Photo:  Pond on Hwy 522

The Skipper Butterflies have arrived in profusion.  Although they seem to spend most of their time buried deeply in the long grass, some occasionally nectar on Ox Eye Daisies.  I’ve realized that OEDs are a very universal source of nectar and pollen for a wide variety of pollinators and have spent more time with them this year.   I could learn from Hilton Pond.

Skippers  in a variety of poses…

One of the predators of Skippers, the Goldenrod Crab Spider in its white/purple stage ….

I am paying attention to  the changes in the form of chlorophyll in these maple leaves.  The red light is still being reflected off of, (not absorbed by)  the new leaves, indicating an absence of long wavelength (red) absorbing chlorophyll.   That brand of chlorophyll will go absent again this fall, just before leaf drop.

A poor imitation of C. Monet …

The rainshower stopped a variety of pollinators to visit this butterfly attractor, a relative of Common Milkweed…

C. Monet made me stop to photograph this nice habitat for a big gang of little flies.

Yet to be identified… maybe a bit easier when I see a few more of them.  Skipper-like behaviour..

These Tamarack cones  on Hwy 522 are still purple, unlike the green/yellow ones along Shebeshekong Rd.  I wonder why?

Elegant but unknown Hoverfly on an OED.

Bumblebee nectaring …

I finally have identified this beastie, which I’ve seen a lot of… always nectaring on OEDs.  It is a Flower Chafer, a Hairy Flower Scarab, a Bee-Mimic Flower Beetle, a Trichiotinus assimilis.   I came across the late Eugene Reimer’s photograph of T. assimilis while searching images for “beetle on Ox Eye Daisy”.  Eugene Reimer has a very interesting About Me at his website, http://ereimer.net/

Try using his collection of insect photos as a very handy way to check out obscure insects, like the beastie below…

Thanks a lot, Mr Reimer.

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