lf181C3uLgvBRrUSUsS6kRblo2WhodbzNkPIplySTf2VZIu195OeEzSswrs8EJCoLMTW3GdeXl2i9fohUg85Yup7vVNMzUcHPOoudYruEvALPA_73Xr26gucad2loe3BuQvSmTNm7U7/s1600/pompeius_verna_male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2lf181C3uLgvBRrUSUsS6kRblo2WhodbzNkPIplySTf2VZIu195OeEzSswrs8EJCoLMTW3GdeXl2i9fohUg85Yup7vVNMzUcHPOoudYruEvALPA_73Xr26gucad2loe3BuQvSmTNm7U7/s400/pompeius_verna_male.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">July 04, two great finds in one day – an Acadian Hairstreak (Satyrium acadica) ...</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4dlSHT9EuMvSKT9fh2Ycyu6PQo0nI_bOxVYzeSVUwSgAmqUlEnVu4e-Xirihb-e6nZPZPM2dur1gBkb2nmos4cAJLsyim_obkHUpOv5aUq3SeICDGefPZWfOIWhxdGUfWvyfcn5J274Mi/s1600/satyrium_acadicum_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4dlSHT9EuMvSKT9fh2Ycyu6PQo0nI_bOxVYzeSVUwSgAmqUlEnVu4e-Xirihb-e6nZPZPM2dur1gBkb2nmos4cAJLsyim_obkHUpOv5aUq3SeICDGefPZWfOIWhxdGUfWvyfcn5J274Mi/s400/satyrium_acadicum_03.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">... and a beautiful Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus); an impressive butterfly, this male was a large as some Giant Swallowtails.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmET0FVWOwXAUZfqxW9JWVChd0sdRZvXskobUs6QxYDAjn0F2UcDgsv4fF04OQeBZt3xmKskJn_50iGRngEP72gdEd9tmtsrR-M3rCriBsG-rM1ZH0LiLIJB2RE8dUKf5fz1tpmAns2yD/s1600/papilio_glaucus_dorsal1_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmET0FVWOwXAUZfqxW9JWVChd0sdRZvXskobUs6QxYDAjn0F2UcDgsv4fF04OQeBZt3xmKskJn_50iGRngEP72gdEd9tmtsrR-M3rCriBsG-rM1ZH0LiLIJB2RE8dUKf5fz1tpmAns2yD/s400/papilio_glaucus_dorsal1_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">July 05 – some species seem to wax and wane, they are plentiful one year and scarce the next, this is the first sighting of the <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2012/07/look-alike-leps-carnivorous-caterpillar.html">Harvester</a> (Feniseca tarquinius), Canada's only carnivorous butterfly since 2012.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Sj0J5vxkM42Izkb-Sh5v17QX4ajp0qpr6k2DynXBSMFhV1Yr0YQREehiWuJwYWsPqQg3gN8Yt2DBIwsZijCRfqOUKbSo385jJMEFXAghTVmm24fPFelf7Q8rM168IA1mhPI5uYTlC0FD/s1600/feniseca_tarquinius_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Sj0J5vxkM42Izkb-Sh5v17QX4ajp0qpr6k2DynXBSMFhV1Yr0YQREehiWuJwYWsPqQg3gN8Yt2DBIwsZijCRfqOUKbSo385jJMEFXAghTVmm24fPFelf7Q8rM168IA1mhPI5uYTlC0FD/s400/feniseca_tarquinius_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Also not seen since 2012 ... the <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2012/06/amber-winged-spreadwing-lestes-eurinus.html">Amber-winged Spreadwing</a> (Lestes eurinus).</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0dAYCLK3c6TH-QYZ0i3cc4Ie6JPs4Ly2sN9H2ybQXNZJK-xZVGadm1nlIv1yxDIUrUXdDH8i1bPvUx91rq7JcU6nFhCIcz2b5ERyWSv1TI0dbri45e5u7hmWTrt1OybJcTcko4UM4yeQ/s1600/lestes_eurinus_male_oblique_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0dAYCLK3c6TH-QYZ0i3cc4Ie6JPs4Ly2sN9H2ybQXNZJK-xZVGadm1nlIv1yxDIUrUXdDH8i1bPvUx91rq7JcU6nFhCIcz2b5ERyWSv1TI0dbri45e5u7hmWTrt1OybJcTcko4UM4yeQ/s400/lestes_eurinus_male_oblique_03.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFzCX82yXuaZzap8Mw5yTFJC0dhAvXmDEI9VMDURxSgXDz7wFWwHkFBbeCNDUUw-60YW6ifKD4Y3UqpuJIWsyTLMu0DnWlsd-LJ5HFxwRqGiI5-JZHygpMEsSBpVocdAnJQE6rzzw1ftA/s1600/lestes_eurinus_male_lateral_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFzCX82yXuaZzap8Mw5yTFJC0dhAvXmDEI9VMDURxSgXDz7wFWwHkFBbeCNDUUw-60YW6ifKD4Y3UqpuJIWsyTLMu0DnWlsd-LJ5HFxwRqGiI5-JZHygpMEsSBpVocdAnJQE6rzzw1ftA/s400/lestes_eurinus_male_lateral_03.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqG9K81CbLrFk2Xuq4DiJpNUpPPKHfdjZFCwrRUuKz4tt_6OVwlN5xgKB5knCGwPINs57C1bHkKlXg9_KFLMsf1uKDGpnvUfU3DqDPuqmBmN54CTb9oNkcoYtZmcVxH79ryElGf7flZeDP/s1600/lestes_eurinus_male_claspers_dorsal_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqG9K81CbLrFk2Xuq4DiJpNUpPPKHfdjZFCwrRUuKz4tt_6OVwlN5xgKB5knCGwPINs57C1bHkKlXg9_KFLMsf1uKDGpnvUfU3DqDPuqmBmN54CTb9oNkcoYtZmcVxH79ryElGf7flZeDP/s400/lestes_eurinus_male_claspers_dorsal_03.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">The best find of the day was a Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) growing in a local field, the closest know site to date has been the <a href = "http://tyendinagacaves.blogspot.ca/">Tyendinaga Cavern and Caves</a>. Hopefully it will get a chance to become established locally, and no one will come along and think it might look nice in their flower bed. Butterfly Weed has very deep roots and does not transplant well.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwTygY3zbM2banLkmDJgp1LeKbruZmrZOEbmfLvbc-Cgfk-t-eJlC1CF7EfuoXiWo4pNMdNUb_kuFaZkXkSI0-YFxiFVSWhuzrp3_Hb-lkxsU4CEp_y8i59crA80avNiiRRickDBUQWBZ/s1600/butterfly_weed_group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwTygY3zbM2banLkmDJgp1LeKbruZmrZOEbmfLvbc-Cgfk-t-eJlC1CF7EfuoXiWo4pNMdNUb_kuFaZkXkSI0-YFxiFVSWhuzrp3_Hb-lkxsU4CEp_y8i59crA80avNiiRRickDBUQWBZ/s400/butterfly_weed_group.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8FDH-uPYGjggdenjYYknRFlmSrDa3eH5Lodzllyh-PrOSSJFk_-RV3o6Q6rKO_2vqrXT_041l7D8x0HK2T3tFidFvKDELjNujFME_1wOALqOgX5KnSvDDxHtQnYFvEkMiC7oEKRcHyx6/s1600/butterfly_weed_blossoms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8FDH-uPYGjggdenjYYknRFlmSrDa3eH5Lodzllyh-PrOSSJFk_-RV3o6Q6rKO_2vqrXT_041l7D8x0HK2T3tFidFvKDELjNujFME_1wOALqOgX5KnSvDDxHtQnYFvEkMiC7oEKRcHyx6/s400/butterfly_weed_blossoms.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">July 06 – White-striped Black (Trichodezia albovittata), a small day flying moth very easily mistaken for a butterfly.</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjay7vE_hRmvCUYOcCqpzly5riosVzMruAvwzXuHXxKr69UuCjcui5k9XfmQkkzeVTvGtGvKzeIAKw5AdpuLEpaqVRAftfeyzUZvkKzDiCQz0p_pD_GikrwXVb_tCTHXb3Y58-_epmEHI5O/s1600/trichodezia_albovittata_lateral_oblique_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjay7vE_hRmvCUYOcCqpzly5riosVzMruAvwzXuHXxKr69UuCjcui5k9XfmQkkzeVTvGtGvKzeIAKw5AdpuLEpaqVRAftfeyzUZvkKzDiCQz0p_pD_GikrwXVb_tCTHXb3Y58-_epmEHI5O/s400/trichodezia_albovittata_lateral_oblique_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">A mating, or about to mate, pair of <a href = "http://www.joebartok.blogspot.ca/2014/06/if-you-wish-to-live-and-thrive-let.html">Filmy Dome Spiders</a> (Neriene radiata).</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhK2LcQlgK_-uhW_gKS04JaLSHkxt3c5MwL-eMCdpBho9Fq56DLiqZbvQRUzOGeQDKX1sl9UbXRsbkl-dHMdlSIb1Arfu17mVy1qBLoDVMD2-bD68EMG67MJN-27XDtBUl9U-b62k3e2_/s1600/neriene_radiata_mating_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhK2LcQlgK_-uhW_gKS04JaLSHkxt3c5MwL-eMCdpBho9Fq56DLiqZbvQRUzOGeQDKX1sl9UbXRsbkl-dHMdlSIb1Arfu17mVy1qBLoDVMD2-bD68EMG67MJN-27XDtBUl9U-b62k3e2_/s400/neriene_radiata_mating_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br/ ><div align = "left">Angry birds ... never, ever get between adult geese accompanied by their young, and their perceived safety of the water ...</div>
<br/ ><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivZLn6sOr2S1TLaC-AV6foxMa0kHfSyCNpbCFUkWU01a417O77WrSRq0dvrC_MtzB5T6MavczgyjkKQ6-H0tO0Xs6nY21_MtauD8RXOjzmCFzQhl9CbWc76TiMw16eMly6o5YgZ9dVpHQ/s1600/canada_geese_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivZLn6sOr2S1TLaC-AV6foxMa0kHfSyCNpbCFUkWU01a417O77WrSRq0dvrC_MtzB5T6MavczgyjkKQ6-H0tO0Xs6nY21_MtauD8RXOjzmCFzQhl9CbWc76TiMw16eMly6o5YgZ9dVpHQ/s400/canada_geese_04.jpg" /></a></div>
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