Tuesday’s Chats. #3 Morning and Insects.

Hello to everyone on this beautiful morning! The sun is shining, the sky is a wonderful, vivid blue, just a slight touch of a breeze and, well, yes, it is still cool. It has been exceptionally cool and rainy the last few days, with daytime highs staying below 70F (21C) for a few days now. One day our high was only 61F (16C). But this morning looks so beautiful.

It is so nice to have that morning sun shining into my bedroom, and onto my deck. The chipmunks are busy hauling away peanuts before Mica, the squirrel, shows up and starts chasing them again. The birds are singing beautifully, especially a Red-eyed Vireo right now. Robins were singing before I got out of bed this morning. The gulls were here for breakfast nice and early too.

A tiny flower fly less than 1/4 inch (6mm) long. I am not sure of the species.

I think everyone is enjoying this beautiful sunny morning. There does appear to be some smoke in the air again, but it is not bad today. It is nice to sit on the deck this morning enjoying my coffee and enjoying all the sights and sounds around me. There is one bird singing off in the trees that sounds familiar, but I am not quite sure who it is. I will probably remember later. That happens.

This cooler weather has really sent the insects into hiding the last few days. Except the mosquitoes. They do not seem to mind cooler weather. Bees, on the other hand, are much more active on warmer days. I still have not seen even one of my favorite bumble bees, the Orange-belted Bumble Bee. There are always a lot of them each summer. Normally they are the most common of our bees. But not even one this year.

This one is a bee fly, ‘villa lateralis’ (it does not sting or bite) about 3/8 inch (8mm) long.

And their favorite blue flowers are in full bloom right now too. The other two species of bumble bees are around and seem to be in normal numbers. Flower flies are also nearly absent this summer. I have never seen so few of them as this year. Perhaps getting our hot weather is June upset the balance of things. June is not normally a hot month for us, but it was this year. And July has turned out to be cool.

Actually, most insect numbers are down this year from what I have seen so far. Except mosquitoes and grasshoppers. There are more of them this year. A lot more. Oh, and those Northern Paper Wasps. A lot more of them too. I got some pics of 2 odd, and very tiny, insects yesterday. I have no idea what they are and have been unable to identify them.

Golden Northern Bumble Bee.

I enjoy getting pics of odd insects like that. Yeah, I know, I am strange. But there are so many interesting things out there. Well, my coffee cup is empty, so I guess that means it is time to say good bye for now. Have a wonderful day everyone and God bless!

Steve and Muffin.

©2023 Steve McLeod.