Life On A Quarter Acre

Thistle seed feeder

My previous observation was of a sharp-shinned hawk and its prey. \r\nThese are the feathers at the scene.

On silver maple tree

This hawk was on the ground in our backyard when I startled it. \r\nIt flew to a nearby tree, but then flew off before I could get a better picture. It was carrying some type of prey.

Found in garage trapped in a glass bowl

Found in shed. ~ 2 mm

From compost, sampled on 18 Oct 22, observed in sample on 3 Nov 22. 3 mm

Berlese funnel from compost, ~ 10 mm

~ 3 mm, berlese funnel from compost

Found its way into the house, where it planned to spend the winter.

From compost, 7 mm

1 mm, in compost

8 mm, in compost

Found on leaf with egg sac on bottom of a Douglas Hawthorn leaf. ~ 6mm

On Jessica\'s Aster flowers, ~ 1 mm

bird bath

On north side of trunk of silver maple tree, ascus diameter 0.8 mm\r\n\r\nCaloplaca sp. maybe?

11 mm

Compost infusion

In a water bowl in the yard

From birdbath

In a water bowl in the yard.

Black light trap.\r\nMoth or caddisfly?

Found on asphalt driveway. 9 mm

Light trap

On birch stump painted with moth bait, 25 mm

Found at night on birch stump, 19 mm

Body length 8 mm

In UV light trap

On a birch stump

In UV light trap

Caught in UV light trap

Length 15 mm

Collected from the spruce stump. Several of these were examining holes.\r\nLength ~ 4 mm

6 mm. On raspberry leaf.

Found in the raspberry patch.

Male with larger, white female further away.

6mm. On wax currant (Ribes cereum) leaf.

These three have been at it for the last 15 minutes or so.

On an aphid-infested Ocean Spray bush.

On the growing stems of an ocean spray (Holodiscus discolor).

On outside door frame. ~ 3 mm

In grass cuttings by compost

Found under a rotting board. \r\n2 mm

Length 18 mm

7 mm

8 mm

Looks like he\'s hanging out with a garter snake.

9 mm

Female Gelis wasp that emerged today from spider eggs sacs that I collected from my yard on March 9. \r\n6 mm

On wall of house. ~ 4 mm body length

On birch stump. 3 mm\r\n

3 mm. On compost bin.

On shovel handle next to compost bin.

It looks like he has a load of mites around his waist.

On front porch. 3 mm

Running around on ground.

I have no idea what this is. It\'s alive, though, and moving slowly on a spruce stump. ~ 5 mm.

Small fly on compost ~ 4 mm

On ground at the base of a spruce stump. 4 mm

On the ground at the base of spruce stump. ~ 4 mm

First one I\'ve seen this year.\n17 mm

Wing length ~ 6 mm\r\nCaptured near lamp in bedroom

Cup ~ 5 mm diameter\r\nOn an old wood chip in yard

On compost bin. ~ 4 mm\r\nThe last photos were taken after capture, freezing, and point mounting.\r\n\r\nSeemed to key out to subfamily Mycetophilinae, genus Anatella.

From compost pile

Noticed after rain on old spruce stump. ~ 3 mm

First observation on spruce stump this year.

Captured in the kitchen. Cooled in the fridge, then (a bit too long) in the freezer.\n~ 2.5 mm

On concrete blocks facing east. \r\n

Shrubby sunburst lichen (Polycauliona candelaria) maybe?

Found under a rock after snow melt. 20 mm

Found under the bark of a dead cherry tree. Body length ~4 mm