Tag Archives: aster

The Yard List(s), Part 12

If you have somehow been keeping up with all these posts, you will recall that back in Episode 10 I found a sawfly larva on lady fern (Athyrium angustum) next to my house. Yesterday I stepped out the front door … Continue reading

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The Yard List(s), Part 3

Spring continues to lurch along here in northern Massachusetts. This morning I woke up once again to the sight of fresh snow (though not a continuous blanket like last time), but in the meantime the daffodils, hyacinths, Scilla, and Forsythia have been blooming, … Continue reading

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Connecticut BioBlitz

A month ago Dave Wagner got in touch with me and Julia, saying we were needed at the 2016 Connecticut State BioBlitz on June 3 and 4. He wanted to make sure leafminers were properly represented in this attempt to break … Continue reading

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Previews of Parasitoids

Lately I’ve taken to getting backlit shots of leaf mines by removing one of the Twin Lite flash heads and holding the leaf on top of it, so that when the flash goes off the mine is illuminated from both sides. … Continue reading

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Another Mystery Solved, Sort Of

At the beginning of this month, I reported having found these tied leaves on smooth aster (Symphyotrichum laeve) plants in my backyard. On May 27, I had put three samples in jars on my desk to see what might emerge.  On … Continue reading

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Monthly Mystery #19: Aster Leaf Tubes

As I mentioned here, I normally can’t be bothered with leafrollers, leaftiers, etc.  Not so much because the thousands of leafminers (not to mention gallmakers) in North America are enough to keep me busy for a while as because what … Continue reading

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Leafminers Awaken!

As I mentioned, on February 25 all the overwintering bugs got taken out of the fridge, and last night’s check of all the vials revealed the first two emergences.  They both happen to have come from leaf mines in the … Continue reading

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Leafminers on the Road

For the next couple of months, I will be exploring the western US in search of leaf mines to photograph and collect.  I’m not sure how often I’ll get a chance to post something here, but I figured I’d take … Continue reading

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