It’s Time to Smell the Roses

We had some much needed rains this spring and the wild rose flowers were spectacular and smelled divine. I made it a point to stop to smell the roses during my walks while taking stock of the bugs on the roses 😊. There were a lot of honey bees, mining bees, bumble bees etc. also … Continue reading It’s Time to Smell the Roses

The Cicadas Have Joined The Choir

I can still hear the crickets on my walks but there is more music from the bug choirs. The male cicadas have now joined in with their loud shrill choruses. Cicadas are a large and noisy bunch, and a bit on the strange side, nothing wrong with that :). The immature stages (nymphs) live in … Continue reading The Cicadas Have Joined The Choir

If it looks like a bee, flies like a bee, buzzes like a bee, then it must be a bee?

No one wants to be stung by a bee or wasp. Bee and wasp stings are painful and there is the added concern of allergic reactions. Bees and wasps usually have a combination of yellow, black and red colours. In the insect world, yellow, black and red colours spell danger for would be predators. We … Continue reading If it looks like a bee, flies like a bee, buzzes like a bee, then it must be a bee?

Bugs Go A-Courtin’

We have a lot of bugs around us and one is bound to come across some mating pairs. We saw a few mating pairs of bugs last summer and since it is Valentine’s day, I deem it appropriate to share the pictures and have a chat about some of the courtship behaviours in bugs. Date … Continue reading Bugs Go A-Courtin’

Praying Mantids

I saw an insect flying clumsily in an alfalfa field a few weeks ago and those who know me will probably guess what I did next – well I followed it until it landed and to my surprise it was a praying mantid. Not the most graceful flier :). The praying mantid gets its name … Continue reading Praying Mantids

Air Show

I saw an awesome display by some dragonflies during my lunch walk yesterday. Dragonflies have beautiful colours, delicate wings and very big eyes. In some species the eyes meet at the top of the head and they can turn their head 360 degrees. You have to be quite stealthy approaching them - took me a … Continue reading Air Show

The Beauties – Part 2

A lot of alfalfa butterflies have been flying in the North Okanagan the past few weeks. Gorgeous yellow and green colours - a sight to behold. Unfortunately, these beauties are a pest and their caterpillars can cause damage to alfalfa. I have added photos of other pollinators I have seen in the valley. Enjoy! Alfalfa … Continue reading The Beauties – Part 2

Aphid Guzzlers

Aphids - Don't you love them. Nah! They are numerous and can be found on many plants. Don't despair though, there are a lot of good bugs out there that feed on aphids. I will cover lady bugs in this post. Most people love ladybugs (I may be wrong :). What's not to like? The … Continue reading Aphid Guzzlers

Happy Canada Day

https://www.canada.ca The maple tree is symbolic of Canada with the leaf proudly displayed on the Canadian flag. Other symbols of Canada include the beaver, moose (I love moose, they are such quirky animals) and Canada goose. We have a lot of maples in the valley; so many different varieties - Red, Norway, Armstrong, Freeman’s, Snake … Continue reading Happy Canada Day

“Beetle Fest”

We have seen some gorgeous beetles feeding on pollen the past few weeks - adult checkered beetles, dimorphic flower beetles, click beetles and lady bug beetle larvae. Dimorphic flower beetles are cool - males and females have different colours. Click beetles make a clicking sound when you grab or flip them upside down. Don't go … Continue reading “Beetle Fest”