A Brief History of the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Tweed and South-Central Hastings County, Ontario

Not a complete checklist by any means, just a record of my seventy-nine up close and personal encounters with our local odonates in the past five years. How long would a "complete" list of local species be anyway ... would it break one hundred?

Beneath the insect's name I've included the date of my first sighting to give a rough idea of the adult's flight season, followed by a brief description of the location and co-ordinates – as per Google Earth – where they're most commonly encountered. In a few cases I've also noted the rank or status, as per the downloadable Excel spreadsheet at Wild Species 2010 – The General Status of Species in Canada.

Here's a link to list of the dragonfly and damselfly habitats near Tweed and the surrounding area.

(1) Ebony Jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata)
June 25, 2009
Moira River – the Point
44.47694 ... -77.30194

(2) River Jewelwing (Calopteryx aequabilis)
June 26, 2010
Moira River – the Point
44.47694 ... -77.30194

(3) Spotted Spreadwing (Lestes congener)
August 10, 2009
Moira River – Walking Bridge and the Dam
44.48000 ... -77.31278

(4) Slender Spreadwing (Lestes rectangularis)
July 31, 2009
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(5) Swamp Spreadwing (Lestes vigilax)
August 05, 2009
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(6) Emerald Spreadwing (Lestes dryas)
June 02, 2010
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(7) Elegant Spreadwing (Lestes inaequalis)
June 04, 2010
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(8) Northern Spreadwing (Lestes disjunctus disjunctus)
July 01, 2010
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(9) Sweetflag Spreadwing (Lestes forcipatus)
July 07, 2010
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(10) Amber-winged Spreadwing (Lestes eurinus)
Sensitive (3)
July 10, 2012
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(11) Aurora Damsel (Chromagrion conditum)
May 21, 2011
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(12) Taiga Bluet (Coenagrion resolutum)
June 02, 2010
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(13) Violet Dancer (Argia fumipennis violacea)
July 16, 2009
Moira River – the Point
44.47694 ... -77.30194

(14) Powdered Dancer (Argia moesta)
July 18, 2009
Moira River – Walking Bridge and the Dam
44.48000 ... -77.31278

(15) Rainbow Bluet (Enallagma antennatum)
June 13, 2010
Moira River – Walking Bridge and the Dam
44.48000 ... -77.31278

(16) Boreal Bluet (Enallagma boreale)
June 13, 2010
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(17) Marsh Bluet (Enallagma ebrium)
June 11, 2010
Moira River – Walking Bridge and the Dam
44.48000 ... -77.31278

(18) Hagen's Bluet (Enallagma hageni)
June 15, 2010
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(19) Tule Bluet (Enallagma carunculatum)
August 01, 2009
Moira River – Walking Bridge and the Dam
44.48000 ... -77.31278

(20) Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile)
August 03, 2009
Moira River – Walking Bridge and the Dam
44.48000 ... -77.31278

(21) Stream Bluet (Enallagma exsulans)
July 18, 2009
Moira River – Walking Bridge and the Dam
44.48000 ... -77.31278

(22) Azure Bluet (Enallagma aspersum)
Sensitive (3)
August 30, 2011
Trans-Canada Trail, about 1 km east of Tweed
44.47972 ... -77.30139

(23) Skimming Bluet (Enallagma geminatum)
August 03, 2009
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(24) Orange Bluet (Enallagma signatum)
June 07, 2010
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(25) Vesper Bluet (Enallagma vesperum)
June 08, 2010
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(26) Slender Bluet (Enallagma traviatum westfalli)
May be at risk (2)
July 23, 2013
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(27) Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita)
August 03, 2009
Moira River – Walking Bridge and the Dam
44.48000 ... -77.31278

(28) Eastern Forktail (Ischnura verticalis)
August 12, 2008
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(29) Sedge Sprite (Nehalennia irene)
June 01, 2010
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(30) Canada Darner (Aeshna canadensis)
August 01, 2009
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(31) Mottled Darner (Aeshna clepsydra)
Sensitive (3)
September 24, 2009
Tweed – garden at 417 Metcalf St.
44.79261 ... -77.31582

(32) Lance-tipped Darner (Aeshna constricta)
September 01, 2009
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(33) Black-tipped Darner (Aeshna tuberculifera)
August 30, 2008
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(34) Shadow Darner (Aeshna umbrosa)
September 24, 2010
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(35) Fawn Darner (Boyeria vinosa)
August 31, 2008
Moira River – Walking Bridge and the Dam
44.48000 ... -77.31278

(36) Springtime Darner (Basiaeschna janata)
June 01, 2010
Trans-Canada Trail, about 1 km east of Tweed
44.47972 ... -77.30139

(37) Common Green Darner (Anax junius)
August 07, 2010
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(38) Black-shouldered Spinyleg (Dromogomphus spinosus)
August 04, 2009
Moira River – Walking Bridge and the Dam
44.48000 ... -77.31278

(39) Dragonhunter (Hagenius brevistylus)
July 04, 2011
Moira River – the Point
44.47694 ... -77.30194

(40) Lilypad Clubtail (Arigomphus furcifer)
Sensitive (3)
June 04, 2010
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(41) Lancet Clubtail (Gomphus exilis)
June 15, 2010
Moira River – the Point
44.47694 ... -77.30194

(42) Dusky Clubtail (Gomphus spicatus)
May 15, 2012
Tweed
44.47472 ... -77.31028

(43) Mustached Clubtail (Gomphus adelphus)
May 24, 2011
Trans-Canada Trail, about 1 km east of Tweed
44.47972 ... -77.30139

(44) Arrowhead Spiketail (Cordulegaster obliqua)
May be at risk (2)
June 11, 2011
Tweed – intersection of Alexander St. and the trans-Canada Trail
44.48000 ... -77.30389

(45) Stream Cruiser (Didymops transversa)
May 24, 2011
Trans-Canada Trail, about 1 km east of Tweed
44.47972 ... -77.30139

(46) Swift River Cruiser (Macromia illinoiensis illinoiensis)
June 14. 2011
Tweed – intersection of Alexander St. and the trans-Canada Trail
44.48000 ... -77.30389

(47) Racket-tailed Emerald (Dorocordulia libera)
June 23, 2009
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(48) American Emerald (Cordulia shurtleffi)
June 07, 2010
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(49) Brush-tipped Emerald (Somatochlora walshii)
May 29, 2011
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(50) Williamson's Emerald (Somatochlora williamsoni)
July 13, 2012
Tweed
44.47472 ... -77.31028

(51) Common Baskettail (Epitheca cynosura)
May 25, 2011
Trans-Canada Trail, about 1 km east of Tweed
44.47972 ... -77.30139

(52) Beaverpond Baskettail (Epitheca canis)
May 25, 2011
Trans-Canada Trail, about 1 km east of Tweed
44.47972 ... -77.30139

(53) Spiny Baskettail (Epitheca spinigera)
May 25, 2011
Trans-Canada Trail, about 1 km east of Tweed
44.47972 ... -77.30139

(54) Prince Baskettail (Epitheca princeps)
June 06, 2011
Trans-Canada Trail, about 3 km east of Tweed
44.49139 ... -77.28556

(55) Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis)
August 10, 2008
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(56) Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)
September 01, 2008
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(57) Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens)
August 13, 2009
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(58) Elfin Skimmer (Nannothemis bella)
June 04, 2011
Marsh south of Bridgewater Road, about 1 km east of Actinolite
44.54083 ... -77.31333

(59) Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)
August 28, 2008
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(60) Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina)
August 10, 2008
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(61) Calico Pennant (Celithemis elisa)
July 17, 2010
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(62) Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera)
August 05, 2009
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(63) Dot-tailed Whiteface (Leucorrhinia intacta)
June 06, 2009
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(64) Frosted Whiteface (Leucorrhinia frigida)
June 08, 2010
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(65) Belted Whiteface (Leucorrhinia proxima)
July 01, 2012
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(66) Hudsonian Whiteface (Leucorrhinia hudsonica)
May 17, 2013
Tweed – intersection of Alexander St. and the trans-Canada Trail
44.48000 ... -77.30389

(67) Cherry-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum internum)
September 08, 2009
Moira River – Walking Bridge and the Dam
44.48000 ... -77.31278

(68) Ruby Meadowhawk (Sympetrum rubicundulum)
September 07, 2009
Moira River – Walking Bridge and the Dam
44.48000 ... -77.31278

(69) Saffron-winged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum costiferum)
August 11, 2009
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(70) White-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum obtrusum)
August 13, 2008
Moira River – Walking Bridge and the Dam
44.48000 ... -77.31278

(71) Band-winged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum semicinctum)
August 01, 2009
Moira River – Walking Bridge and the Dam
44.48000 ... -77.31278

(72) Autumn Meadowhawk (Sympetrum vicinum)
August 27, 2008
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(73) Chalk-fronted Corporal (Ladona julia)
June 04, 2009
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(74) Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia)
June 13, 2010
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(75) Slaty Skimmer (Libellula incesta)
June 18, 2010
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(76) Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa)
August 10, 2008
North shore of Stoco Lake
44.47389 ... -77.30722

(77) Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella)
August 20, 2008
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(78a) Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata)
June 01, 2010
Marsh .7 km west of Tweed
44.46889 ... -77.31528

(78b) Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata praenubila)
Early June, 2011
Tweed – intersection of Alexander St. and the trans-Canada Trail
44.48000 ... -77.30389

(79) Painted Skimmer (Libellula semifasciata)
May be at risk (2)
June 03, 2013 (photo by Jason King)
Trans-Canada Trail, about 1.5 km west of Tweed
44.46333 ... -77.32890

More odonate related posts, including a images of exuviae, naiads, tenerals and comparisons of similar looking species ...

A Few Notes on Water Nymphs

Spiketail Naiads

Changing with the Season

An Extraordinary Transfiguration

An anomalous male Eastern Forktail, and how to distinguish a disorderly disarray of damselflies

Northern Spreadwing (Lestes disjunctus disjunctus) and Sweetflag Spreadwing (Lestes forcipatus)

Trying to make sense of Teneral Spreadwings

Not all Bluets are blue: Orange Bluet (Enallagma signatum) and Vesper Bluet (Enallagma vesperum)

Which one is it? An Emerald Spreadwing (Lestes dryas), or an Elegant Spreadwing (Lestes inaequalis)?

Spring Damselflies

A Few Photos of some Common Damselflies

A Fetch of Dragonflies

The Stoco Fen

A look at the bigger picture – the Atlas of Ontario Odonata administered by the NHIC is down for the time being. However, iNaturalist.org maintains a photographic guide to the Odonata of Ontario, and distribution maps of Ontario's dragonfly and damselfly species may be perused at Odonata Central.

In order to create a more comprehensive checklist of the possible odonate species of Hastings County, I studied the following checklists (PDFs) for neighboring Ontario counties:
Damselflies and Dragonflies of Kingston Checklist (2008)
A List of the Odonates of Northumberland County (2010)
Odonates of Renfrew County (2010)

I've also read the species accounts in the Field Guide to The Dragonflies and Damselflies of Algonquin Provincial Park and the Surrounding Area (2008), and inspected the distribution maps in Damselflies of the Northeast (2004). Based on the foregoing five resources it appears that there are potentially another fifty-two odes in the county, however, it's only fair to say that some of these species are apt to be rarely – if ever – encountered, and a few are best considered vagrants. Any errors, omissions, typos or other boo-oos in the following summary are mine ...

American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana)
Northumberland County – possible
Kingston – possible, considered provincially/regionally rare
Hastings County – possible, Damselflies of the Northeast

Southern Spreadwing (Lestes disjunctus australis)
Northumberland County – possible
Kingston – possible, considered provincially/regionally rare
Hastings County – possible, Damselflies of the Northeast

Lyre-tipped Spreadwing (Lestes unguiculatus)
Northumberland County – recorded
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Hastings County – recorded, Damselflies of the Northeast
Algonquin Park – rare, more common further south
Renfrew County – recorded

Eastern Red Damsel (Amphiagrion saucium)
Northumberland County – recorded
Kingston – probable, considered provincially/regionally rare
Hastings County – recorded, Damselflies of the Northeast
Algonquin Park – rare and local
Renfrew County – recorded

Subarctic Bluet (Coenagrion interrogatum)
Hastings County – possible, Damselflies of the Northeast
Algonquin Park – uncommon and local

Blue-fronted Dancer (Argia apicalis)
Hastings County – possible, Damselflies of the Northeast

Blue-tipped Dancer (Argia tibialis)
Hastings County – possible, Damselflies of the Northeast

Double-striped Bluet (Enallagma basidens)
Hastings County – possible, Damselflies of the Northeast

River Bluet (Enallagma anna)
Northumberland County – possible
Kingston – possible, considered provincially/regionally rare
Hastings County – possible, Damselflies of the Northeast

Alkali Bluet (Enallagma clausum)
Kingston – possible, considered provincially/regionally rare
Frontenac County – recorded
Hastings County – possible, Damselflies of the Northeast

Northern Bluet (Enallagma annexum)
Northumberland County – recorded
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Hastings County – probable, Damselflies of the Northeast
Algonquin Park – recorded
Renfrew County – recorded

Vernal Bluet (Enallagma vernale)
Northumberland County – recorded
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Hastings County – recorded, Damselflies of the Northeast
Algonquin Park – recorded
Renfrew County – recorded

Citrine Forktail (Ischnura hastata)
Northumberland County – recorded
Kingston – possible, considered provincially/regionally rare
Hastings County – possible, Damselflies of the Northeast

Sphagnum Sprite (Nehalennia gracilis)
Northumberland County – possible
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Hastings County – probable, Damselflies of the Northeast
Algonquin Park – recorded
Renfrew County – recorded

Lake Darner (Aeshna eremita)
Northumberland County – recorded
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – common and widespread, less common further south
Renfrew County – recorded

Variable Darner (Aeshna interrupta interrupta)
Northumberland County – expected
Kingston – probable, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – common and widespread, less common further south
Renfrew County – recorded

Green-striped Darner (Aeshna verticalis)
Northumberland County – recorded
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – rare and local

Ocellated Darner (Boyeria grafiana)
Northumberland County – possible
Kingston – possible, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – local but widespread, less common further south
Renfrew County – recorded

Swamp Darner (Epiaeschna heros)
Northumberland County – recorded
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – one record, more common further south
Renfrew County – recorded

Harlequin Darner (Gomphaeschna furcillata)
Northumberland County – possible
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – rare and local
Renfrew County – recorded

Cyrano Darner (Nasiaeschna pentacantha)
Northumberland County – possible
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – uncommon, recorded from lakes adjacent to the park
Renfrew County – recorded

Horned Clubtail (Arigomphus cornutus)
Northumberland County – possible
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – not recorded, uncommon along Canadian Sheild
Renfrew County – recorded

Unicorn Clubtail (Arigomphus villosipes)
Northumberland County – possible
Algonquin Park – not recorded, rare throughout southern Ontario

Beaverpond Clubtail (Gomphus borealis)
Algonquin Park – uncommon, not likely encountered further south
Renfrew County – recorded

Harpoon Clubtail (Gomphus descriptus)
Northumberland County – recorded
Kingston – possible, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – recorded, rare elsewhere
Renfrew County – recorded

Midland Clubtail (Gomphus fraternus)
Northumberland County – possible
Algonquin Park – not recorded from the park, expected in calcerous areas south of the Canadian Sheild
Renfrew County – recorded

Pronghorn Clubtail (Gomphus graslinellus)
Northumberland County – expected
Algonquin Park – not recorded, expected along Canadian Sheild

Ashy Clubtail (Gomphus lividus)
Northumberland County – expected
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – population varies from common to uncommon
Renfrew County – recorded

Rapids Clubtail (Gomphus quadricolor)
Northumberland County – possible
Algonquin Park – not recorded, rare in Ontario

Rusty Snaketail (Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis)
Northumberland County – expected
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – recorded, uncommon in remainder of Ontario
Renfrew County – recorded

Common Sanddragon (Progomphus obscurus)
Northumberland County – possible
Peterborough County – known from a few sites

Eastern Least Clubtail (Stylogomphus albistylus)
Northumberland County – recorded
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – uncommon to local
Renfrew County – recorded

Elusive Clubtail (Stylurus notatus)
Northumberland County – possible
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Renfrew County – recorded

Zebra Clubtail (Stylurus scudderi)
Northumberland County – recorded
Kingston – probable, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – uncommon to local
Renfrew County – recorded

Arrow Clubtail (Stylurus spiniceps)
Northumberland County – possible
Algonquin Park – rare and local
Renfrew County – recorded

Delta-spotted Spiketail (Cordulegaster diastatops)
Northumberland County – expected
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – uncommon and local
Renfrew County – recorded

Twin-spotted Spiketail (Cordulegaster maculata)
Northumberland County – recorded
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – uncommon and local
Renfrew County – recorded

Uhler’s Sundragon (Helocordulia uhleri)
Northumberland County – possible
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – uncommon, rare south of Canadian Shield
Renfrew County – recorded

Stygian Shadowdragon (Neurocordulia yamaskanensis)
Northumberland County – expected
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – widespread but local, crepuscular and overlooked?
Renfrew County – recorded

Broad-tailed Shadowdragon (Neurocordulia michaeli)
Algonquin Park – recorded, crepuscular and possibly overlooked at other suitable habitats?
Renfrew County – recorded

Forcipate Emerald (Somatochlora forcipata)
Northumberland County – possible
Algonquin Park – uncommon to rare and local

Delicate Emerald (Somatochlora franklini)
Algonquin Park – rare and local
Renfrew County – recorded

Ocellated Emerald (Somatochlora minor)
Northumberland County – expected
Algonquin Park – uncommon and local
Renfrew County – recorded

Clamp-tipped Emerald (Somatochlora tenebrosa)
Northumberland County – recorded
Algonquin Park – rarely encountered throughout its Ontario range
Renfrew County – recorded

Kennedy’s Emerald (Somatochlora kennedyi)
Northumberland County – possible
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – uncommon to rare but widespread
Renfrew County – recorded

Ebony Boghaunter (Williamsonia fletcheri)
Northumberland County – possible
Kingston – possible, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – few records, uncommon to rare and local
Renfrew County – recorded

Crimson-ringed Whiteface (Leucorrhinia glacialis)
Northumberland County – possible
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – common, less common and local to the south
Renfrew County – recorded

Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenea)
Northumberland County – recorded
Kingston – recorded, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – irregular migrant

Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum)
Northumberland County – possible
Kingston – possible, considered provincially/regionally rare
Algonquin Park – not recorded, considered a vagrant

Black Meadowhawk (Sympetrum danae)
Northumberland County – possible
Algonquin Park – rare, but sometimes encountered south of its range
Renfrew County – recorded

Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina)
Northumberland County – recorded
Kingston – possible, considered provincially/regionally rare

Red-mantled Saddlebags (Tramea onusta)
Northumberland County – possible
Kingston – probable, considered provincially/regionally rare

A Cave Orbweaver and a forgotten Fishing Spider

Probably not an uncommon spider but seldom encountered, as its name suggests the Cave Orbweaver (Meta ovalis) prefers to "hang out" near the entrances of caves or in rock piles. Of course man-made habitats such as cellars will serve just as well, and that's how this male came to be on the side of a building downtown. And quite a hardy spider this is, because the photos were taken on a windy, rainy November 11th, 2013, with the temperature hovering only a few degrees above the freezing point.

Cave Orbweavers belong to the family Tetragnathidae – commonly called Long-jawed Orb Weavers – but they lack the huge, serrated jaws and elongated bodies and legs of their nearest relatives.

At a length of about 12 mm this spider is a heavyweight for a male; in many spider species the males are considerably smaller than the females. The enlarged palps, modified to carry sperm packets, are easily seen in the following three images.

The female spider depicted in the next two photos was encountered at a marsh east of Tweed on August 32rd, 2011. It was fairly large, a good 25 mm in length, and although I was unable to acquire an image of the eye arrangement its general aspect was that of a Nursery Web Spider, family Pisauridae. However, this individual was much darker, and the relatively dull, straight abdominal stripes contrasted sharply when compared with the undulating white lines of the ubiquitous Pisaurina mira. I thought it might be P. brevipes, and the photos ended up being filed in my Pisaurina folder and forgotten ...

Over two years later – November 13th, 2013 – I stumbled across the photos while reorganizing some files and decided to upload them to BugGuide.Net for a positive ID. My guess as to family was correct, but the species – P. brevipes – was wrong. This spider is actually Dolomedes striatus, and it's the fourth species of Fishing Spider I've found in this neck of the woods.

Popping up like Mushrooms

Well, they are mushrooms. And according to George Barron, the author of Mushrooms of Ontario and Eastern Canada, under optimal conditions a Stinkhorn can expand from its nascent "egg" stage to full size within thirty minutes, an impressively fast rate of growth that certainly qualifies as "popping up".

While looking around for something interesting to photograph at the Tweed Heritage Center gardens, I noticed a smell like rotten carrion and wondered if perhaps a hapless mouse or chipmunk had perished and was decomposing in the late season flower beds. This was how I discovered some Ravenel's Stinkhorns (Phallus ravenelii) peeking out of the grass mulch and sawdust. Stinkhorns are often smelled before they are seen, an attribute that some find less than endearing.

As with other fungi, the purpose of the Stinkhorn's fruitbody is obviously reproduction. Gilled fungi and Boletes simply drop their microscopic spores through their gills or pores, to be wafted away on the slightest breeze. Some Bird's Nest Fungi actively eject their spore packages. Truffles play it safe and hide underground, but when they're good and ready to be fruitful and multiply, they produce an odor that induces animals to eat them and spread their spores via their feces. Perhaps strangest of all, before sporulation, the mycelium of Entomophthora muscae grows into the fly's brain, taking over its behavior and making it crawl to the highest available location to maximize spore dispersal.

Stinkhorns exploit flies, and presumably other insect species attracted to carrion, in a more benign fashion to pass along their genes to the next generation. The sticky, vile smelling sludge at the tip of a Stinkhorn not only contains sugary compounds – a combination of scent and taste that flies find irresistible – it also contains the Stinkhorn's spores, and as the flies crawl around enjoying their dinner the goo sticks to their feet and the insects convey the fungus' spores to new sites.

Compared to the 10 cm of the Ravenel's Stinkhorns in the photos above, this Skirted Stinkhorn (Phallus duplicatus, however, in my field guide it's named Dictyophora duplicata) is a giant. It stood out like a ... hmmm, let's say like a proverbial sore thumb, from the darker background of woodland floor debris. It was easily 20 cm in length and I've included my hand in the photo to impart a sense of scale.

Unfortunately this specimen is past its peak. The depressions in the morel-like tip are reservoirs for the Skirted Stinkhorn's viscid spore mass, which is long gone, but the fetid scent still lingers on and continues to attract flies. This species of Stinkhorn also sports a doily-like "skirt" around the base of the cap, the frayed remnants of which can be seen in the photos.

Also growing amidst the leaf litter along the trans-Canada Trail, only a few feet away from the Skirted Stinkhorn, was a lone Dog Stinkhorn (Mutinus caninus). And sure enough, where there are Stinkhorns, there are flies – note the mating pair in the background. Dog Stinkhorns attain a length of about 10 cm.

Stinkhorns not only pop up out of nowhere, they can vanish almost as quickly. The shelf life of the Ravenel's Stinkhorns was about three days after their prime (albeit they were pretty rough around the edges), but the Dog Stinkhorn in the image above – its goal of spreading the fungus' genes having been served – was little more than a gooey mass by the following morning.

With such a limited "best before" date one is lucky to stumble across opportunities to photograph these fascinating fungi, so I was thrilled when a few days later I encountered a colorful group of about a dozen Dog Stinkhorns. Or so I assumed at the time ... having done some more research, I now think these masses of malodorous mushrooms might be Elegant Stinkhorns (Mutinus elegans). The fruitbodies are longer (about 12 to 15 cm in length), there's no distinct separation of the spore mass and stalk, and more of the fruitbody – one third to one half – is covered in slime.

A student of the natural world soon learns that evolution and natural selection proceed according to their own rules, that life adapts as it must in order to survive and perpetuate itself and doesn't care about our human sensibilities ... nonetheless, I was holding my breath whilst taking these photographs.

Stinkhorns belong to the family Phallaceae, and what these 'shrooms lack (from our human perspective) in the olfactory department they make up for with their vivid colors and bizarre – but not necessarily phallic – shapes. Check them out at The Stinkhorn Hall of Fame at MushroomExpert.Com.

Lattice Orbweaver (Araneus thaddeus)

At about 5 mm in length the Lattice Orbweaver is a relatively small spider, and in the field whilst taking these photographs I mistook it for a Six-spotted Orb Weaver. The two species do bear a superficial resemblance to one another, here are some images of Six-spotted Orb Weavers at BugGuide.Net for comparison.

Petite but fearless – driven by hunger and instinct – this little girl kept pressing the attack even though she had literally bitten off more than she could chew. It's unlikely her chelicerae were able to penetrate the ensnared prey's outer integument, and the bumblebee eventually managed to extricate herself and escape without any apparent ill effects.

The colors and patterns of many spiders may vary consideraly but their instincts do not, and one of the distinguishing characteristics of Araneus thaddeus is the lattice-like retreat it builds within a rolled up leaf above its web. This spider did have a redoubt inside a leaf as described, but, not knowing this at the time, I never thought note if the interior was "lattice-like" or take any pictures of it.

Views of the spider's ventral aspect, it definitely looks like a Lattice Orbweaver, the Six-spotted Orb Weaver isn't this boldly marked underneath.

Since the Lattice Orbweaver's retreat is one of the criteria for identifying this species, I returned a couple of days later to the site where the spider was last seen hanging out to take a few photos. The spider appears to have moved on, there was no sign of it anywhere nearby.

The Ferns of the East

If you're searching for exotic ferns of the Orient, you've come to the wrong place, the ferns featured in this post aren't from that far east. A little closer to home, within the first three kilometer stretch of the trans-Canada Trail running east of Tweed, one can find sixteen species of ferns without really looking too hard. In addition to the photos below, the list includes ...

Northern Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina)
Bulblet Fern (Cystopteris bulbifera)
Fragile Fern (Cystopteris fragilis)
Marginal Wood Fern (Dryopteris marginalis)
Intermediate Wood Fern (Dryopteris intermedia)
Spinulose Wood Fern (Dryopteris carthusiana)
Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris)
Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis)
Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)
Common Polypody (Polypodium virginianum)
Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum)
Marsh Fern (Thelypteris palustris)

Wet, swampy woodlands are an excellent place to look for the Crested Wood Fern (Dryopteris cristata). This is a fertile tetraploid hybrid of the Southern Wood Fern (Dryopteris ludoviciana) and an unknown diploid parent. (I digress ... I keep reading about an "unknown parent" fern in my Peterson Field Guide. Having done some searching on the Internet, it appears that the aforementioned parent of several Dryopteris hybrids may be a hypothetical and no longer extant species dubbed Dryopteris semicristata.)

The fronds of the Crested Wood Fern grow in circular groups.

The sterile fronds (toward the back in the image above) are smaller, only about half the length of the fertile fronds.

A lateral view of a fertile frond showing the ladder-like twist of the pinnae, one of the key characteristics of this species.

The distribution of the sori on the underside of a fertile frond.

The lowest pinnae of the Crested Wood Fern are broadly triangular and smaller than the pinnae above. The pinnae in general are wider and much less frilly or lacy than other Dryopteris species.

More photos of the undersides of the fertile pinnae – note how the sori are neatly lined up in two rows.

The stipe bears a scattering of pale brown scales. It's not evident in the pictures above, but the stipes of the fertile fronds are quite long, over one-third the length of the blade.

Another inhabitant of cool moist woodlands – although I've called this a Northern Wood Fern (Dryopteris expansa), a couple of the characteristics don't quite conform to the species account in the Peterson Field Guide. The general growth form is the circular clumps so typical of Wood Ferns.

What caught my eye were the lower innermost pinnules of the basal pinnae – they are not only much longer and wider than, but also definitely not opposite, the pinnules on the other side of the costa. This is a strong indicator for either a Mountain Wood Fern (Dryopteris campyloptera), or its progenitor, the Northern Wood Fern (Dryopteris expansa).

The fertile blade – it's on the narrow side for this to be a Mountain Wood Fern, the blade of which is broadly triangular. I would also expect the blades of the Northern Wood Fern to be wider than this, although the other two blades in the first photo look to be about right.

The sori on the underside of the pinnae. I'm not an expert at this and still learning, but the sori seem sparse and don't appear to be well formed.

A closeup shot of the scattered pale brown scales on the stipe. According to the books the scales should have a dark central stripe, and I don't see any, the scales appear to be uniformly brown. Maybe it's best to just call this fern another unidentified Dryopteris hybrid ...

A couple of links to websites with a variety of good digital images of the various (and often baffling) Dryopteris species and hybrids:
A Digital Flora of Newfoundland and Labrador Vascular Plants
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture

Many ferns are adept at eking out an existence in a harsh habitat. The Ebony Spleenwort (Asplenium platyneuron) makes do in small pockets of soil on rock faces and fissures, and it often has company. The long graceful fronds in the following photo are the fertile fronds of an Ebony Spleenwort. The smaller, more triangular fronds with the dissected leaflets belong to a Fragile Fern, and there's also a young Marginal Wood Fern in the picture. The plants with the rounded leaves (to the right of the photo) are the vernal rosettes of Early Saxifrage. An artistic arrangement tucked into a few square inches of soil lodged in a tiny crevice in the unyeilding granite, courtesy of Mother Nature.

The sterile fronds are smaller, a a paler shade of green, and prostrate.

On the other hand the striking deeper green fertile fronds stand upright and can attain lengths of up to 50 cm.

The fertile pinnae have distinctive lobes.

Mature sori crowd one another until they pretty much cover the ventral surfaces of the fertile pinnae.

The dark glossy rachis that earned this fern its name isn't really ebony, it's more a of deep, rich reddish-brown.

A closer look at a fertile pinna, with its "ears" or lobes.

The stipe is smooth and the same color as the rachis.

Another grouping of Ebony Spleenwort – this beautiful little fern is not very common and to date I've found only four sites on the rock cuts, not far from one another, where it seemed to find conditions suitable to its needs.

This is the scenic habitat of the Rusty Cliff Fern (Woodsia ilvensis). Ebony Spleenworts, Fragile Ferns and Marginal Wood Ferns also "hang out" on the granite faces where there's a bit of soil to support them, but the aptly named Cliff Ferns occupy the most challenging places of all and get first prize for being the aerialists of the local fern world. I can't see so much as an honest crack in the rocks where many of the ferns are growing, and a lot of the overhangs are angled well beyond vertical.

Growth from previous seasons accumulates around the bases of the clumps. These ferns are often called "Resurrection Ferns" – the entire plant dies down during a dry spell but sprouts new fronds when conditions improve.

Cliff Ferns a.k.a. Woodsias can often be identified as such by looking at the base of the plant under the dead fronds. The stipes of many Woodsia species have an abscission layer – they all shear or break off at about the same level.

The dorsal surfaces of a fertile frond.

The sori are distributed around the margins of the pinnae and are surrounded by whitish hairs that are actually a part of the indusia. Said hairs are barely visible because the entire underside of the frond is woolly; this wool turns rusty brown during an extended dry spell.

The rachis of the Rusty Cliff Fern is also profusely covered with hairs.

A couple more plants of interest to look at before taking leave of the realms of the not-so-far east. It's impossible to overlook the ubiquitous "mosses" tenaciously hanging on to life on the sun-baked surfaces of granite with little or no soil cover.

However, my assumption that the plants were some kind of moss turned out to be incorrect. Dwarf Spikemoss or Rock Spikemoss (Selaginella rupestris) is a cousin of Clubmosses, Firmosses and Quillworts. Unlike mosses, but like the aforesaid species and the ferns, Spikemosses have a vascular system.

The visibly square-sided strobilus – the spore-producing structure – of the Dwarf Spikemoss. Whereas Clubmosses only produce one type of spore, Spikemosses produce two types – female megaspores, and male microspores. The leaves of Dwarf Spikemoss bear a long, transparent bristle on their tips.

Another patch of Dwarf Spikemoss.

A closeup, with the sterile leaves in the foreground and the square-sided strobili toward the right and back.

Moving on from a hot, dry habitat to a damp shady haven, where we can find the aptly named Snakeskin Liverwort (Conocephalum conicum). Liverworts are non-vascular plants – they have no veins or roots to transport water and nutrients – and are more akin to true mosses in this respect.

How the Snakeskin Liverwort got its name ... a closer look at the thallus, composed of tissues that are not differentiated into distinct organs such as stem and leaves.