The chrysalis eclosed!

 I found a butterfly that hadn't eclosed properly, and was damaged somehow. It is a complex process.

This chrysalis fell off the bench swing canopy, and decided to keep it safe.  It takes a couple of weeks to hatch or eclose. 

I taped it to the inside of a vase. That proved to be a mistake!

I began by setting it on the arm of the chair. It was awkward to use the camera tripod. I moved it to the railing.

When it begins to go dark, you know it will eclose in 24 hours. Then, as I watched, you could see the three dots on the orange wing as the butterfly separates from the outer shell. 

After darkening the day before, in began getting lighter as the butterfly pulls away from the shell.

I was sitting watching, and taking photos and videotaping it. I totally missed the event. This is because it fell off of the chrysalis, into the bottom of the vase. I felt terrible. 

Eastern question mark from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Putting my hand in, it latched onto my fingers. It took an hour, but eventually it lifted off of the chrysalis. What a relief!

Eastern Question mark butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis) Caitlin took this photo for me.

They need to hang from the chrysalis, with wings hanging down to straighten them and dry off. 

You can see the question mark on its outer wing here. It successfully took off. WHEW!

There are more under the eaves. They are difficult to see with the bright sunshine.

Beginning to video it, which was tricky, as the sun was blocking my view finder and my arms were getting tired, it flew off just as I stopped filming.

Polygonia interrogationis from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

A few days later one visited and landed on the deck railing. I said hello.

🎉 Happy Anniversary!

It is our wedding anniversary, and we are bringing dinner in. I shall pick it up after my haircut. COVID numbers are rising again in Ontario. We are being careful. 

We were married on my late parents' front lawn by the lake in 2002 in Bala, Muskoka. 🥳  

 

It is clearly the end of summer. The caterpillars are beginning to get into chrysalis or cocoons. 

The mysterious eggs turned out to be aphids!

Then there are caterpillars, and a Viceroy butterfly.

I spotted this caterpillar last week on the swing bench. This chrysalis was under the canopy yesterday, but it attached itself to the roof fibres. It fell off, the fibres just came out, and I brought it up to the house.

It is either an Eastern Comma, or Question Mark butterfly. They like the hops. We'll see if I can get a video of it eclosing. 

Poor JB had to encourage this little tree frog to find another chair. We've enjoyed sitting out back, although it was chilly Monday!

Happy grasshoppers, being 'friendly.'  

I have decided that Fred is a male, as they don't have any teats for suckling babies. The kits are weaned by 2 months. I must say I am disappointed, although it is fun watching them. They have short lives, and are certainly apt to be roadkill. PBS says 2 - 3 years is an average lifespan, although in captivity they can live 14 years.

 

Fred Aug. 21 busy as a beaver from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋

Breaking the Binary

My regular morning show provided an excellent interview with a non-binary guest, Myles Sexton. They are an articulate, guest, who uses gender neutral pronouns. (I'm not too old to learn this!) 

I had a discussion with a client who believes that teachers were grooming kids to be gay. That is totally shocking to me. I said it just doesn't work that way! Heaven knows it is difficult enough as teachers  to get kids to do homework, never mind changing their gender. Our new generation knows their own minds. They deserve to be listened to and respected. 

Speaking of change... 

Guess what?

 

Sunday was a beauty of a day!

This is my two-day behind blog! 

I decided the best idea was to water the garden in the morning. I meant to do it after dinner the day before, but you know how that goes. Doing that, I even rinsed out the Bluebird nesting box, leaving the doors open for it to dry. We don't seem to have any more takers. It's a great design. Both side doors open.

It was a hot day! The air conditioner is on.

I washed floors, kitchen and bathroom, did kitty litter, and set the laundry to start in a half hour. We try to space out our well water use. JB asked if he should fill the water fountain now, or wait until the laundry is done. I explained that I 'post-dated' the laundry, and he could do it now. Where does this expressive language problem come from?! He knew what I meant, though, so that is the important thing.

One of my chores was to trim the weeds on either side of the driveway. I spotted a red squirrel (DRS) having a nap in the tree! It was a bit tricky to photograph it, but it is evidence. Can you see the little thing? They must be hot with those fur coats. She just looked exhausted.

     

While the bugs are bountiful, the berries are lovely. The cedar waxwings and the robins love them.

I cleaned the goldfish pond pump out front, and spotted a gray tree frog on the side of the house.
   

The back deck is busy. I found a Bee Fly that had hatched in the aquarium. I am waiting to see if the tiger moth arises from its cocoon. So far, just two bee flies!

There was a huge grasshopper on the Hops vine.

The backyard is looking pretty dry, but the Bugloss is attracting bees, the Monarch, moths. They are hardy weeds. It buzzes with activity. I love those colours!

As I sat and read, I looked up and spotted a red-tailed hawk, which beat a retreat back into the forest. I think it spotted me and flew away in haste.

The hanging planter is looking fine. The Begonia looks sharp. As I watered it, I found Maple the tree frog. She was on the move.

Also on the back deck was an Eastern Comma caterpillar.

I noticed maybe a leaf hopper, along with eggs, and the comma caterpillar. When I went back to it, not a great photo with the video camera, but you could see it laying eggs. Also, the caterpillar has gone into chrysalis. This was Sunday, it'll be about 10 days like this. I know they turn black the day prior to emerging. You can see the colours. I made a video of the process way back when: Eastern Comma Instar .

I made a mistake of putting the orchid too far into the sun. There is a burn spot. Me bad. It has a lovely long branch growing out, I'm hoping for more flowers! 

Crete

In the meantime, Caitlin and her family have gone from:  New York => Istanbul => Athens => Heraklion, Crete. Today they are driving from Heraklion to Chania. 

The food looks wonderful. Lunch on a patio under a tree! Tis the season. 

They went to a fancy place for dinner. Isn't this beautiful? It reminds me of the restaurant in Brockville, with a similar plexiglass half wall to look out of. 

JL had a slick new haircut.