It is not every naturalist who really loves answering questions from kids, but Brian Wylie really does! When Brian was a young child he used to sit patiently beside local ponds to see what lived there, and has been a keen naturalist ever since.
August is the end of summer and the Urquhart Butterfly Garden is seeing lots of action, rare butterflies, insects of every type, cicadas emerging, spiders spinning. There are many flowers in bloom and the observant will see hummingbirds flitting about.
This is the time of year when snakes can be seen sunning themselves on the rocks, but they often return into hiding if they detect sound or movement, so one must move slowly and carefully in order to see them.
There are finches on the very tall flowers and you may see other birds gathering for the fall migration. A trained eye like Brian Wylie’s can spot wildlife that many people might not notice.
Join him on August 20, 10 am
The session is free and open to all. You are requested to bring a chair and wear a hat. You will spend 1 hour in the full sun of the garden. The event will be cancelled in the event of rain.
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden is immediately adjacent to Centennial Park and the Hamilton Air Force Association at 128 King St. E in Dundas.
There is plenty of free parking and the location is easily accessible by public transportation or bicycle.
Sponsored by the Dougher Foundation & Hamilton Naturalist’ Club …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
For more information contact: Joanna Chapman jchapman@295.ca 905-627-8917
It is not every naturalist who really loves answering questions from kids, but Brian Wylie really does! When Brian was a young child he used to sit patiently beside local ponds to see what lived there, and has been a keen naturalist ever since.
August is the end of summer and the Urquhart Butterfly Garden is seeing lots of action, rare butterflies, insects of every type, cicadas emerging, spiders spinning. There are many flowers in bloom and the observant will see hummingbirds flitting about.
This is the time of year when snakes can be seen sunning themselves on the rocks, but they often return into hiding if they detect sound or movement, so one must move slowly and carefully in order to see them.
There are finches on the very tall flowers and you may see other birds gathering for the fall migration. A trained eye like Brian Wylie’s can spot wildlife that many people might not notice.
Join him on August 20, 10 am
The session is free and open to all. You are requested to bring a chair and wear a hat. You will spend 1 hour in the full sun of the garden. The event will be cancelled in the event of rain.
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden is immediately adjacent to Centennial Park and the Hamilton Air Force Association at 128 King St. E in Dundas.
There is plenty of free parking and the location is easily accessible by public transportation or bicycle.
Sponsored by the Dougher Foundation & Hamilton Naturalist’ Club …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
For more information contact: Joanna Chapman jchapman@295.ca 905-627-8917
Yellow Warbler on Plume Poppy by Mark Williams
Birds of Urquhart Butterfly Garden and Canal Park
Bill Lamond
Free Workshop Saturday August 13th at 10am
Bill Lamond is a well known Ontario Naturalist and an exceptional birder who can identify the many birds that are seen at the Urquhart Butterfly Garden and Canal Park.
Join Bill for this Nature Walk where he will be able to share tips for identifying birds and interesting notes about their lives and migration. Bring your binoculars because Bills’s eagle eyes might spot some rare species
Bill is not only an expert in birds but also in herps, moths, butterflies, dragonflies and plants. This nature walk is sure to keep you entertained.
The session is free and open to all. You are requested to bring a chair and wear a hat. You will spend 1 hour in the full sun of the garden and Canal Park. The event will be cancelled in the event of rain.
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden is immediately adjacent to Centennial Park and the Hamilton Air Force Association at 128 King St. E in Dundas.
There is plenty of free parking and the location is easily accessible by public transportation or bicycle.
Sponsored by the Dougher Foundation & Hamilton Naturalist’ Club
Naturalist Matt Mills will be the guide for Butterfly and Nature Identification walk and tour of the garden on Saturday August 6, at 10am.
Matt is a very experienced gardener who has spent much time in the Urquhart Butterfly Garden. During this walk he will identify birds, butterflies, insects and the native plants and other plant species in the Garden. Matt will be bringing a selection of organically grown native plants which can be purchased.
“We are heading into midsummer and butterfly diversity should be excellent” observed Matt Mills recently. “Furthermore, we should be able to catch sight of cicadas emerging after their years underground”.
The session is free and open to all, You are requested to bring a chair and wear a hat. We will spend 1 hour in the full sun of the garden. The event will be cancelled in the event of rain.
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden is immediately adjacent to Centennial Park and the Hamilton Air Force Association at 128 King St. E in Dundas.
There is plenty of free parking and the location is easily accessible by public transportation or bicycle.
Sponsored by the Dougher Foundation & Hamilton Naturalist’ Club …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Bill Lamond is a well known Ontario Naturalist and an exceptional birder who can identify the many birds that are seen at the Urquhart Butterfly Garden and Canal Park.
Join Bill for this Nature Walk where he will be able to share tips for identifying birds and interesting notes about their lives and migration. Bring your binoculars because Bills’s eagle eyes might spot some rare species
Bill is not only an expert in birds but also in herps, moths, butterflies, dragonflies and plants. This nature walk is sure to keep you entertained.
The session is free and open to all. You are requested to bring a chair and wear a hat. You will spend 1 hour in the full sun of the garden and Canal Park. The event will be cancelled in the event of rain.
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden is immediately adjacent to Centennial Park and the Hamilton Air Force Association at 128 King St. E in Dundas.
There is plenty of free parking and the location is easily accessible by public transportation or bicycle.
Sponsored by the Dougher Foundation & Hamilton Naturalist’ Club
Brenda Van Ryswyk is a Natural Heritage Ecologist and a well known dragonfly expert. Brenda will lead a walk through the garden where she will share her knowledge on the astonishing lives of dragonflies & their kin.
Dragonflies & Damselflies (Ondonata) are quite astonishing creatures that you may have noticed hovering in the garden or zipping through the air. As we walk through the garden Brenda will share her knowledge while she shows how to locate and identify dragonflies & their kin.
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden is adjacent to water and is an excellent location for dragonfly viewing.
The session is open to all, and you will leave with a new knowledge and understanding of dragonflies and damselflies (Ondonata) at the Urquhart Butterfly Garden. Saturday, July30th at 10 am.
Please bring a chair and wear a hat as we will spend 1 hour in the full sun of the garden. The event will be cancelled in the event of rain.
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden is immediately adjacent to Centennial Park and the Hamilton Air Force Association at 128 King St. E in Dundas.
There is plenty of free parking and the location is easily accessible by public transportation or bicycle.Sponsored by the Dougher Foundation & Hamilton Naturalist’ Club
On Thursday July 21, 2022 the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) added the Monarch Butterfly to the Endangered Species list. This is a tragedy that could and should be stopped.
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden – the first Municipal Butterfly Garden in Canada – pays tribute to the lifelong research of Butterflies and their migration by Fred and Norah Urquhart. Over 38 years of tagging Monarch Butterflies, starting in 1937 with Fred, culminated with the 1975 discovery of millions of Monarch butterflies in the Neovolcanic Plateau, Mexico. This is where eastern butterflies over winter. Just imagine these beautiful delicate creatures undertaking such an arduous journey!
What would the Urquharts say now? I think the Urquharts would say “let’s get to work! We must save the Monarch from extinction “
What can you do? Let’s get to work! * Plant milkweed, and native plants such as asters, goldenrod and coneflowers. Monarchs depend on the nectar for energy.
* Lobby your councillors to ensure road allowances are full of native plants including milkweed.
* Never use herbicides or pesticides. * Encourage and support community native pollinator gardens.
Spiders – Many & Various: Richard Schwarz Saturday July 23, 10 am Richard Schwarz has been a spider fan for years. “As you learn more about them you’ll appreciate these wonderful creations of nature” Richard said recently. Spiders should be … Continue reading →
The 2022 Summer Photo Contest begins June 6th and ends on September 6. Previous posts provide the information you will need to participate in this exciting annual summer contest. When you are ready to submit your pictures please use the form found via the following link.
The 2022 Urquhart Butterfly Garden Summer Photo Contest kicks off on June 6th and runs through Labour Day Weekend to September 6th.
Photographers of all ages are eligible for cash awards in four categories:
Butterflies and Moths
Insects, Spiders and Bugs
Birds and other Wildlife
Plants & Flowers
Fancy Camera equipment is not needed. Many great photos have been taken with cell phones. What is required is patience and a good eye for an interesting photograph.
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden is full of life! Butterflies are already being seen daily, including Monarchs and Mourning Cloaks. Look closely and you may see young rabbits, garter snakes sunning themselves, and tiny voles popping out between the rocks.
Between June 6th and September 6th when you visit the Garden you will see a variety of beautiful flowers and plants which support the lives of butterflies, insects and birds.
The Photo Contest begins June 6th and ends September 6th. Entry information and rules will be available at the Urquhart Butterfly Garden or can be viewed on the Urquhart Butterfly Garden website at: https://urquhartbutterfly.com
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden is located between Centennial Park and Canal Park at the end of the Desjardins Canal. Parking is available on King Street East at the entrance to the Garden.
At the Urquhart Butterfly Garden there are two new people who you will see very busy gardening:
-Anne Mette Pedersen is our new gardener
-Nancy Wylie has taken on the task of Assistant Coordinator.
In addition Nancy has recruited a great collection of new volunteers.
The Summer Photo Contest will begin on June 6 and runs until Labour Day. The photo contest submission form will be posted on June 6th.
We have already seen our first Monarch, which is really early for us – unfortunately it did not stop for a photo. Also a Spring Azure, American Ladies and Mourning Cloaks have been spotted.
Our annuals will be arriving within the next 2 weeks, and we will be getting ready for a glorious summer. We look forward to seeing you.
Sweet Bee on Fleabane by Mark Williams May 21 2022Red Aphid on Speedwell by Mark Williams May 21 2022Hoverfly by Mark Williams May 17 2022Young Robin by Michelle Sharp May 15 2022
Congratulations to the winners in the Winter Photo Contest! You braved the weather and took some lovely photos. As one of the judges said: “It is always interesting to see what people notice on their walks in the Butterfly Garden and Canal Park”.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
Good Luck for the Summer Photo Contest which begins in June.
JC/MM
YOUTH
First Place, Natural Winter Scenes. Kalan Post, Age 17, Hamilton.First Place, Birds & Other Wildlife – Northern Mockingbird. Kalan Post, Age 17, Hamilton.
ADULT
Honorable Mention, Natural Winter Scenes. Ken Kerr, Dundas.First Place, Natural Winter Scenes. Jamie Habkirk, Dundas.Honorable Mention, Birds & Other Wildlife – Pied-billed Grebe. Paul Mitro, Dundas.First Place, Birds & Other Wildlife – Hooded Merganser. Jamie Habkirk, Dundas.
Goldfinch by Mark WilliamsMosaic Darner by Mark WilliamsMonarch by Mark Williams
August 10, 2022
Painted Lady by Michelle SharpPainted Lady on Buddleia by Michelle Sharp
August 9, 2022
Crab Spider by Ted Jez
August 7, 2022
Gold Digger Wasp by Mark WilliamsRuby-throated Hummingbird resting by Mark Williams
August 2, 2022
Pale Green Weevil by Ted Jez
August 1, 2022
Ruby-throated Hummingbird on Cardinal Flower by Mark WilliamsAmerican Lady by Mark WiliamsSnowberry Clearwing Moth by Mark WilliamsGreen Heron catching a Dragonfly by Mark WilliamsSummer Azure by Michelle SharpFiery Skipper by Michelle SharpMonarch by Michelle SharpEastern Tiger Swallowtail by Michelle Sharp
July 31, 2022
Cabbage White laying eggs!
Cabbage White laying eggs by Michelle Sharp Silver-Spotted Skipper by Michelle SharpPeck’s Skipper by Michelle Sharp
July 29, 2022
Giant Swallowtail by Mark Williams
July 28, 2022
American Lady on Pearly Everlasting by Marsha WrightCrab Spider on Queen Anne’s Lace by Ken KerrYellow Warbler on Plume Poppy by Mark WilliamsBanded Longhorn Beetles Mating by Mark Williams
July 27, 2022
Katydid by Michelle Sharp
July 26, 2022
Clearwing Moth by Michelle Sharp
July 25, 2022
Ruby-throated Hummingbird on Zinnia by Mark WilliamsRobber Fly eating a Fly taken by Ken KerrLace Bug taken by Ted Jez
July 23, 2022
Monarch and Bee by Carolyn JezWidow Skimmer by Carolyn JezPlant Bug by Ted JezBanded Longhorn Beetle by Ted JezRed Admiral taken by Ken KerrAmbush bug eating Wasp taken by Ken KerrHummingbird Clearwing Moth by Ted Jez
July 22, 2022
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail taken by Carolyn JezViolet Dancer taken by Michelle Sharp
July 21, 2022
Marbled Orb Weaver Spider by Ken KerrMarbled Orb Weaver Spider by Ken Kerr
July 20, 2022
The Striped Hairstreak is very small – the size of a thumbnail – and rarely seen in the UBG.
Striped Hairstreak taken by Marsha WrightBlack Swallowtail on Zinnia taken by Michelle SharpCandy Striped Spider by Ted Jez
July 18, 2022
Question Mark Butterfly by Ken Kerr
July 16, 2022
Homoneura (family Lauxaniidae) by Mark WilliamsPlanthopper Nymph by Ted JezTwo-Marked Treehopper by Mark Williams
*Interesting fact*
Two-marked Treehopper Enchenopa binotata …”two spots” is a species complex, a group of nine species that are identical in appearance (as adults) while remaining reproductively separate. This particular treehopper is a bit of a oddity in that if the male and female produce offspring from a non-host plant, fewer eggs are laid but the newly hatched offspring could become a new species based on the phenology of the new host plant …
Two-Marked Treehopper by Ted JezBumble Bee on Cone Flower by Mark WilliamsTwo Golden Digger Wasps by Mark WilliamsMating Red Soldier Beetles by Ken Kerr
July 15, 2022
White-marked Tussock Moth Caterpillar by Mark Williams
July 12, 2022
Monarch on Milkweed by Mark Williams5 Spotted Lady Beetle by Mark WilliamsHoverfly by Mark WilliamsWater droplet on Zinnia by Mark Williams
The Hooded Merganser and Great Blue Heron can be seen in the Desjardins Canal from the Urquhart Butterfly Garden.
Hooded Merganser by Mark WilliamsGreat Blue Heron by Mark Williams
July 11, 2022
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug by Ted Jez
July 10, 2022
Mating Longhorn Milkweed Beetles by Ken Kerr
July 9, 2022
Yellow Goldenrod Crab Spider by Ted Jez
July 8, 2022
Saddled Leafhopper by Michelle SharpJoe Pye Weed by Michelle SharpPurple Top Verbena by Michelle SharpFlesh Fly dining on a cousin by Michelle Sharp
July 4, 2022
Bee Fly by Ted JezCabbage White by Ted Jez
July 1, 2022
Abbott’s Sphinx Moth Caterpillar taken July 1, 2022 by Mark Williams
June 29, 2022
The Acadian Hairstreak (Satyrium Acadica) is found across Canada from British Columbia to Nova Scotia however not often seen in the UBG.
Acadian Hairstreak by Michelle SharpBanded Hairstreak on Dyers’ Chamomile by Mark WilliamsGreat Spangled Frittilary by Mark Williams
June 28, 2022
Lady Bug eating Aphids – a good example of the predator – prey relationship at work.
Lady Bug and Aphids by Ken KerrSpittle Bug by Ken KerrMating Candy Striped Leaf Hoppers by Ken Kerr
June 26, 2022
Four lined Plant Bug by Ted JezHorned Spanworm Moth Caterpillar
Bumble Bee Mimic Robber Flies are also called the “assassin” flies as they lie in wait for unsuspecting bees, wasps and butterflies to pass by and then they attack.
Bumble Bee Mimic Robber Fly by Michelle SharpMonarch by Michelle SharpGrape Plume Moth by Michelle SharpGreat Spangled Fritillary by Michelle Sharp
June 25, 2022
Wasp by Ken KerrTawny Edged Skipper by Michelle SharpMonarch by Michelle Sharp June 23
June 8 -24, 2022
Poppy by Mark WilliamsSulphur Cinquefoil by Mark Williams
The Hummingbird Moth (Clearwing Moth) While most sphinx moths fly at night, hummingbird moths fly during the day. They feed on flower nectar, dipping in a long thin proboscis.
Hummingbird Moth by Mark Williams Yellow shafted Flicker by Mark Williams Daisy by Mark WilliamsMonarch by Mark Williams
June 9 – 24, 2022
Zebra Jumping Spider by Ted Jez Crane Fly by Ted Jez Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle by Ted Jez Candy Striped Leaf Hopper by Ted Jez Leaf Hopper by Ted Jez Long-Legged Fly by Ted Jez
June 22, 2022
Cedar Waxwing by Mark Williams King Bird on Mulberry by Mark Williams
June 14, 2022
House Finch by Mark Williams
June 9, 2022
Yellow Warbler by Mark Williams
June 8, 2022
Jumping Spider by Mark WilliamsFemale Widow Skimmer by Mark WilliamsLong-Legged Fly by Mark WilliamsSpicebush Swallowtail by Mark Williams
Redbud Flower by Michelle SharpYellow Warbler in vines by Michelle Sharp
May 29
Thank you to the photographers who share their beautiful photographs with us at the Urquhart Butterfly Garden. We have included the beautiful Eastern Bluebirds who greeted us this spring in the Canal Park adjacent to the Urquhart Butterfly Garden.
*Double click to see each individual photograph and photographer credits.
Urquhart Butterfly Garden 