… and with it some warmer afternoons.  (Until June 2 am when a frost advisory is posted.)

This painted turtle takes some sun on a log in the creek between K and G’s places on the Old Still River Rd:

(Bit of an illusion, eh?)

The Trilliums continue to fade and lose their blooms, but the leaves are working hard making food stored in those rhizomes.

Canadian Tiger Swallowtail  or  Eastern Tiger Swallowtail?

 

Meadowhawk?  Sympetrum?

Fly, a green one.

 

Milkweed is growing rapidly and will be feeding nectar to the Monarchs, who will lay their eggs on the leaves.  The resulting caterpillars will eat the leaves including the bitter tasting and poisonous latex.  Birds and other prey know, somehow,  not to eat Monarch Butterflies.

 

Right next to the Milkweeds some Barren Strawberry, I think.  (I have some pix that show 5 petals.)

 

 

There is a lesson here!!!

Have a look at this.

And if you are interested in the details, have a look at this.

Yes, the above blur was a Clearwing extending its proboscis (nectar sucking tube) into a wild cherry blossom.   The shot is a “provisional”, (just in case I can’t get the camera  set up quickly enough to get a good photograph).  At least I learned that Clearwings appear early to feed on cherry blossoms.  They move quickly, just like when they feed on Milkweed nectar.  I got the above image and it was gone.  Tomorrow??

 

 

Another BLUE!  These,  and their cousins,  were quite common today.  I think this is a Cherry Gall Azure.   Even Rick Cavasin has difficulty with this one.

And Rebecca’s bumblebees were pollinating the Clinton’s Lilies, (which were called Blue-beads yesterday!)

 

Red Osier Dogwood is starting to bloom now.

 

An Arctic or Chequered Skipper feeding on a beautiful yellow wildflower.

The Pale Corydalis are fading quickly now.   But the seed pods are ripening.

 

This hairy beastie …

 

…. had a run-in with this beastie on that twig of the ash tree.  No issues, they just clambered over each other.

 

I remember the first time I saw these miniature cones on this very common hackmatack.  Very nice colour.

And I can remember tasting this sour grass   many years ago.   Its cultivar is occasionally used to spice up salads.

Sorry to leave you on this sour note!!!

(Current temperature is a couple degrees above the Dew Point (~5º).  So a lot of heat will be released IF the air cools down to 0º.   I think that my fuchsia is safe.  On the other hand some radiation fog early in the morn really is very nice to photograph!)

t

PS  Welcome back to “The Bay” D &D!  I saw the kayak on the jeep.  We need a report of what you’re seeing out there!