The impacts of warming temperatures on the diet quality of Monarch butterflies and what we can do to help By Katherine Peel, with great thanks to Dr. Heather Kharouba, Jenna Boomhower, and Dr. Greg Mitchell for their work on the project This summer, with lots of help from lab-mate, Jenna Boomhower, I embarked on an [...]
by Lynn Ovenden There are 3 raised beds at the edge of FWG’s old field between the butterfly meadow and the old woods. Together, they contain 18 species of native wildflowers that were planted in the boxes in spring 2017 by UOttawa students as part of a community outreach project supported by Friends of the [...]
A Daphnia, or water flea, and copepods are among the many tiny creatures that live unseen in our pond water. by Julie Laurin I first discovered the Fletcher Wildlife Garden in 2018. Earlier that year, I’d lost the ability to walk independently. I spent six months wondering if I’d ever walk again, if my condition [...]
Does Hypena opulenta prefer DSV grown in the sun or does it thrive better on shade-grown plants? by Sharla Foster, MSc candidate, University of Ottawa and Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada Dog-strangling vine (Vincetoxicum rossicum, DSV) has been plaguing Ontario and Quebec for decades. With few effective control strategies practical for use at large scales, the biocontrol [...]
Much excitement at the FWG on Tuesday morning, when we discovered that a much-watched nest was open. by Sandy Garland A turtle nest cage consists of a wooden frame with a wire grid over the top to prevent digging. It's placed over the nest with wedges under the edges to allow hatching turtles to [...]
Our Backyard Garden was the hot spot for pollinators on this sunny July afternoon. by Sandy Garland The only way to learn to identify pollinators is to keep looking for them. As a member of the Wild Pollinator Partners network, the FWG has been participating in a number of pollinator surveys this year. We want [...]
Dr. Marla Schwarzfeld and Victoria Nowell (AAFC) displayed mites extracted from soil at FWG and elsewhere, just visible under 10X scopes. by Lynn Ovenden For the mite workshop on July 12, participants arriving at Fletcher Wildlife Garden found the entry bedecked with a line of stained shredded undies. This was the result of a SoilYourUndies [...]
After a washed out turtle nest was reported, the eggs were salvaged, examined, and reburied safely by OFNC member Dave Seburn and his "turtle team" - Hannah, Hannah, and Mackenzie. by Sandy Garland A rescue mission ended successfully today (July 27), but a happy ending depends on 28 baby turtles, now safely buried at the [...]
by Ted Farnworth When I first took on the job of trying to clean up the pond of Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus L.), I was warned about the Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentine). Apparently we have some pretty big ones living and nesting around d the pond. The boot sucking muck on the bottom was also [...]
One FWG volunteer is reclaiming a wet meadow from invasive species and planting it with sedges, Swamp Milkweed, Meadowsweet, and other local wetland species. by Sandy Garland, photos and strategy by Catherine Shearer Bumble bee visiting Comfrey flowers. Photo by Catherine Shearer. Catherine Shearer, who received a volunteer recognition award from the FWG [...]
