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Butterflies

The Wood Folk Diaries: Volume 3, Chapter 13: Silvery Blue and Lupine

December 17, 2022 by Rachel of the Woods Leave a Comment
The Wood Folk Diaries: Volume 3, Chapter 13: Silvery Blue and Lupine

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…]

Posted in: The Wood Folk Diaries Tagged: Attracts pollinators, Butterflies

The Wood Folk Diaries: Volume 3, Chapter 12: Black Swallowtails and Carrots

November 17, 2022 by Rachel of the Woods Leave a Comment
The Wood Folk Diaries: Volume 3, Chapter 12: Black Swallowtails and Carrots

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…]

Posted in: The Wood Folk Diaries Tagged: Attracts pollinators, Butterflies

Wood Nettle – Laportea Canadensis: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Nettliest of Wild Plants

October 21, 2022 by Rachel of the Woods Leave a Comment
Wood Nettle – Laportea Canadensis

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…]

Posted in: Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants Tagged: Astringent, Butterflies, Digestive, Diuretic, Edible parts, Found in damp ditches or roadsides, Found in damp or wet places, Found in low damp areas, Found in moist woods, Found in stream edges, Found in wet swampy sites, Green flowers, Medicinal parts, Native to Ontario, Partial shade, Perennial, Respiratory, Urinary, Urticaceae/Nettle family, Wet soil, White flowers, White-tailed deer

The Wood Folk Diaries: Volume 3, Chapter 11: Coral Hairstreaks and Cherries

October 17, 2022 by Rachel of the Woods Leave a Comment
The Wood Folk Diaries: Volume 3, Chapter 11: Coral Hairstreaks and Cherries

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…]

Posted in: The Wood Folk Diaries Tagged: Attracts pollinators, Butterflies

The Wood Folk Diaries: Volume 3, Chapter 10: Violets for Greater Fritillaries

September 17, 2022 by Rachel of the Woods Leave a Comment
The Wood Folk Diaries: Volume 3, Chapter 10: Violets for Greater Fritillaries

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…]

Posted in: The Wood Folk Diaries Tagged: Attracts pollinators, Butterflies

Swamp Milkweed – Asclepias Incarnata: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Hot Pink Milkweed of Wild Plants

June 17, 2022 by Rachel of the Woods Leave a Comment
Swamp Milkweed – Asclepias Incarnata

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…]

Posted in: Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants Tagged: Anthelmintic, Apocynaceae (incl. Asclepiadaceae)/Dogbane family, Attracts pollinators, Bees, Butterflies, Edible parts, Emetic, Found in damp meadows, Found in marshes, Found in swamp edges, Full sun, Medicinal parts, Native to Ontario, Perennial, Pink flowers, Ruby-throated hummingbirds, Wet soil
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  1. Bonnie Dalzell on Wild Lettuces – Lactuca SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Opium of Wild PlantsMay 31, 2025

    I am in Maryland in a rural area. Around 10 years ago I found a weird tall plant growing as…

  2. Eva Zdrava on False Bindweeds – Calystegia SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Morning Glories of Wild PlantsMay 5, 2025

    I just read yesterday about Calystegia silvatica, That neither part of the plant extract showed any cytotoxicity to the normal…

  3. Margo Thompson on Quaking Aspen – Populus Tremuloides: Edible & Medicinal Uses of a Popple’r Wild PlantMay 4, 2025

    I can't believe I've lived with the trees all of these years and didn't know this!

  4. Teresa on Serviceberry – Amelanchier SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Early Bloomer of Wild PlantsFebruary 24, 2025

    In my part of the world they are called saskatoons and we eat them raw by the handful, even gorging…

  5. Gary Nichols on Reed Grass – Phragmites SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Roasted Marshmallow of Wild PlantsSeptember 7, 2024

    Hi, have you successfully made flour from the seeds of Phragmites?

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