At the Rabbitbrush

I was down in Osoyoos for a hike on a beautiful fall day in September. The morning started off a bit cold, so we left Kelowna later than planned, but it warmed up quickly by the time we arrived. We heard unusual bird calls when we got there and a quick recorded sound check on … Continue reading At the Rabbitbrush

Insects Do Sleep Too – Nighty Night

Buzzing bees, fluttering butterflies, marching ants - I am always amazed at the active lives insects lead, and sometimes I wish I could borrow some of their energy. They fly or walk in search of food and mates, and some even hunt for their meals. In addition, they must stay alert to escape predators lurking … Continue reading Insects Do Sleep Too – Nighty Night

Bugs in the Milkweeds

It is always nice to see the swallowtail butterflies feeding and frolicking around milkweeds at bloom. I decided to take a closer look at the milkweeds this year because I had come across a patch with a lot of bees and other bugs. Milkweeds are called milkweeds because of the milky sap they produce. They … Continue reading Bugs in the Milkweeds

The Leafrollers and the Wasp Enemies

I saw a lot of leafrollers on ornamental plants including wild roses, snow berries, chokecherries, Saskatoons, dogwood, Oregon grapes etc. this spring. As their name implies, leafrollers are caterpillars that roll up leaves. The leaves provide a home, food, and some protection from predators and parasitoids. The caterpillars are greenish to yellowish, have dark heads … Continue reading The Leafrollers and the Wasp Enemies

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

A Winter’s Delight (Rose Gall Wasps)

I collected wild rose galls last spring and successfully reared some wasps from them. I had forgotten all about the galls and wasps until I came across a banditry of chickadees pecking at galls on a cold winter's day. "Banditry of chickadees" 🙂 - love it, had to look that up. I collected a few … Continue reading A Winter’s Delight (Rose Gall Wasps)

At the Goldenrods

I meant to finish this post last fall but did not get to it. I had a lot of fun summer days at the goldenrods - there were bees and flies buzzing around, lots of wasps, butterflies, and I even saw a lone grasshopper at the goldenrods. The bees and some of the wasps and … Continue reading At the Goldenrods

The Ants, The Aphids And The Peonies

Ants are an interesting group but some species can be very destructive and nobody wants ants in their pants, the ant dance is no fun. Growing up in a tropical country, we always had to make sure our sugar was placed in a well-sealed container to prevent ants getting in - they have sweet tooths … Continue reading The Ants, The Aphids And The Peonies

A Cold Spring

It has been a bit cold this spring and it is taking a while for the bugs to warm up. I have been on a few hikes but there has not been much bug activity. Lots of wildflowers though - Okanagan sunflowers, shooting star, woodland star, larkspur etc. The bees have been active on sunny … Continue reading A Cold Spring