Pollinator Meadows
This morning RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser and I attended the annual meeting of the Aspetuck Land Trust at the always magnificent Trout Brook Valley Conservation Area in Weston and Easton, Connecticut with many great friends, naturalists, conservationists and caring neighbors. Thankfully incoming rain showers held off until the afternoon, but the cool and cloudy conditions kept it quiet for most insects. We joined our fellow members of the Land Management Committee to hike the property after the meeting, examining our pollinator meadows and the sizable growth of uncut grasslands that are now...
Read MoreBusy Black Swallowtail
After seeing many Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) butterflies and little else on the wing for much of the spring, they have dropped off in number as others increase. What have your observations been? I have been surprised at how (relatively) few Eastern Tiger Swallowtails have been in the air except for a week or two in May. The harsh and historically cold winter likely changed the lepidoptera landscape for us more than usual. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreLeafcutter Bee
This is a female Leafcutter Bee (Megachile sp.), and as you can see from her large mandibles she cuts leaves of vegetation to build nests. They make their nests in the ground and take the small clippings down the hole to line the interior. Photographed by RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser for the Meet Your Neighbours global biodiversity project in Connecticut for the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History.
Read MoreTulip Tree Flower
I noticed this Tulip Tree flower on the ground only because it was lit by one ray of sunlight in the shade. The leaves have popped here, there and everywhere! We are really getting that late spring feel to the weather this week. If you can let that lawn grow up a little this summer please do. It helps all of our pollinators, means less pollution, saves your time, money and energy, and can even provide a better habitat for some of our birds. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreCuckoo Bee
This Cuckoo Bee (Nomada sp, Ruficornis Group) is a very interesting subject. As you can see they have a very showy outward appearance, but come from a very basic lineage, thus why they have such a wasp-like appearance. While it is difficult to identify to species these Cuckoo Bees are fascinating to observe and around this time of year. They don’t collect pollen, but rather parasitize other bees, by laying their eggs in Mining Bee nests. Photographed by RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser for the Meet Your Neighbours global biodiversity project in Connecticut for the Roger Tory Peterson Institute...
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