The bullfrog and the flying ants!

I've been arguing with blogger and Vimeo on photo and video alignment. You'll have to forgive me. These durned free services!

Can you see him under the leaf? The sun has been too hot for him. We've had very hot days, but very cool nights.

Can you see the ant in his mouth?! 

Ants are out and about!

Have you ever turned a rock over, and found ants rescuing their eggs? This is how fast it all happens: Ant eggs 

I'm not thrilled with ants. We've mean ones in the dry sand near the water fountain. They have a wicked bite for such a teeny thing. Anyway, every year we see the winged ones launch themselves up into the air.

Jeremiah took advantage of them!

🐸  🐜  🐸   🐜  🐸   🐜  🐸   🐜  🐸   🐜   🐸   🐜

Why do they fly?

Black garden ant (Wiki)

"Ants mate on the wing, so "flying ants" are alates (reproductive individuals), which include males and gynes (virgin queens). The mating (or nuptial) flights of Lasius niger usually occur around June to September"

The queen takes off with the alates, they mate in the air, and she finds a burrow. She'll block up the entrance for protection, then she'll eat her wings. 😖After she lays her eggs, she doesn't eat, the wings have protein to sustain her. Losing about 50% of her body weight, she'll care for the eggs. Eventually, once the eggs go through the larva and pupa stage, to become adults, they will remove the blockage and life will continue on as they grow, forage, and build tunnels.

Saturday's Critters

 Here we are. Saturday again. We've a power outage tomorrow morning. Hydro will be replacing a post somewhere near us. Hopefully, we'll see you on the other side of that.

I'm working on some videos of Jeremiah Bullfrog. Here is a screen shot! We had some flying ants all around the goldfish pond. Isn't that a heckuva tongue?!

Galloping skunk

   

I put out a muffin. Butch stole it. Mousie ate the crumbs. This is the Birdcam. A handy little tool.

   

 I found an SD Card in the forest, beside the Frog pond trailcam. You can see that a year apart, they still pee on camera. We've only had a single coyote lately. I heard two yipping at 11:30 on night. I know there is more than one this year.

   

 I have seen three Monarchs recently eclosed, hatched out and flapping their wings to dry!

 

The fisher whips through!

 

Saturday's Critters # 561 <= visit more critters at Eileen's site!

Busy as bees

The flowers are doing their best to shine in the last warm days. The first is my planter. The next is the last of the hibiscus for the year. I think.

I spotted a hummingbird feeding on the rose, but I was too slow lazy to get up and try for a photo! 

🐸  Moving the froggies: Nov. 19th, 2023 a.m.    –   moved  3        = 144

Every year the green frogs and leopard frogs move into the goldfish pond when temperatures cool down. They are caught and transferred into the frog pond, which is deeper and a more stable winter home. I missed about 7 last year, and they rose to the surface of the pond (dead) in spring. 😢

Jeremiah Bullfrog seems to be keeping them at bay this year. That is a relief. He has grown. He's in for a shock when I have to drain it to find the goldfish!

The insects are flying around like mad. The wasps are busy trying to have last feeds. It makes sitting on patios somewhat treacherous. 

We had a massive rain. The bees under the sidewalk were locked out! I felt badly for them.

The bees under the sidewalk are busy as... bees!

This was fun to photograph. I headed off to the shed to do a lawn tractor run, and found it on the ground. If course I had to show Joe and take a photo. They have poisonous pokey bits, and one must be careful.

This is what they look like stretched out. I found a pair one year. 

This is what the adults look like:

Female Io - Automeris io moths,

Off I went to have a hair cut and chose to drive along highway #7. That might have been a mistake. There have been 3 fatal incidents along here recently. Over the years, people treat this as a 400-series highway, and often do 100+ km/hr. 

It was rush hour, or the hour when contractors rush back to base (3 p.m.). Two vehicles tried to pass me from a left turn lane. What's with this? This guy tailed me from a long distance, and finally did it through an intersection. I was doing 92 in an 80 km zone. (14:39 hours)

This pair, in the Optima truck, tried to pass twice in such a lane. Finally, he made it in a more suitable location. They tailed me several times, trying to peer into my back seat. I have complained to the company. I ought to get a rear view dashcam. (It was 14:43 hours.)

Bugs, birds, frogs, wasps

My cough is less, thank goodness. So is hubby's. Poor Joe! He fetched me some new library books, popped the bill for my ambulance trip during my COVID bout into the mailbox ($45), and brought us home a cooked turkey breast and potatoes for dinner. (I like turkey, he does not!)

 

My wasp bite isn't so painful. The Benylin helped me. It doesn't look like I've taken Botox to remove my wrinkles anymore! Wise words to remove my ring, but it was too late. I can't get it off on a good day!

I'm a bit worried about gardening now. Dang wasps are desperate for food with the cooler night temperatures. 

My darling daughter sent me a care package! Isn't that sweet?! It was such a delight! 

The tree frogs have mated and the little ones have come all the way up the hill from the wetland, having morphed from tadpole to frog. Can you see it? 

I found another one on the Hydrangea in another garden. They really are adorable! 

And so tiny!

This is an adult who likes to sit one the camera, until the sun comes out and it goes into the shade. It is an older one than the baby on the leaf.

I watched a grasshopper crawl (walk?) all along the deck railing. From one end to the other. They are interesting critters.

 

Popcorn clouds! We ended up with a downpour or two on Sunday. Silly little popcorn clouds. You gather up your stuff, especially library books, roar indoors, and 5 minutes later, sunshine!

Look at this! While other are sneaking zuccinni onto their neighbour's front porch, I just have one!

I thought the bullfrog had gone elsewhere, but found him on the edge of the pond. They eat little frogs, seriously! I imagine I won't have to move the wee ones down to the frog pond this year.

I have lost my touch. I used to be able to catch these by hand. This old fart had to use a net. Ah, the good old days! 

bullfrog from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The hummingbirds will migrate soon. Our wildflowers are nearing the end of their season. I was on the deck, and tried to capture its image, but they are so fast!

hummingbird Aug 11 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The Great Blue Lobelia, or Blue Cardinal Flower, is another favourite of the hummingbirds! It's a native plant, and has self-seeded. I have tried several times to videotape them at these plants, but they are too quick for me. 

Life unfolds as it should

I woke at 3 on Tuesday and didn't get back to sleep until 5. When I awoke at 7 a.m., it was from a nightmare where I couldn't insert my card into the bank machine to get my money out. So silly. Coffee helped. We had an appointment at the bank! Our brains work in mysterious ways.

We had a good day. We opened up our new savings account, went to the government office to change my CPP to my new account, fueled up the car, and headed to the Cafe to scavenge salads and a piece of quiche for dinner. Joe is getting his energy back and he went in to fetch the food. He continues to take his 100mg Doxycycline twice a day. Fever and chills are gone. We are pleased with his progress. He is still tired and I am keeping a close eye on him!

Lunch over, I did the lawns. I leave the plants growing in spots for the frogs and snakes and critters. The hummingbirds like the Bugloss. 

With the storm on the way, it was good timing to do it beforehand. We've expect 30 - 50 mm rain. An inch to two inches. We shall see. I may have to do indoor play. Floors need doing. We're on the edges of the 60 - 80 mm point, it seems to follow highway #7. 

There was a pop-up storm Tuesday afternoon, it didn't last long. My work was done on the tractor. It was so hot.  

 

🐟Aquarium Repairs <= the saga!

July 7th

After filling it, I noticed the same side leaking as before on July 3rd. I redid that corner. It's not a tidy job, but the fish won't complain. The goldfish pond freezes solid in winter. 

July 8th 

I refilled it. Checking it every hour, it seems to be holding. It is a miracle! 

 

I emptied the aquarium, and tipped it over, anticipating the storm. The kids are coming over on the weekend. They will help me lift it back indoors and onto the stand. 

I am happily cooking with and eating up my cherry tomatoes. Oh, yay fresh produce. It is wonderful hustling out the front door and grabbing handful of them. 

 

The bullfrog in the goldfish pond is doing well. He doesn't seem to mind the heat. I warned him about today's rain. He looked glum. 

A lovely spider web. They are difficult to photograph! The light has to be just right. You'll have to biggify it! 

I like seeing livecams! Here is one that shows them fixing the Blakeney Bridge! You can see the water flowing under the bridge at times.