The Health Valley Trail, Waterloo with Chinese Home School Group

 23 July, 2026

     It's always a joyful event to get together with this group and today was no exception.

     I had chosen the Health Valley Trail as the location for our walk, and in retrospect it was probably not the best selection. At this time of year the vegetation is really dense and crowds in on a path that is already narrow. Much of the way we had to proceed in single file, so it was difficult to make sure everyone saw everything we came across, or listen to the information I imparted. 

     We started our walk with a great discussion of two wildflowers; at this point we could still gather round together. The plants under discussion were -

Chicory (Cichorium intybus

     and -

Wild Carrot, aka Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota)

     

     Chicory is exceptionally beautiful in my estimation; the roots may be baked, ground and used as a coffee substitute.

     Wild Carrot is a model of elegance and is the ancestral originator of the cultivated carrot we all like to eat. It was introduced into North America by European settlers and has become common where it is often known as "Queen Anne's Lace". Anne, Queen of Great Britain is the queen after whom the plant is reputedly named, though as a plant name it is not known before 1895, 180 years after her death. It is so called because the inflorescence resembles lace, prominent in fine clothing of the day; the red flower in the centre is said to represent a droplet of blood where Queen Anne pricked herself with a needle when she was making the lace.

     Insects are plentiful at this time of year, Common Red Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva) is extremely common and seems to favour Wild Carrot above all other plants.

     We saw several Seven-spotted Lady Beetles (Coccinella septempunctata), an attractive little insect.

     This species is native to Europe, most of Asia and North Africa. It was introduced into North America as a biological pest control agent to combat aphid infestations.

     A careful inspection of the flowers revealed Jagged Ambush Bugs (genus Phymata), a fairly common insect predator overlooked by many.

     Here is one that has caught a bee and is feasting on it.

     Little Becky is always excited to be with the other children and enjoy the walk. She looks a little glum in this picture but rest assured she is not. The camera just caught her at the wrong moment.

     We heard more birds than we saw. The foliage forms an unbroken screen and the birds are busy foraging for food to feed hungry nestlings.

     A couple of Northern Flickers (Colaptes auratus) put in a brief appearance.

     An Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) looked at us quizzically.

     American Robin (Turdus migratorius) was the one species it was not hard to spot.

     A Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) was having a successful morning foraging for nectar and honey - witness the pollen baskets on its hind legs.

     Japanese Beetle (Papillia japonica) is undoubtedly one of our more attractive insects, but that doesn't make it any more desirable.

    While it is not considered a pest in Japan due to the presence of predators, it is a serious problem here in North America. It damages plants by skeletonizing the foliage and feeds on many species of plants. I sometimes wonder whether anything is immune from its depredations. 

     A Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) delighted us all.

     Perennial Sow Thistle (Sonchus arvensis) seemed to be at peak abundance.

     This attractive little fellow resembled Jiminy Cricket! It is a type of Spur-throated Grasshopper (subfamily Melanoplinae).

     We were heading back to our cars and it seemed like a great species to end our walk.

     As always it has been a very agreeable morning.