Nature Nuggets: Life in the Campbell Park Pollinator Patch: Part II

Friday, 13 August 2021

Life in the Campbell Park Pollinator Patch: Part II

The previous post gave some background on this community garden in Chatham, and the pollinator patch, which got its start in 2017. Certainly as the diversity of (mostly) native tallgrass prairie species has increased, and the size of the pollinator patch has doubled, it seems there are more insects than ever visiting it. I am finding new species every year. I'm not sure where they come from as it is located in a very open, manicured, municipal park and there is not much in the way of natural habitat close by. So it is even more amazing that such diversity makes its way here.

Some of the invertebrate fauna is easier to photograph than others, of course. So I present here a wide selection of species that I have seen, some quite regularly and others on rare or even single, occasions. While a fair number of them are in the Hymenoptera group, which includes wasps, bees, and such, I have never been bothered by any that I've photographed, even though I am using a macro lens with extension tubes and a flash, and are often only a few centimetres away. By moving slowly, they apparently are not threatened at all, so are spending their time looking for nectar or other insects to mate with or feed on.

Click on any of the photos to see them in a larger size.

Bicolored Sweat Bee

As I have mentioned in other posts, moths are regular pollinators, but seldom get recognized as such. This one is the Carrot Seed Moth, a regular day-flying species.

Compost Fly

This next one, the Dark Paper Wasp, is frequently seen.

The Eastern Calligrapher, shown next, is a type of hover fly, or Syrphid.

One of the largest insects, especially of the Hymenopteran family, is the Eastern Cicada Killer Wasp. It is large, with a body length of about 5 cm (2") and looks quite impressive, but are hard to photograph as they seem to be easily scared off.

Eastern Carpenter Bee

Members of the Hymenopteran group, including bees and wasps, are certainly common, as the photos will show. This next one is not native, but well-established anyway. It is the European Paper Wasp.

The Feather-legged Fly, shown next, is quite a striking little creature. Its orange and black colouration stands out, and what is interesting are the 'feathery' things on its legs, hence its name.

Five-banded Thynnid Wasp

The Flower Longhorn Beetle, next, was not photographed right in the pollinator plot, but on a Climbing Prairie Rose growing nearby. I have seen them in the pollinator patch, however.

One of the larger, more impressive, and common, species seen amongst the flowers is this Great Golden Digger Wasp.

Two-spotted Bumble Bee

Hyaline Grass Bug

Brilliant Jumping Spider

I am always on the lookout for leafhoppers, which are abundant and come in many patterns and colours. They are all very small, so difficult to photograph. This next one is a leafhopper of the genus Agallia. I am not aware of any common name.

One of my all-time favourite leafhoppers is this next one, the Red-banded Leafhopper.

Long-legged Fly

A Longhorn Bee species

This next one is the Louisiana Dark-painted Bee. It is considered Imperiled in Canada, and on iNaturalist there are only 4 other locations in Canada where it has been recorded, all in extreme southwestern Ontario.

Next is the Lunate Longhorn Cuckoo, also quite rare with only 5 other locations recorded for Canada on iNaturalist. All are in southern Ontario.

Related to the Eastern Calligrapher, shown above, is this Margined Calligrapher, another hover fly.

Margined Leatherwing beetles are fairly common, and it looks like there may be more on the way!

Dragonflies are not common, but they do show up from time to time. This is a type of Meadowhawk, perhaps a Ruby-faced Meadowhawk. There are several very similar looking ones.