Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: tree bark

OK, some things are just too irresistible to someone who loves Owls and photographing them : ) My daughter pointed out this carved, wooden owl when we went to the Spruce Meadows Christmas Market, just south of the city, yesterday evening - so it's my daughter's fault : ) Great Horned Owls are so well camouflaged against tree trunks, that an owl created from a piece of tree bark seems quite appropriate. This little guy stands roughly 10" tall.

I have searched and searched for the ID for this Ladybug, but have not (yet) been able to find it. Maybe it's not a Ladybug after all? It was the tiniest thing (4-5 mm) on a small piece of fallen bark at the edge of a wooded area, in Benchlands, out past Cochrane. A few of us went to botanize this land that belongs to Erik Butters - very generous of him to lead a walk for us. Amazing that I even noticed such a tiny insect in an area of fallen logs and natural debris, but I am SO glad I did. As you can see from this much enlarged shot, it really is quite beautiful. "This attractive Three-banded Ladybug is yellow during the summer of its birth. After the first hibernation, the elytra turn a deep red, and the bands are highlighted with a cream-colored halo." From canada-gardens.com/2ladybugs. People in the US are being asked to watch out for some "most wanted" ladybugs that have nearly disappeared in the United States. The three ladybugs are: 1) Coccinella novemnotata, also known as the nine-spotted ladybug or C-9; 2) Adalia bipunctata, the two-spotted ladybug; 3) C. trifasciata, the three-banded ladybug. I don't know if the Three-banded Ladybug is more common in Canada.

A really crummy, heavily cropped photo, but I was thrilled to find this NEW (to me) Ladybug! Thanks so much, Doug, for researching this and letting me know the ID, when I had been unable to Google and find it - Streaked Ladybug, Myzia pullata. I had picked up a very small piece of tree bark that was lying on the ground at Reader Rock Garden yesterday afternoon. After taking a few photos of the Lichen that was growing on it, I then happened to notice this unusual Ladybug crawling on the underside. Talk about being lucky! I think I have now seen about 6 or 7 different kinds of Ladybug now.