Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillars

We found these two Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillars while on a hike at Earl Rowe Campground, Alliston, Ontario. These colourful black, white and orange caterpillars are sometimes referred to as the "Harlequin Caterpillars". My National Audubon field guide refers to them as Milkweed Tiger Moth Caterpillars. They can be found in meadows and along roadsides ~ or wherever you may find milkweed, as they feed on the foliage of this weed. They range from Ontario and northeastern United States, to the North Carolina mountains, west to the great Plains.

I only managed a couple of shots before they fell off the leaf they were on. This is apparently a defense mechanism they use when they feel threatened. My son had bumped the plant they were on and they quickly curled up and dropped to the ground.

The caterpillar will eventually become the Milkweed Tussock Moth (or Milkweed Tiger Moth).



Check out some of these sites to learn more about the Milkweed Tussock Moth and their caterpillars:


Garden Web: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/butterfly/msg0907431211368.html

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euchaetes_egle

The Metropolitan Naturalist:
http://metro-naturalist.com/Animals/Insects/Milkweed_Tussock_Moth.html

Eight-spotted Forester Moth

While out for my morning hikes through Wilkin's Walk, I really do try to take everything in.  I'm constantly scanning the landscape from the path beneath my feet to the sky above for anything interesting to photograph.  On this day, I was fortunate enough to notice a beautiful moth on the path.  Actually, the lucky one was the moth because I almost stepped on it.  I wouldn't have been happy about that! 

Not knowing how cooperative it would be, I took a few shots for identification purposes, and then I attempted to pick it up.  Turned out that this moth was in a photogenic mood.  I love it when they cooperate!

Don't forget.... you can click on the picture to view me LARGE!

Juicy Tidbits

• Found in the Eastern part of the U.S., Texas and Florida, as well as some parts of Canada
• Found along woodland egdes, in vineyards and in cities
• The adults fly in bright daylight, and this moth is often confused for a butterfly
• Wingspan is about 30 to 37 mm 

To learn more about this beautiful moth, check out the following sites:

http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Alypia-octomaculata:  Butterflies and Moths of North America

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alypia_octomaculata:  Wikipedia

Snail with a Mite

While out on my daily walk today, I found a snail on the trail. While photographing it, I realized it had a little visitor on one of its tentacles. I'm guessing that it is a mite and is feeding off the snail.

Neat what interesting things you can find when you stop to notice the ordinary.

A mite has attached itself to this snail's optic tentacle which can also be referred to as a "feeler"

Trillium Bokeh

Trillium Bokeh, a photo by Yvonne Metcalfe on Flickr.

The trilliums were beautiful on my walk today! Some were starting to look a liitle tired already, so if you haven't been out to shoot these beauties, now is the time to do it.

The white trillium is the emblem and official flower of Ontario. It is also the official symbol for the Government of Ontario as well as the official wildflower of Ohio.

It is a common misconception that it is illegal to pick trilliums here in Ontario. This flower is only protected in provincial parks and on lands owned by conservation authorities. There is a rare drooping trillium which is, however, protected by law and illegal to pick. Picking a trillium does do a lot of damage to the plant, and it may take years to be able to flower again.

Instead of picking a trillium to have for a few days, take a picture of it instead and have it forever.

For more information, check out the following links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trillium ~ All about trilliums

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trillium_flexipes ~ Learn about the drooping trillium here

Nature Gazing

Here's a little video I've put together of some of my favourite shots. Share and enjoy as much as you'd like!

Bald-headed Blue Jay

Well this was another first for me!  I was very concerned when I first saw this bald Blue Jay, but was relieved to discover that the bird is not sick and dying from some strange bird illness.  This bird is most likely bald due to an abnormal molt of all its head feathers all at once.  It is possible for the Blue Jay to have lost its head feathers due to a mite or lice infestation, but most sites that I have visited believe that the bald heads seen on Blue Jays and Northern Cardinals at this time of year are due to their seasonal molt.

It is unusual for birds to molt all their head feathers at once, but staggered regrowth should occur over the next few weeks, bringing in new winter feathers for the cold months ahead and readying the birds for any migratory flying they may be doing.

This particular Blue Jay was found at my friend's cottage up near Gravenhurst, Ontario.  Other than its vulture-like appearance, this Blue Jay seemed healthy, as it repeatedly returned to eat up peanuts that were out for the chipmunks.  It was a very fast flyer, so I apologize for the poor photos. 

This Blue Jay seemed normal and healthy in all other aspects... just missing all its head feathers!

Click to enlarge the photos for a better view

The head feathers should return within a couple of weeks



For more information on the bald Blue Jay, and other bald birds, check out the following links:

Bird Studies Canada:  http://www.bsc-eoc.org/organization/newsarchive/9-16-05.html
Project FeederWatch:  http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/AboutBirdsandFeeding/BaldBirds.htm
The Zen Birdfeeder:  http://wildbirdsunlimited.typepad.com/the_zen_birdfeeder/2010/08/bald-birds.html
HIlton Pond Center:  http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek030701.html

Emerging Cicada



The empty skin, or exuviae, of a cicada clings to the side of a tree

 While camping at Bass Lake Provincial Park the other day, I happened to notice an empty cicada skin clinging to the side of a tree by the beach.  I stopped to snap some shots of the skin, which is called exuviae, and happened to notice that something much more spectacular was occuring on this tree.  As I looked up, was thrilled to see a cicada in the midst of shedding its skin.  And it wasn't just one cicada... there were three cicadas that were all at different stages of metamorphosis!  Needless to say, I was over the moon!  With camera in hand, I captured these cicadas as they emerged from their nymphal skin to begin their new existence as winged adults. 

The cicada is dear to me for a few reasons.  First, their distinctive high pitched song reminds me of when I was a child and how I used to think their buzzing was actually the power surging through the power lines.  Second, the cicada song to me means summer.  When you hear that buzzing, you immediately think of a hot summer day, jumping in a lake and sipping lemonade.  Well at least I do.  Lastly, the cicada was the insect that rekindled my passion for insect identification, for nature and for photography.  This happened about 10 years ago when we found a freshly molted cicada clinging to the tire of our car.  I had never seen a cicada before and was instantly mesmerized.  As a child, I was always fascinated by insects... I had forgotten that part of me as an adult.  Today I embrace it, thanks to one little cicada that happened to cross my path a decade ago. 

Now, I have already written about the cicada in this blog, so I don't really wish to repeat everything again.  If you'd like more info on this amazing creature, check out my January blog from 2010:  Cicadas: One of My Favourite Insects... http://naturenutlady.blogspot.ca/2010/01/cicadas-one-of-my-favourite-insects.html

Here are some shots of cicadas as they are emerging from their nymphal skins.  Essentially, what is happening is that the cicada has pushed through the back of its shell and then slowly pulls itself out of its skin.  As it slowly wiggles itself loose, it ends up sticking straight out from the tree so that it is parallel with the ground.  When it is finally ready to complete molting, it curls forward and grabs the head of its now empty skin and then pulls its back end out of the casing.  The cicada will then rest there while its wings slowly expand and dry.  When rested enough, the cicada then slowly starts walking up the tree to where it lives its adult life.

I am not sure as to exactly what species these cicada are, but I have an i.d. request in with the experts at http://www.bugguide.net/

An emerging cicada slowly wiggles its way out of the back of its casing (exuviae). 

Fully emerged, the cicada still clings to its skin (exuviae) to rest and let its wings expand and dry

I used my flash in this shot.

A more cropped in version of the shot from above

This was a different cicada.  It had emerged closer to the ground, which made photographing it a bit easier. Here I was able to take a top down shot, showing the underside of this amazing creature.  The cicada has a pointy needle-like beak used for feeding.  It is used to pierce twigs and branches in order to suck up nutrients.  It is not used to bite people.

  This one's wings are much greener than the previous one.  Its wings have not fully expanded yet.



I feel very fortunate that I was able to witness this incredible transformation.  The cicada, indeed, is one of my favourite insects.  I hope it becomes one of yours too.

For more information on the cicada, check out the following sites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada

http://naturenutlady.blogspot.ca/2010/01/cicadas-one-of-my-favourite-insects.html

http://bugs.bio.usyd.edu.au/learning/resources/Entomology/internalAnatomy/imagePages/cicadaExuviae.html

http://www.masscic.org/cicadas101/how-adult-cicadas-feed