Butter-&-eggs

Just an ordinary shot of this invasive weed, but I loved seeing the tiny bug (Tarnished Plant Bug?) hiding in its bright and cheery surroundings. I always enjoy seeing the heart-shaped marking on the "back" of these tiny, common insects. This photo was taken on 2 September 2014, when I was on a birding walk at Carburn Park. The parking lot at Carburn is closed to the public at the moment, while workers are constructing a "rain garden" or "water garden". It will be interesting to see what this is, when it's all finished.

Also known as Common Toadflax, this plant was introduced from Europe as a garden plant, but has now become an aggressive weed.

www.invasiveplants.ab.ca/Downloads/FS-CommonToadflax.pdf