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)

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?