18 | June | 2017 | Brtthome's Blog

We spent some time looking into the grass along Hwy 529 and Riverside Drive to see butterflies, moths, bees & flies foraging, pollinating and, I think, laying eggs.

Just west of the Magnetawan FN Band Office we saw this interesting use of “citizen science”. Good for McMaster, Royal Bank, Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve and the Magnetawan FN.

It appears that this year’s Pin Cherry crop will be affected by the cold wet weather during their pollination period about three weeks ago.

These Black Cherries are going to do a bit better, we hope.

Solomon’s Seal along Riverside Drive, near the Geophysical Marker….

Vanessa cardui have been flitting around and nectaring for about two weeks now.

Here are several moths that I have not yet identified:

Try: http://www.backyardnature.net/n/a/moo/

Back to Butterflies:

This looks to be a Pieris rapae. It didn’t move to a better location for a better ID photo so this is all we have. I have seen them flittering on the wild mustard that is blooming now. No photos though as it has been very windy when they’ve been feeding. This one might be laying eggs.

The Monarchs have been around for a week or so, usually feeding on Orange Hawkweeds. The Common Milkweeds won’t be blooming for a week or so. I suspect that this Monarch is in the milkweeds to lay eggs for the first generation of summer Monarchs.