2023 July 4 evening

   Here’s a newly-emerged Mourning Cloak.  The butterfly was released today in Playfair Park.

Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Jeremy Tatum

Here’s a Red Admiral caterpillar, from nettle on the Lochside Trail south of Lohbrunner’s.

Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Jeremy Tatum

Cheryl Hoyle photographed three grasshoppers at Trafalgar Park Beach July 3.  James Miskelly writes:  The first two photos are Camnula pellucida. Its common name is Clear-winged Grasshopper. Many grasshoppers have clear wings but this one belongs to a subfamily where most species have coloured wings. The third photo is a Trimerotropis species. We have three local species. This one may be T. fontana, which is most common on rock outcrops.

Camnula pellucida  (Orth.:  Acrididae)  Cheryl Hoyle

Camnula pellucida  (Orth.:  Acrididae)  Cheryl Hoyle

Trimerotropis (possibly fontana) (Orth.: Acrididae) Cheryl Hoyle

Jody Wells photographed two dragonflies at MacIntyre Reservoir on July 3.  The sharp-eyed may notice a pair of bluet damselflies in copula in one of the photographs:

Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis (Odo.: Libellulidae)
Jody Wells

Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Jody Wells