Mike.
Thanks you for Bugs guide website. That's help alots.
sue

I love your luna moth they are rare to see so pretty

Golden, I will go to Washington DC in August 8, have the meeting with the Big ear..just kidding..lol
I hope the Butterfly garden is still there also, and will visit the Botanic garden also, love trees!

Well take lots of photos Sue and share them with us when you get back! Have fun! :0)

soo cool! I love to pictures. the cat picture is my favorite!

what one took the close up of the dragonfly

I wish I had some nice photos of insects visiting my plants but with almost everything indoors year around I don't get many opportunities for such photos at home.

This is a Monarch butterfly that I raised a few years ago. The butterfly is still unfurling it's wings in the photo.

This beautiful wasp wandered into my apartment and I was able to snap a photo before releasing it back outside. These wasps use their long ovipositor to drill through tree bark and into insect larvae which the wasp larva eat once they hatch.

Some older photos from a past camping trip.

Mike

Mike, how do you raise the Monarch butterfly, in your apartment? You still have it? I saw them at the Disc. channel,
in somewhere I forgot the place, New Mexico maybe?, so beautiful. Their wing's color remind me the Tiffany glass.
The wasp has a long antenna, I never see that one before, nice color too. Beautiful, elegance insect!

Sue my nephew and I rescued a tiny monarch caterpillar from a single milkweed plant that it had all but eaten already. I kept the caterpillar in an aquarium and fed it fresh milkweed until it formed it's chrysalis. Once I noticed that the butterfly was ready to emerge I put out it outside on a morning glory vine and then snapped a photo a few hours later.

Mike

Here is a link that might be useful: Monarch development

That is REALLY COOL Mike! That would have been soo neet when you released him! (I like that alot)
That wasp almost looks like hes on your jeans lol...
I like the last shot - he looks kinda scarey! lol

Come on you guys if you dont have any onhand, get outside and find a few and share some more photos.... once you have that camera in hand, you will be amazed what you can find if you look....This time of the year with all the flowers out... (If only we had some sun... this has been the WORST summer I can remember... once the sun finally comes out I dont think my eyes will be able to handle it!

Don't butterflies look amazing when their wings are brand new? When they have experienced wear and tear I never feel unenthused. Yet, when they've just crawled from the chrysalis they remind me of brand new pigment. When I was a kid my mother helped us raise a monarch in just the same way. I guess she must have known what she was doing, b/c it turned out well, but I'm not sure I would have the same confidence as you!

Insects and plants have the best stories.

Golden where I grew up there is almost no milkweed anymore because the farmers pull every plant they see. The caterpillar was saved from a lone scrawny milkweed on my mother's property and I brought it home to raise. Where I live there are milkweeds everywhere and there are several large meadows along the river floodplain in our parks. I simply picked fresh milkweed leaves every few days to feed the caterpillar.
We also thought it would be good to teach my niece and nephew about butterflies so we searched the dill plants in my mothers garden until we found the small brown chrysalides that the black swallowtail butterfly makes in the summer. We took the chrysalides and stored them in the fridge for their winter dormancy and then my niece and nephew warmed them up in the spring and watched them hatch. I think it was a pretty cool science lesson for the kids.
That last shot is of a longhorn pine beetle and they are seriously nasty little beasts. They are about 2" long and have a very painful bite. In Northern Ontario where I canoe you can often hear the adults calling at night and then an entire tree full of larve start to make a strange vibrational sound, really creepy stuff.
The wasp was actually on an old denim quilt but pretty close!

Gg that's great that your mother raised a butterfly with you. My nephew asked me if I would be his schools science teacher because apparently I have shown him more than he learns in school. I guess that means he enjoys our family nature hikes.

Mike

Here is a link that might be useful: Life Cycle of the Black Swallowtail Butterfly

LOL People are always bringing my mom young animals to raise, and I think it has more to do with her aura than the fact that my dad's a vet. She was always doing those types of projects with us when we were kids. She's a biologist and was a bit of a lab geek at the time, so she had all kinds of connections for awesome science experiments.

I remember her bringing a bunch of eggs to hatch to my preschool or kindergarten class and that must have taken a lot of work and borrowed equipment in retrospect. We kept two of them for quite a while afterward. Henry and Henrietta, until it turned out that they were both roosters and the neighbors complained. So we gave them to a family living down the road and in the 'rural' zone and could hear them crowing their heads off in the distance every morning LOL.

I dated an elementary school teacher for many years and I can't imagine him letting a parent initiate that kind of chicken project tho I'm sure he'd love to. It's so different these days. Every minute is scheduled and the curriculum so tightly dictated. Teachers don't have the freedom they used to and I think that's frequently a shame. It's no wonder your nephew craves having you as a teacher (although, technically I think most of us around here could say the same. ^_~)

Seeing as I don't have a garden of my own I will have to share some photos I took while visiting my mother this weekend.

A large hover fly on one of my favorite medicinal garden herbs Echinacea pupurea.

A red dragonfly on a rusty wire fence.

A pair beautiful clearwing hummingbird moths Hemaris thysbe mating on a Sumac tree in the garden.

A grey grasshopper that was trying his best to hide.

After convincing my mother not to pull all of the milkweeds she left all the plants that grew on large stone piles where her sheep and miniture horses don't go to forage. I found some milkweed beetles and a spider but no Monarch larvae.

A pair of Cabbage white butterflies breeding while resting on a red clover plant.

We also went for a walk in a local conservation area to see the sulfur springs. The water is very cold and a blue grey mineral mud makes for a dramatic stream course. Different algae grows profusely in the mineral rich water and it was a wonderful place to visit on a beautiful summer day.

The sulfur spring

A bumble bee visiting a Great Blue Lobelia along the trail. There were several plants that are rare this far South including Cornus canadensis or bunch berry and blue bead lily. This was my first time seeing this beautiful Lobelia in bloom.

Cornus canadensis is the smallest member of the Dogwood family. This plant is quite rare this far South and was found growing in live Sphagnum moss along the sulfur spring stream.

Mike

Those are some cool pics, Mike. I am fascinated by the live sphagnum moss, of all things. I'm interested by the sulfur springs also. I don't think I've ever heard of them before. Roughly where is this? I miss having neat insect life to watch. I mainly get to see the pesty urban types that you don't want around. Or the ones that give me the heebie jeebies, like the occasional giant spiders that wandered in from outside and are too creepy to have around. I leave the centipedes be, as they are kind of cool and because they hunt and eat other insects. Also, they do their very best to avoid you. But I understand how they freak people out. Millipedes, on the other hand, really bother me. Ugh. I don't suppose it helps their case learning that they release cyanide gas as a defense mechanism. One or two little ones won't be a problem, but I've heard that if you turn over a rock and you see a whole bunch of them, step back to avoid this. I know rationally that the isolated one won't hurt me, but emotionally, this adds to their creep out factor.

Oh butterflies and bees and dragonflies, how I miss you! And praying mantises too. And other odd little interesting beasties that aren't poisonous or sting you. I think I need a get out of the city vacation :) Thanks for sharing your pics. What camera are you using, out of curiosity?

Great pictures Mike. Here in Florida, all I ever see are the regular bugs. Although I do have a few butterflies flitting around the plumbago and passion vines growing in the back yard. The passion vines are growing up over the screen enclosure and in the evening, the fragrance is awesome. I sit out there enjoying my coffee and sniffing the fragrance.

Spectacular photographs, Mike. You have a real talent for inspiring an appreciation of nature in others. I guess that's the alternate timeline science teacher in you.

I particularly like that stocky grey grasshopper and those hummingbird months. Astounding that you could find so many obliging subjects in one afternoon.

Don't bugs on Echinacea make the nicest snaps? I have one such photograph as my desktop right now and it always makes me smile. Your red dragonfly on rusty fence photograph looks just like a haiku. And who knew milkweed beetles were so adorable! To heck with you, ladybugs!

Anyway, thanks so much for sharing all those pictures with us. I feel like I just went on a little nature hike in Canada.

For those who generally get curious about cameras, on Flickr it will tell you what model Mike (and other talented photographers) used, just to the right of the image.

FANTASTIC SHOTS MIKE! I love your dragon fly close up... thats awesome... you can even see his nose - lol!

I love dragon fly shots.... they are usually pretty hard to get.... a few times I found myself running around the yard chasing them...

I forgot to mention - those hummingbird moths are COOL! Never seen them before... we dont have those in our area... along with those prehistoric grasshoppers...

Some very nice shots! Love the Luna moth. Wish I would happen upon those.

The metallic green bee is one of the multitude of solitary bees -- they do not form hive communities like honey bees. They are also much more efficient pollinators than honey bees however they do not produce harvestable amounts of honey and so are largely ignored.

Quinnfyre, only some types of millipedes produce cyanide gas as a defense system. Others produce other defensive chemicals. You don't have to be concerned about turning a log or rock over, disturbing a group of them , and then getting harmed by cyanide gas. Not only would they have to have been the type to produce cyanide gas, you also would have to have your face right down there while inhaling deeply and no air movement in a very confined space. Otherwise the gas would get very diluted before reaching you.

Thanks for the nice comments.

Quinn it had been very dry in the area for the past few weeks so the moss was pretty dry. Sphagnum moss looks so lush and beautiful after a nice rain.
The sulfur spring is outside of the town of Walkerton Ontario. I put the general area of the sulfur spring and Saugeen Conservation Area on the Flickr Map that is to the right of the photo. Apparently the sulfur spring is a fountain of youth because the photos have shown up as being taken in 2009 on the Flickr calendar. I admit I have no idea how to update the time settings.
My camera is a Canon 30D and if you click on any of the photos you can get to my Flickr site to see the map.

Another moss photo from the weekend. An old cedar stump with wild lily of the valley growing in moss.

Ima-digger your patio sounds wonderful. I usually see just the usual insects as well unless I can get out and look for something a little different. Sometimes you get lucky and the more unusual ones come to you.

GG I was shocked when we found those Hawk Moths but they got tired of the photo shoot after a minute and flew up to the top of the trees together. The hover fly on the Echinacea is my favorite photo of the group, love the colours in that shot.
The science teacher in me was thinking of setting up an insect collecting light and sheet at the cottage in a couple of weeks. Having the insects come to you is so much easier and I am sure the kids would love it.

Golden that dragonfly was pretty cooperative but there were others that I had to chase and those photos did not amount to much. The sphinx or hawk moths are just not often seen but they are in your area as well. I have only seen these moths a few times although this was the first day flying species. Sometimes the large night flying species come to bright lights. I attached a paper on hawk moths in B.C.

Mike

Here is a link that might be useful: Sphinx Moths in British Columbia

I had never heard of said "insect collecting light and sheet" but it sounds like an awesome plan! I'm thinking I really got screwed in the uncle department.

Ok I know this video was taken in Ecuador but imagine that it was Ontario instead, even though that giant rhinoceros beetle trudging along is far too exotic for Canada. The number of insects at that Ecuadorian cloud forest site is pretty amazing and it's certainly not a place to be if your squeamish of bugs.
If you take a white sheet and a black light you can attract many night flying insects. This is one of the main ways insects are collected for study.

Mike

Here is a link that might be useful: Insect collecting at night

Very cool! Although it also kind of reminds me of the time I inadvertently set up an insect collecting site, by leaving the window next to my aquarium open at night and returning to find 150,000 tiny urban bugs gathered in the white mosquito netting surrounding the light source.

Love the part where they suddenly switch to show a zillion moths fluttering around the light!!

Yeah, Canada is no rhino beetle infested graced Ecuador, but your pictures sure make it look fancy.

This is one of my favorite outside flowers and look forward to the wonderful fragrance that fills the yard.The bees love the milkweed also.

Ladybugs like them to.

Thanks for looking.

Cindy

Whoa! BEST BEE PHOTO EVER, Cindy! New desktop pic come to mama! (If that's okay. :3)

That bee is so cute I just want to hug him until he squeaks. Gorgeous shot of the blooms, too.

GG, you always give me a good giggle.Thanks, and by all means you can use my photo.

Cindy

That is, hands down, the cutest bee I have ever seen. Seriously.

Also, that is a really red ladybug. Where are her spots?

Cindy I am with you because I love the scent of those Asclepias syriaca flowers. Do you have many other milkweed species where you are? We rarely see Asclepias tuberosa growing wild and that is a stunning plant, also the swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata. I believe that the prairies have Asclepias speciosa but I am not sure if it's range crosses the mountains.
That is the fuzziest bee ever! LOL

Mike

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:970706}}

Great Photos Cindy! Very cute little bee... I'll have to get myself one of those milkweeds
Your ladybug looks a little embarrassed..No spots yet... lol
(I wonder why he doesnt have spots)

This is the only milkweed that I have growing in my yard.I would like to get more.
When I was first given this plant I did not know anything about it except that when it goes to seed the seed pod looks like a bird.Its so cute.This is why I wanted it.
I think the season why the ladybug had no spots is maybe it was still just a baby?? It was very tiny.
The bee is very cute and it did not mind me getting real close.

Cindy

love the pic with the bee. The flower is pretty too! I'm going to have to get some milkweed seeds and start planting. I think they should do well here in Florida.

Each area has their own milkweed species and most are very showy when in bloom. The species that are native to your area will be the easiest to grow but you do need to determine if the seeds need a cold wet stratification (winter sow) or not.

Mike

Here is a link that might be useful: Milkweed seeds

Mike, thanks for the link. I'm going to check it out right now.

I guess I'll wait until spring to order seeds. I want to make sure they are fresh and will germinate. I don't know if I plant them now, if they will germinate or just sit there until spring anyway. That is a great site with great information. Thanks again for posting the link. I've bookmarked it so I can find it again. LOL

Ima-digger some of the seeds need to be in the ground over winter before they will germinate. The seed pods will start to ripen in the late summer to fall and any time after that is the best time to get fresh seeds. A few species pop up in nurseries like the Mexican milkweed (Asclepias curissavica) and I have seen Asclepias tuberosa and icarnata which also comes in several colours including white, purple and pink. GeorgiaVines on Ebay sells many Asclepias seeds and Ebay in general is a great source for seeds, search for Asclepias.
It's much easier to direct sow in the garden with many Asclepias because transplanting can really set them back because they have a deep tap root. I have succeeded in moving small plants just after they come up but other than that they seem to really suffer.

Mike

This white spider loves my Hoya Lacunosa blooms:

I just rip the big tubers out of the ground and plant them where ever I want them to grow, Pulse I find them a bit invasive.But I just go over them with the lawn mower.

Cindy

I really enjoyed this posting, the photos are fantastic, and the query abt. Milkweed by the Fla. poster needs a reply- Milkweed can become almost 'wild' here, I purchased a plant at a Nursery, and it grew like crazy, when it formed seed-pods they broke open, the seed has a light fuzz surrounding it and floats thru' the air ! Soon I had Milkweed sprouting all over the yard ! and the butterflies love it.... it can be sprouted year-round here, I suspect my variety is not the kind that needs a cold-spell because it never stops growing and throwing seed-pods.....sally

I must admit that those white spiders kind of freak me out.I keep telling my self they are good to have around your hoyas but they still make me hold my breath when I find them.

Cindy

Cindy, if you have any seedpods you can send them here. I dont care if it's invassive. I have passion vine that is invasive. It grows all over. It loves my screen enclosure. Right now it's covering the right rear corner. It keeps the afternoon sun off my orchids that are sitting underneath. When they get eaten by catepillers, we just pull the down. My neighbor in back has scrub palm used as a fence and the passion vine covers them. The fragrance is awesome.
{{gwi:970748}}

That is really cool! my mother has a passion vine that is very small. I got a cutting from that plant. good to see that it grows quick and big.

Sure, I can try to catch the seed pod and send it to you.I will need to get your address.

Cindy

Hey Guys,
I'm not fond of BUGS,(don't ask how I work on my garden) however, the pics that were posted show their true beauty..LOL Including the Bee kitty .
Awesome Pictures,
alba in Hawthorne,Ca

@Cindy. I don't have your email address. I also see you are in Canada. Can you send seeds to USA from Canada? Please send me an email. Check my member page.

I was able to take a photo pf this Cecropia moth caterpillar while at a cottage with my family over the weekend. I did not have my camera so my iphone had to do. We moved the caterpillar into a little terrarium to watch it for a while and take some photos.

Mike

Here is a link that might be useful: Cecropia moth

WOW, Mike, this bug is huge! I will run if I see them.
beautiful shot.

/TPH.

I like the white caterpillar photo a lot! It's kind of neat when we import plants and yet local arachnid camouflage still works fine.

/Mike. Awesome caterpillar! He looks about ready for a hookah.

We saw a giant mantis roaming around on the front window of the pub last night and it looked so brilliant highlighted against the golden backdrop that I really should have taken a picture. I guess it was looking for prey, but it was a bit odd to see it in such an urban environment. Although I guess if they live on Quinn's ceiling that's evidence that they are city proof.

Great photo Mike... especially from your Iphone!!!
Keep us updated with the development photos... would be interesting to see....

The caterpillar made a cocoon that night so I will store it until spring and release it when it hatches. I was reading that hungry critters love to eat these moths while they are pupating so I may as well keep it safe while it's vulnerable. I would love to get some photos of the moth when it hatches although there is no knowing if it will make it through dormancy.

Mike