Health Valley Trail, Waterloo, ON

 14 August, 2023

     We had lunch and I took a brief nap, so what better to do after that than to go for a walk along the Health Valley Trail?

     No doubt the first Carolina Grasshopper we saw (Dissosteira carolina) agreed with me wholeheartedly.

     Redroot Amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus) looked exceptionally robust and healthy.

     Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) can always be counted on to enliven the landscape and entertain us with their cheery song.

     Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is fine in its natural habitat where it is subject to normal checks and balances, but once permitted to invade your garden it can be a problem.

     Purslane is touted as a purgative, cardiac tonic, emollient, muscle relaxant and anti-inflammatory and diuretic treatment. It is alleged to benefit those suffering from osteoporosis and psoriasis. 

     I do not recommend its use in any way, I might add, and as is true for all medicinal remedies, it should not be taken unless on the advice of your physician. 

     Japanese Beetle (Popillia japonica) is beautiful, yet highly destructive. 

     The larvae chew on the roots of turfgrass and the adults damage the flowers and foliage of a wide variety of plants.

     Regular readers of my blog will by now be familiar with Margined Calligrapher (Toxomerus marginatus), a delightful little hover fly.

     The first part of the trail courses alongside fields of corn, and this tassel (known as silk) resembled a contemporary hair stylist's creation, where garish seems to be the order of the day.

     A Chickweed Geometer Moth (Haematopis grateria) by comparison is a tasteful blend of colours; extremely pleasing to the eye.

     A Jagged Ambush Bug (Phymata americana), as the name implies, hunts by ambushing its prey, leaping on them and injecting saliva through its short beak.

     Often they are found on Goldenrod (genus Solidago) where they are cryptically camouflaged, but on this Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) they are quite conspicuous.

     Generally regarded as beneficial insects, ambush bugs are not, however, highly esteemed by beekeepers due to their fondness for honeybees.

     For the past half hour I have researched this grasshopper, but I am still not a hundred percent certain as to its identity. I have concluded that it is a Keeler's Spur-throat Grasshopper (Melanoplus keeleri), but if any melanophile out there would care to confirm or refute my assessment that would be great.

     What a handsome fellow is a Band-winged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum semicinctum) on a bright summer's day.

     A female Variable Dancer (Argia fumipennis) is very modestly clad by comparison.

     Dennis Paulson (2011) makes the point that this species exhibits striking geographic variation.

     A field filled with Perennial Sow Thistle (Sonchus arvensis) makes for a lovely sight, and the seeds are welcomed by American Goldfinches (Spinus tristis) many of whom are feeding young at this time of the year.

     A Mason Bee (genus Osmia) exploited the rich source of pollen and nectar.

     A Bot Fly (superfamily Oestroidea) should be wary about sharing its space with a Jagged Ambush Bug.

     This pair was distracted by more pressing pleasures in life. Sometimes even food takes a back seat.

     Viceroy (Limentis archippus), that master practitioner of Batesian mimicry, perched before us in a rare display of cooperation.

     If I were into keeping beetles as pets a Red Milkweed Beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus) would be high on my list of acquisitions.

     The flowers of Wild Carrot are usually white, but occasionally they verge towards pinkish.

     I have wondered whether this phenomenon had anything to do with the composition of the soil, although that seemed unlikely, since one does not encounter entire stands of pinkish blooms. I have been unable to find anything in the literature to furnish an explanation for this variation, save a brief comment in Gray's Manual of Botany Eighth Edition (1950) - "flowers white or whitish, or all roseate to purplish..."

     Plume Thistles (genus Cirsium) although unloved by many are transcendently beautiful to my eye.

     The Blow Fly seen below is found in the genus Protocalliphora, a genus containing many species that are obligate parasites of birds, laying their eggs in bird nests. As long as maggot numbers are not high, they appear to have little effect on the nestlings, although fledging time may be delayed.

     Who does not take delight in the sight of a Monarch (Danaus plexippus)?

     The Elysian Fields of mythology surely could offer little improvement on a field of swaying Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare). 

     A Variegated Lady Beetle (Hippodamia variegata) served up its own brand of enchantment.

     It's always encouraging to see Broadleaf Cattail (Typha latifolia), a buttress against the relentless advance of Common Reed (Phragmites australis).

     An Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica) is a fine-looking representative of its family.

     This spider has given me fits in trying to identify it!

     It looks distinctive enough, but that hasn't helped me a great deal. I take comfort in the knowledge that spiders are often hard to identify beyond the genus (but I haven't even got that far with this one!) The best I can say is that is a member of the subfamily Theridiinae. Of that much I am fairly confident.

     The caterpillar of a Milkweed Tussock Moth (Euchaetes egle) is by comparison easy-peasy.

     A female Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) wasn't difficult either.

     We were happy to see our first Yellow-collared Scape Moth (Cisseps fulvicollis) of the summer.

    Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) is one of our most familiar fungi - beautiful too.

     The Health Valley Trail is such a wonderful place to enjoy nature.

     Burdocks ( genus Arctium) are not everyone's favourite plants, but they are undeniably beautiful.

     Dark Paper Wasp (Polistes fuscatus) is best left alone to go about its business.

     It seemed fitting that a last Viceroy of the day showed up to bid us goodbye.

     As I do with all my posts I follow the sequence exactly as we encounter it; that way you can tag along with us. I hope you enjoyed this walk and are anxiously awaiting the next one.

     I know I am.