I go to nature to be soothed, and to have my senses put in order.
John Burroughs, American Naturalist, 1837 – 1921
Hmmm, in the midst of so much discontent and chaos, where can I seek refuge?
Donald Trump making outrageous demands and threats before he even takes office. Canada Post workers on strike and bickering with management. Doug Ford’s I make or break the rules as I see fit leadership style. War in the Middle East. War between Russia and Ukraine. Monster snowstorms in cottage country. The ever widening gap between the have’s and the have not’s.
Deep sigh. I need to escape from reality for a while for the sake of my sanity. My main avenue of escape is always nature. At this time of year, when I am hibernating indoors, reliving my best insect sightings from the warmer months is the next best thing to being among them.
Pipevine Swallowtail: Usually stays south of the Great Lakes
Pipevine Swallowtail butterflies, lookalike cousins to the more common Black Swallowtail and Spicebush Swallowtail, do not often wander north into Ontario. But last summer they defied the norm. I had to shoot through foliage to capture this beauty in July at the Urquhart Butterfly Garden in Hamilton. It perched perfectly to show off its orange eyespots and white checkered wing border.
Tapered Mason Wasp: Conservation Status – Vulnerable in Canada
I ticked this lifer off my list in July also at the Urquhart Butterfly Garden. It had the good fashion sense to perch on a pinkish flower for effect showing off its yellow stripes, oversized wings and the tapered shape that gives it its’ name. This wasp is quite small (about a ½ inch) and easy to overlook if you are not attuned to miniature creatures like it.
Furrowed Horse Fly: Conservation Status – Imperiled in Canada
As flies go, horseflies are quite large and chunky but also very photogenic. I came across this Furrowed Horse Fly at Dundas Valley Conservation Area in late July. The bluish stripes across the large brown eyes look as though they were painted on by a make-up artist. The intricate veins in the wings also have an artist’s touch.
Arrow Clubtail: Conservation Status – Imperiled in Canada
My late season highlight was this impressive Arrow Clubtail dragonfly found in September on the Rotary Riverside Trail outside of Caledonia. The Grand River is known to be a hotspot for this species in Ontario. At an impressive 2-1/2” with emerald green eyes and arrow shaped markings, it is hard to miss. This one was unusually cooperative and posed for several minutes.
I share John Burroughs’ sentiment. Nature is my enduring metaphor for peace, beauty and all things being in their proper order. At tumultuous times like these, it is my much-needed escape from reality, my refuge and my source of hope for better days ahead.
~ Now Available Online from Amazon, Chapters Indigo or Barnes & Noble: Hunting Muskie, Rites of Passage – Stories by Michael Robert Dyet
~ Michael Robert Dyet is also the author of Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel (now out of print) which was a double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com .
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Tags: Arrow Clubtail · Furrowed Horse Fly · metaphor · Michael Robert Dyet · Pipevine Swallwtail · Tapered Mason WaspNo Comments.