Odonata of Twin Lakes Sarnia, ON

Male Widow Skimmer, Libellula luctuosa (top), Variable Dancer, Argia fumipennis violacea (bottom)  

Note the setae (hairs) on tibia of the dancer are twice the length of the spacing between - a characteristic of Agria species.

A link to a fantastic reference: http://homepage.mac.com/edlam/index.html

I also use the Photo Field Guide to the Dragon Flies and Damselflies of Southwestern Ontario (Second Edition) by Ian Carmicheal, Alister MacKenzie, and Brad Steinberg.

Studying turtles

For my summer vacation I had the chance to study turtles. Much of the work invovled catching turtles and recording all kinds of data and then quickly releasing them. We looked for nests in areas with exposed sandy banks, without success.  We did find some predated nests.  On Thursday, we started out by checking our hoop nets.  There was only one snapper, which we measured and marked (by filing triangles into the posterior marginal scutes). A stressful experience for the snapper, but a painless process overall. We captured several painted turtles, measured them and marked two which had not been caught previously.  During the six hour paddle we saw many herons (at least four) and one green heron.


http://friendsofpinerypark.ca/SAR%20Turtle%202010%20Poster%20FINAL.pdf
 

Removing 13-14 year old female snapping turtle from hoop net (top), measuring (middle), Green Heron (Butorides virescens) (bottom)

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Northern Map and Damselfly

One of the highlights of my job is paddling the Sydenham each spring/early summer. We get to see wildlife, that is rarely seen elsewhere. Below is a picture a hatchling (toonie-sized) Map Turtle.

Bladder Campion

Silene vulgaris

Bladder Campion is native to Europe, where in some parts it is eaten, but is widespread in North America where it is considered a weed. We found this today in bloom at Meadowlily NP.

Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus)

Carrion beetle (Silphidae family)

Necrophila americana

We saw these two very common carrion beetles at Meadowlily Nature Preserve tonight. At first glance they looked like bumble bees.

According to Wikipedia: "The beetle is known to engage in mutualistic phoresis with non-flying mites of the genus Poecilochirus. Upon arrival at a carcass, these mites drop from the beetle and begin eating the eggs and larvae of the flies that preceded the beetles (and continue to lay more eggs even as the beetles are active). They will eventually return to the adults and be transported to the next carcass. Some of their young will hitch a ride with the beetles' young upon their emergence from the pupal stage."

Red Raspberry Slime

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Tubifera ferruginosa or Red Raspberry Slime

CREEPY: Slime molds form structures called plasmodia which are naked (i.e., without cell walls) masses of protoplasm which can move and engulf particles of food in an amoeboid manner. Slime mold plasmodia creep about over the surfaces of materials, engulfing bacteria, spores of fungi and plants, protozoa, and particles of nonliving organic matter.

Here is a link to a great fungi key: http://www.messiah.edu/Oakes/fungi_on_wood/shape%20key.htm

American Toad (B. a. americanus)

These toads, barely larger than tadpoles, emerged in record numbers this year. The naturalists at the Pinery remarked that it is rare to see so many. Hundreds were hopping along the trail at the Strathroy Reservoir when I snapped this picture. I also witnessed large numbers in Clay Creek in St. Clair township, and at Clark Wright Conservation Area. Must have something to do with the wet spring. American Toads require a semi-permanent freshwater pond or pool with shallow water in which to bread and for their early development.

The stag

Riding home in my purse (above).  Too bad this stag wouldn't pose on the write-up about the Lucanidea family (bottom). 

Tiger beetle

Cicindela repanda

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/paul_stamets_on_6_ways_mushrooms_can_save_the_world.html

Poll results: Should invasive snails be sold live for food and/or aquariums in Canada?

The results are in 3 people do not think we should sell invasive snails. One person thinks we should (but this response should be disregarded, since it was Jake being contrary). Watch for a new poll in coming days...

Painted turtle eggs

UPDATE: As of June 24, there is only one turtle egg left.  I am hoping for the best, but the colour has gone a bit strange. 

On June 2, after a full day of paddling/turtle surveying on the East Sydenham, on my drive home to London, I spotted a painted turtle at the side of the road (Oxford Street, just across the road from the Garden Patch).  Unfortunately, it was a female that did not survive a hit.  There was a broken egg beside the turtle's cracked carapace.  Upon further investigation, I spotted more eggs.  I was able to harvest five pink little eggs. On the advice of the Internet, I constructed a makeshift incubator with some household items.  Today, the eggs are still rosey pink and smooth, which I think indicates healthy eggs. Other than watering the eggs daily, this is mostly a waiting game now. The expected hatch date is mid-July.

Makeshift incubator: heating pad, bowl with vermiculite, and lid with holes.

Basking painted turtle on log in the East Sydenham

Interest grows in native wildflowers

Interest grows in native wildflowers

My first Bobolink!

The story on Bobolinks: http://onnaturemagazine.com/songs-of-the-bobolink.html

Where I saw one today:


View Bobolink Location in a larger map

Meadowlily Nature Preserve

Lady’s Slipper Cypripedium calceolus

Warbler Woods ESA - May 21, 2011

Sweet Woodruff (top), Wild Geranium (middle) May Apple (bottom)

Silent Spring Toronto?

I've heard rumour that not a single amphibian has been sighted in the City of Toronto this spring.  Is it true? I was calling this the "year of the frog" on account on the wet conditions and unusual number of amphibian sightings.  What is going on in Toronto?   Increased UV exposure, Chytrid Fungus or estrogen analogues (e.g., flame retardents) influence on reproductive health?  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline_in_amphibian_populations

Port Huron in the Dirty Dozen

http://www.thetimesherald.com/article/20110516/NEWS01/105160305/Port-Huron-listed-among-worst-sewer-discharges?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE