More Insect Tours

 A stop at Reid C. L. this past Monday revealed some more of the usual species found there.

Dukes' Skipper

Broad-winged Skipper

Mourning Cloak

Great-spangled Fritillary

But, I did finally photograph a Mulberry Wing.

Looking closer, one can find tiny insects such as this Citrus Flatid Planthopper.

Hummingbird Clearwing moths are plentiful right now.  These chunky moths are quite unique.

Tuesday I headed up to Ipperwash.  It was not the best weather as it was cloudy most of the time, but I was anxious to get there.  I walked most of the Ipperwash Forested Dunes and Swales property owned by the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Don't go there for birds!  There were hardly any.

I did see Shadow Darners, but unable to get photos.  I did come across a Fawn Darner at one point.

There were all kinds of little moths, some of which were Yellow-spotted Renia.

And a Darker Diacme moth.

Along the wetland area, I came across this pair of Emerald Spreadwings.

Highlight, was a Harvester!  I saw this thing fluttering around at one of the boardwalks and was unsure what it was.  Conveniently, it landed on my hand!

Heading back home, I stopped at my usual lunch break spot at Marthaville Habitat Management Area near Petrolia.  Always a good spot for dragonflies.

Slaty Skimmer

Calico Pennants

Widow Skimmer

Wednesday, it was back to Reid.  Weather was quite pleasant.

Lance-tipped Darners are appearing, as this one did.

A couple of Royal River Cruisers were warming up in the sun.

Another Hummingbird Clearwing posed nicely in the morning sun.

More butterflies...

Dukes'

Broad-winged

Red-spotted Purple

Thursday morning weather was perfect as I went for a walk at Mitchell's Bay.  This Shiny Bog Fly caught my eye at one point.  Apparently, it is an endangered species.

Today, I went farther afield and ended up at Fingal Wildlife Management Area. Walked around the Ian Carmichael pond area.

Wild Indigo Duskywing

Heading back west, I stopped at John E. Pearce PP.  Usually it is good for odonates, but there were not many.  I was hoping for Comet Darner, but perhaps they are not there anymore, as I have not seen them in a few years.

A few butterflies were along the way.

Great Spangled Fritillary

Continuing back west, I stopped at Joe's Bush NW of New Glasgow.  I had been there in a few years.  It is a nice wooded area with lots of mature trees.

One last stop was at the old quarry in Clear Creek Provincial nature reserve.  There were not as many odonates as usual, but a couple of Comet Darners were flying the pond.

The most interesting thing was a swarm of Cicada Killer Wasps.  Had to be close to 100 beside the pond!

Other than that, there was not much to photograph.  Hope things are better there on Sunday for the butterfly count!

More Insects, Things and Even A Mocha

 Tuesday was another humid day as I visited Reid and McKeough.  Highlight at Reid CA was another sedge skipper for the list there.......a Mulberry Wing!  I spent quite a bit of time in the "low spot" along the laneway.  That spot never disappoints.

I was fairly certain that I saw a Mulberry Wing here last year, but never could prove it with a photo.  

Other sedge skippers also observed were Dukes' and Broad-winged here on this visit.  But they are getting so regular, I did not bother to take photos of them!  Needless to say, it has been a good year for the sedge-type skippers.

While walking back, I caught sight of a Striped Hairstreak.  Any hairstreak this year is good!

Hairstreaks took a beating last year, and I think it will be a few years before they recover to decent numbers around here.

I was at McKeough previously, and did not find much at all.  Here are a few things.

Eastern Forktail duo

American Lady

Wednesday was a rain day as the remnants of hurricane Beryl passed through.  And yes, it was excessive....again!  We were just getting dried out around here, but once again everything is flooded even more than before.  Certainly a lot of crop losses with the flooded fields.

I did head down Rondeau way and the rain stopped for a while to get some walks in at Erieau and the lagoons.  Nothing of note.

Thursday, I headed down to Clear Creek to check out the old quarry.  Things were slow at first, but eventually picked up with lots of odonates.

There was at least one Comet Darner flying the pond.  It was very active, so I did not get decent photos this time.

Lots of bluets were around, but most were not close.  Highlight was Westfall's Slender Bluet, which I saw here last year.

There were skimming bluets and azure bluets as well.  But a new one for me here was Double-striped Bluet.  There were quite a few actually.

 Lots of Calico Pennants were flying, as were Black Saddlebags.  Even Slaty Skimmer.

I then headed up to Wardsville Woods which was rather disappointing for odes.  It is always hit and miss.  However, some Double-striped Bluets were here as well.

Violet Dancer appears here in small numbers.

At one point I caught sight of a Fawn Darner, but it bolted before I could get a photo.  I seem to see at least one here every summer.

Very few butterflies.

Northern Pearly-Eye

Today, I had the notion to head up to Strathroy.  I wanted to walk the conservation area in town, but not surprisingly it was closed due the high water from the excessive rain recently.  There is always lots to see there, so that was a disappointment.

So, I spent quite a bit of time at the lagoons.  There is a bit of mud for shorebirds, but no much due to the high water.  This place is always good for shorebirds this time of year.  However, there are lots of flooded fields around for shorebirds to choose from.

This place is certainly a duck factory with many broods of Wood Ducks and others.  Even Common Gallinules and American Coots breed here.

There were hundreds of Familiar Bluets, but I could not pick out any others.  A few years ago, Northern Bluet was seen here though.

Eastern Forktails were numerous as well.  I found this one which was having breakfast.  Looks like it was eating another!

A few butterflies were around, including this Wild Indigo Duskywing.

I noticed this spider at one point.

Phylloneta pictipes

Highlight was a singing Swainson's Thrush that remained unseen in the woods.  Not sure what to make of it, but I guess an early fall migrant.

I headed back west and ended up at Skunk's Misery.  I took a look for the Dukes' Skipper again.  It took a while, but I found one!

This garter snake was curled up nearby.  I hope they do not eat Dukes's Skippers!

With my keen eye, I noticed a Great Blue Skimmer flying around.  However, it bolted deep into the woods!  Obviously a few must be around right now.

I then walked my regular trail off Sassafras Road.  Highlight here was a Mocha Emerald!

I saw one here a few years ago, but never got a photo to confirm. So, yet another spot for the Mocha.

Here are a couple more garden insects from today.  I think these two are new for the yard list.

Argus Tortoise Beetle

Skimming Bluet

Seen before in the past, is the Transverse-banded Flower Fly.