Dear Wood Folk, Silvery blue (glaucopsyche lygdamus) butterflies are easily mistaken for similarly blue azures, who were featured in our diaries earlier this year. I almost included the silvery blue caterpillar (below in this feature) in the azure diary by mistake! The slivery blue are easier to find with their wings spread open than azures. … [Read more…]
Dear Wood Folk, For readers in Haliburton area, it’s not impossible we could see a black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes). Their range mostly stops in southern Ontario, often seen in Peterborough. But they are occasionally spotted around Haliburton. Because it’s such a longshot and I don’t spend much time to the south, I don’t have a … [Read more…]
Wood nettle (Laportea canadensis) is the most common native nettle in Ontario, and like the introduced stinging nettle it’s edible and medicinal. In fact, wood nettle is considered to be the favoured of the two. Canada AKA wood nettle (Laportea canadensis) is common in open moist woods, low damp areas and wet swamps. I found … [Read more…]
Dear Wood Folk, Hairstreaks (subfamily Theclinae) are distinct looking tiny butterflies that usually have a small protruding “hair” at the end of their tail. Today we’re focusing on the coral hairstreak (satyrium titus) and its very cherry host plants, but we’ll also give a brief summary of the rest of Ontario’s hairstreaks and the various … [Read more…]
Dear Wood Folk, Around cottage country, Ontario we have numerous fritillary butterflies. From a distance these bright orange butterflies are sometimes mistaken for monarchs. Fritillary can be a hard word to retain; at least it was for me. (Frit frit frit.. (h)illary. Repeat 10 times. Maybe picture a Hillary you know “freaking lit”.) Our most … [Read more…]
Swamp milkweed is not as edible and medicinal as its common relation. So we’re all the more talking about how much of an all-star this plant is for pollinator gardens and native landscaping. Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) can be found in the margins of swamps, marshes and other low wet areas. It’s not as prolific … [Read more…]