Moths: Amazing, beautiful, important and in need of study
Wood nymph moth (Photo by NCC)
Moths are amazing creatures that are only beginning to receive attention from naturalists. Many people have difficulties determining the difference between moths and butterflies. They can be similar looking, as they both have scales that cover...
Discovery of the yellow pimpernel
Prescribed burns on the Hazel Bird Nature Reserve are being used to restore native oak savannah and tall grass prairie. (Photo by NCC)
Prescribed burns are an integral part of the restoration plan for oak savannah on the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) Hazel Bird Nature Reserve. As part of the burning process, NCC staff set up plots to monitor short and...
The search for an endangered tiger beetle is on and you can help!
Northern barrens tiger beetle habitat (Photo by Sara McEwan, Ontario Parks)
I like plants. I have picked them, identified them, pressed them, documented them and eaten them. They are familiar and I look forward to seeing them every season. Insects, on the other hand, are not as familiar to me, but learning is always a...
Moths and butterflies: What we're doing to help these little-known pollinators
Sphinx moth (Photo © Manitoba Museum)
Bees are well known for their ability to pollinate flowers but there are other pollinators out there, including moths and butterflies. Moths pollinate flowers both during the day and at night. This summer, Nature Conservancy (NCC) staff will be...
Progress on the Rice Lake Plains!
Stewardship progress on the Rice Lake Plains, ON (Photo by NCC)
The Hazel Bird Nature Reserve in Northumberland County, Ontario is a key property for grassland birds and tall grass prairie habitats. One threat on this property includes invasive species such as the Scotch pine seen in the photograph. Scotch...
The search for an elusive species
Black purse-web spider (Photo by Rob Craig, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry)
The black purse-web spider is not well known in Ontario. The species has been found occasionally across Southern Ontario, from Windsor to Belleville, including a recent find in Rouge Park in 2012. Interestingly, it belongs to the group of...
Sowing the seeds of conservation: The importance of fall seed collection in native biodiversity protection
Fall seed collection on the Rice Lake Plains, ON (Photo by NCC)
As fall arrives on the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) Rice Lake Plains properties, the colours change — not just the trees, but the grasses as well. Transforming from summer green to yellows and reds, this change heralds...
