We went for a drive along Hwy 522 to Smith Bay Road and saw a variety of beasties and blossoms a few days before Sun-Stop.
The white spots on the tips of the wings identifies this Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly as a female. This one is worth clicking on to see its fine structure.
Interesting name for this butterfly … Little Wood Satyr ??!!
Sedges have edges, grass has joints. Grass inflorescence.
Unknown dragonfly …
Common weed … the very delicate and pretty Daisy Fleabane seen up close.
Canadian or Eastern Tiger SwallowTail.
Bladder campion, a delicacy in southern Europe, considered a weed in North America. In any event it is very nice to look at up close.
This patch of Sheep Laurel bloomed about 3 weeks later than the patch on the Shawanaga Reserve.
Widow Skimmer, I think.
Bright male housefinch.
The little beetle on the uppermost mushroom is a good indicator of Oyster mushroom, a delicacy to mushroom eaters. I must say, though that the folks in California have quite a different mushroom than the one we harvest in Ontario. I have never seen a “grey” one and I have never seen any in the fall. In Ontario P. ostreatus fruits during the first rains of late spring / early summer, usually on standing Aspens that have died a few years earlier.
This painted turtle was photographed just before it plopped into the water.
White Admiral
Some folks will remember this wild nut that is common around Georgian Bay
A few months ago the nuts started out in buds like the one above. They will be ripe in August when the trick will be to harvest them before the borers, jays, squirrels etc harvest them.
Nice picture of Solomon’s Plume (aka False Solomon’s Seal).
On Sunday the noon sun ( apparent solar time ) stops, pauses and starts its southbound journey until Winter Sun Stop in December 2015.
Next week the Pickerel River First Nations will be celebrating the occasion with a few days of fasting, rituals and then feasting. I hope to visit their festivities and to take a few pix.
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