Caterpillarmageddon!! The Tent Caterpillars of the Land O’Lakes
I have strong childhood memories of gathering bluish hairy caterpillars and keeping them in jars until I became bored with that pursuit and my mother quietly released my captives. My attention span at the time wasn’t long enough to see what they would have become if I had looked after… READ MORE
The Poplars
Poplars are widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere and are found in every province of Canada. Fast growing and prolific, they are the first trees to regenerate in areas devastated by forest fires. Regeneration occurs by means of suckers sent up from the roots and a few sprout quickly from… READ MORE
Turtles on the move
Of Ontario’s eight native species of turtles, seven are at risk of extinction. Many people may not recognize the need to protect these shy, quiet animals but they are an integral part of our wetland and aquatic environments whether they are predator or prey. They are among the longest-lived organisms… READ MORE
Northern Leopard Frog
By: Lorraine Julien The Northern Leopard frog is easily identified by its irregular shaped greenish-brown spots that cover its back and legs. The frog’s underside is a creamy white colour with light coloured ridges on either side of its back. It’s a medium sized frog reaching a length of 3… READ MORE
The Oppossum
By: Lorraine Julien Though rarely seen because of their nocturnal habits, opossums have been slowly moving into southern Ontario from the eastern U.S. for quite a few years. This past winter would have been particularly cruel for this little animal from the south though - their tails and feet are… READ MORE
Redpolls and other winter birds
By Steve Blight It’s midwinter here in the Land O’Lakes, and the birds coming to the feeders at our house have settled into a fairly regular pattern. There is the usual flock of six to eight Black-capped Chickadees, a few noisy Blue Jays, the odd Downy and Hairy Woodpecker, and… READ MORE
Merlin – the hunter
by Lorraine Julien This fall I purchased a very effective bird feeder pole with a squirrel baffle guaranteed to keep raccoons and squirrels from raiding the bird feeders. It has been very effective – the baffle works so well that after one look, the squirrels do not even try to… READ MORE
Birds’ nests in autumn – the big reveal
by Steve Blight Many people find it a bit sad to see the leaves fall after the glorious display our trees put on in September and October. However one of the benefits of the landscape’s new leaflessness is that lots of birds’ nests have now been revealed. In this column… READ MORE
Wetland inhabitants
by Lorraine Julien On November 1 this year, the Toronto Zoo held a presentation for participants who had reported sightings of wetland inhabitants - frogs, toads, turtles, salamanders and snakes. My husband and I were happy to be invited. In the morning there were a number of informative presentations put… READ MORE
Field crickets
by Lorraine Julien Late summer and early fall brings on the stereophonic sound of Field Crickets. Wherever there are open fields or near the edge of forests, you’ll hear these amazing insects. Once the chill of fall arrives, the fields become silent again with song birds having flown south and… READ MORE