Newport Forest, Wardsville ON - Harbinger of Spring and other things

Monster-sized Leech: Haemopsis plumbeus

Western Chorus Frog, Psuedacris triseriata

Virginia Bluebells, Mertensia virginica

Harbinger of Spring, Erigenia bulbosa

The harbinger of spring because is one of the earliest blooming native wildflowers of rich forests in the mid-latitude United States and extreme Southern Ontario. Throughout most of its range it blooms from late February through early April. It is a small spring ephemeral reaching only 5-15 cm tall when in flower, and slightly larger afterwards. It was first added to the biotic inventory at Newport Forest March 27, 2007 (inventory started in 2000).

Angel-winged Butterfly, Polygonia sp.

Spotted Ladybug, Coleomegilla maculata

Red-tailed Hawk (?) tentative ID

Red-tailed Hawk (?) tentative ID

McTavish Tract, Perth - A stream study

Just east of Shakespeare the is a Thames Talbot Land Trust property known as McTavish Tract.  I had the delight of studying the cool water stream that runs through the property.  Officially the stream is known as Steeplehigh Municipal Drain.   I collected benthic (bottom) macro (larger than 500 micrometres) invertebrates (critters without backbones) in order to study the water quality.  It will take some time to identify and analyze the results, but based on what I saw today it is a very healthy crick.

Coltsfoot

So what does it look like in the water?....

dace

Underwater photo of Blackfly, Simuliidae,  larae

Green Frog, Lithobates clamitans

Benthic Families of McTavish Tract (Riffle 1)

126 benthos, 8 families:

114 simuliidae (blackfly)

2 nemouridae (stonfly - distinguished from taeniopterygidae by the observation 2nd tarsal appeared extremly dimished/absent) (tentative ID)

1 taeniopterygidae (distinguished from nemouridae by the observation that the 1st and 2nd tarsal were about the same size) (tentative ID)

2 hypropsychidae (netspinner)

2 chironimidae (midge)

1 tipulidae (crane fly) (tentative ID)

2 tabanidae (horsefly) (tentative ID)
Note: It was very difficult to see the disinguising features of the  nemouridae versus the taeniopterygidae.

Any comments on whether I have these identifications correct are welcome!:

Blackfly larvae, Simuliidae family

Midge, Chironimidae Family

Net-spinning Caddisfly, Hyposychidae family

Net-spinning caddisfly - up close

Hydropsychid larvae  construct their nets in fast flowing water and gener ally on the upper surface or rocks. They use sand, plant material, and small pebbles to form a retreat on which to hide.

What does a  Hydropsychid net look like?

Capture net and retreat of a Hydropsychid larva.

Another netspinning caddisfly

close-up of gills (under abdomen) and anal proleg

cranefly, tipulidae (tentative ID)

Horsefly, Tabanidea family

Horsefly breathing tube

retracted head

Stoneflies.....

nemouridae?

nemouridae?

taeniopterygidae?

The mouth parts are important identifiers for all stonefly (mandible shape and pulp shape in particular)

Frogs at Clark Wright Day 2

Day two exploring the vernal ponds was incredible.  The frogs were calling so loudly that both my ears were ringing when I left.  Jake and I stood in the pond shouting to each other over the chorus.  The frogs never quieted or stop calling.  They were focused!

Spring Peeper, Pseudacris crucifer

 Spring Peeper

According to Wikipedia:

On Martha's Vineyard, peepers are commonly called "pinkletinks"; in New Brunswick, Canada, they are sometimes called "tinkletoes", although not commonly known by that name, and usually referred to as simply "peepers". On Nova Scotia's South Shore, they are sometimes referred to as "pink-winks." These frogs are one of the smallest known frogs.

It was hard to find this fella.  He called and called while I stood there thinking that I had to be looking at him.  Finally I found the frog at the centre of a little grass teepee.  It is hard to judge scale from the photo. This one was about 1 - 1.5 cm.

Wood Frog 

Wood Frog, Rana sylvatica

According to the Toronto Zoo Adopt-a-Pond web page: "Wood frogs spend the winter FROZEN with 65% of the water in their body becoming ice! Canadian researchers have discovered that the Wood frog's breathing and heartbeat, actually STOP as winter approaches. Wood frogs freeze from the inside OUT because if they were to freeze from the outside IN, the pressure from the outside would crush their internal organs. The ability to freeze is possible due to high concentrations of glucose (or sugars), which prevent cells from completely freezing. Specialized proteins in the Wood frog's blood allows them to control the rate at which they freeze and prevents their blood from clotting. Wood frogs are still susceptible to freezing involuntarily. They lose their freeze tolerance shortly after they emerge from hibernation in the spring because their glucose levels and specialised protein levels (which enable them to freeze) are very low. The production of the glucose and proteins are triggered by seasonal phenomena so that once winter arrives, again, the Wood frog will be able to freeze."

Colour variation in Wood Frog - there were many today that appeared reddish.

This frog was not concern about me being there.  In this picture he's looking the other way - possibly for a mate.

Wood frogs have an odd way of hanging around. Many float on the surface in a relaxed fashion as in the picture above and below.

Floating

From underneath - fore legs on the left.

Face to face

Brake for Frogs

Watch for frogs on roads over the next couple days.  Drive slowly!!!! After photographing and appreciating the beauty of the frogs pictured below at Clark Wright CA, I decided to try "road cruising" or driving slowly near bridges around natural areas looking for frogs. I've never done it before at night and never specifically for frogs.  From what I read the conditions tonight seemed ideal.

It was gruesome.  I wish I hadn't gone.  There were many dead bodies and even worse there were injured and suffering frogs all over the road.   I tried to leave.  As I was driving (very slowly) away I saw a tiny frog at the last second I swerved and it hopped. Then "pop".  Ugh. This is the second animal I hit that I know of (both within a year ) I felt terrible about the grackle I hit too.  I gathered the bird up and put on my lap hoping I could help it somehow. I couldn't.  Keep your eyes open over the next couple days during the peak breeding time. 

Northern Leopard Frog, Rana pipiens

Wood Frog, Rana sylvatica