Cohan Fulford
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cohanf.bsky.social
Cohan Fulford
@cohanf.bsky.social
710 followers 340 following 1.3K posts
No dating/No investing West Central Alberta, Canada; Artist: painter, writer; write poems + take photos + video+ vlogging. youtube.com/@CohanMagazine plant nerd +gardener. Locally/personally oriented animist, pagan, mystic
https://ko-fi.com/cohanf
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cohanf.bsky.social
Last week's #snow didn't last long- patches in shady places a day or two; since then we've been above to well above average temperatures, which continues for the next few days at least: colder next week #sunset #snow #Winter #CrossQuarterDay #Alberta #Canada #PaganSky #photography #weather
Several partly blurred fine dry grey branches enter view from lower right and reach almost to the left side, curving gently toward the centre. From the left, just above centre, a darkish red-brown branch, larger but still slight, crosses the upper left corner of the image. From it dangle a handful of paper thin dry leaves. The narrow maple leaves are pale through dull golden brown, a bit deeper where they overlap and the faint sun from behind causes them to shade one another. The leaves are slightly wavy or recurved from the drying. The background is a blur of grey roughly vertical narrow trunks and mottled red-gold-brown leaf covered ground with a few hints of green. A mid-sized Sorbus/Rowan/Mountain Ash enters the view from the right, some of its leaves still clinging, dry, silhouetted against the dusky sky. A little farther back, straight ahead is a line of dark spruce and bare poplar, their intricate branches set against the sky with its slightly darkening lavender with ripples of light fluffy clouds, pale to coral from the unseen sunset. An open stand of woods- some mature poplars, along with saplings and taller still skinny trunks, as well as several spruce: small, mid-size and tall but sparse stands silhouetted against the sunset sky. We can see through to the horizon where a small bright pale gold patch marks the locastion of the sun behind clouds. Above that are bands of gold and blue-gry giving way to patches of darkening blue sky mixed with feathery pale gold to coral clouds.
November 12, 2025 at 8:27 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
The squirrels have been working on #Solstice #decorations! (and winter food supply, they've been working on their winter food supply..) 🌿 📷 #nature #Alberta #BorealForest #WitchSky
A weathered grey barkless cut section of a hollow or partly hollow log, maybe a foot and a half tall sits upright on the ground. It is surrounded by other weathered wood, twigs, dried leaves etc. On top of the log section, in the hollow (I don't remember whether that hollow goes all the way through or not) we see a pile of reddish brown spruce cones, many with green needled branch tips attached still. The overall effect resembles some kind of winter holiday display, but actually this is part of a squirrel's winter food stash. Around the edges we see some cone scales left here the squirrel has already disassembled some cones to get to the seeds inside. The edges of the image are blurred and slightly white vignetted to add to the feeling of a holiday image.
November 1, 2025 at 2:17 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
#Pearly likes to come out while I'm working outside, usually lounging around on the open porch or on the grass just below the steps. She also likes to go (not far) to the wood storage area when I'm working there. Here's a short vid of her eating grass
#cat #SeniorCat #animals #CountryLiving #Alberta
October 28, 2025 at 6:56 AM
cohanf.bsky.social
Seems I'm always stopping work to move some little #critters out of harm's way! (at least until the deep cold arrives!) This time it was a cute little #Ladybug when I was cutting firewood in the bush #Alberta #insects #Countryliving 🌿
October 28, 2025 at 5:56 AM
cohanf.bsky.social
Geranium sanguineum Bloody (Blood-red, really) Cranesbill. In summer it sports green leaves and pink flowers- not very bloody! The #autumn foliage seems more fitting for the name and I did see a claim online that that is what it is named for. (But!-see reply) #garden #plants #Alberta 📷🌱
Overview of a bit of rock garden in early evening light, mostly shadow. We see a smallish plant (several handspans across) with fairly low spreading stems. Stems are loosely clothed with not quite round leaves which are divided into 3 lobes which are further divided into several to a handful or more of finer somewhat narrow sections. The effect- especially in autumn colour as now (deep orange-red to wine)- is similar to a tiny Japanese Maple.Background is partially blurred rocks, scattered dull gold-brown fallen leaves, bits of dry grass and occasional green foliage of other plants- Antennaria, Polemonium, spruce saplings etc. A closer view of one branch mostly, arcing very slightly from left to right, with just a hint of late sunlight reaching some of the leaves. In early evening light, mostly shadow, a smallish plant (several handspans across) with fairly low spreading stems. Stems are loosely clothed with not quite round leaves which are divided into 3 lobes which are further divided into several to a handful or more of finer somewhat narrow sections. The effect- especially in autumn colour as now (deep orange-red to wine)- is similar to a tiny Japanese Maple.Background is partially blurred rocks, scattered dull gold-brown fallen leaves, bits of dry grass and occasional green foliage of other plants- Antennaria, Polemonium, spruce saplings etc.
October 25, 2025 at 4:28 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
Last Sunday we had our 1st #snow of the season. A fairly mild to warm week, most is gone, with little bits in shady spots. Today cloudy, chance of rain/thunderstorms, but another week forecast mostly above average. #commute #alberta #autumn #landscape #SnowMother #PaganSky #Latvian #weather 📷
Views from the moving car on a wet and snowy morning. The snow is coming down fairly heavily at times, and the effect is increased by the fact that most of the shots have some amount of zoom (i.e.- as you look farther through the snow, it gets snowier!). The sky is evenly grey, visibility often reduced by the falling snow, at times appearing misty or falling in large clumpy flakes. Looking up a wide 4 lane section of wet highway (passing zone) with painted yellow medians and dotted white lines between lanes. The road goes up a slight hill. On the right we see some snowy grass and power lines, to the left a dense growth of small dark spruce is next to the ditch, then a small snowy open area and a large area of mixed woods behind, with some golden poplars and dark spruce, all snow blurred/faded. A few vehicles are coming down the hill toward us, on the left side. Midway, on the left, a vehicle is stopped on a side road, facing the highway, with doors open. Views from the moving car on a wet and snowy morning. The snow is coming down fairly heavily at times, and the effect is increased by the fact that most of the shots have some amount of zoom (i.e.- as you look farther through the snow, it gets snowier!). The sky is evenly grey, visibility often reduced by the falling snow, at times appearing misty or falling in large clumpy flakes. Looking across the ditch we see a fence of dark wooden posts and barbed wire, below it some taller grass and maybe small shrubs, gold and dark and snowy. Across the fence is a tilled field, the surface lumpy with clods of dark soil showing through the light snow cover. Farther back to left we see the hint of a farm yard, with some sort of white building showing with a row of lowish snowy willows and taller mixed woodsof gold and dark. Farther still to right is another distance and snow faded line of woods.
October 19, 2025 at 4:02 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
First #snow Saturday/Sunday (it's not early- *August* would be early, September typical, October late!) Just a few cm; nights have been -5 to -9C /23 to15F, days near/below 0C- so snow has stuck around for now
Rock #garden Friday vs Sunday
#houseplants #autumn #Alberta #weather 📷🌱
A single bright/intense bluey pink flower (a hybrid of Geranium sanguineum), open cup/bowl shaped with 5 overlapping petals glows in the afternoon sun against a background of deep green foliage and dark shadows. Looking out a somewhat foggy window at a rock garden with light snow cover and overcast morning light. We see many kinds of low and bushy and spikey plants poking up through and coated with the snow, scattered wet dark rocks also show through. We see a bit of the ground beyond he garden, a low mowed area, covered in a few cm/ inch or two of snow. The scene overall is a bit blurred.
October 13, 2025 at 10:29 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
This woodpecker has been visiting the apple-crabs- It flies in with a great cackling noise, settles on the tree to peck at apples for a while, then flies off to season its meal with its regular fare-insects.
links to follow
#birds #nature #Alberta #Canada #CountryLiving #autumn 🌱🌿📷 #GoOutsideForMe
October 11, 2025 at 4:40 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
After weeks of warm/ dry #weather the season has begun to turn- rain on Saturday + a few snowflakes; Sunday morning -7/ -8C 17-19F, thick frost on everything including the windshield. By late morning frost was disappearing.
Views from the weekend #commute #Alberta #Autumn #photography #landscape
Saturday morning before the rain started. Looking across a wide mowed roadside ditch with low dull green/partly dry grass with a patch of brighter coarse grass. Across the ditch wire and post fence marks the edge of a grain field, already harvested leaving golden stubble appearing in darker and lighter lines depending on the direction the harvest equipment moved. Across the field to the left is a stand of mixed woods with golden poplars and a few dark spruce marking a farmstead- buildings mostly obscured among the trees. The sky is covered with thick lightly textured light to medium grey clouds. Clouds hinting at the later weather. A broad light grey highway (this is a double wide -4 lane- zone for passing) with white and yellow lane and median markings crests a slight hill, the pavement occupying almost the bottom half of the image. Mixed woods can be seen from both sides of the highway, with a mix of partly green, gold-orange and bare poplars with dark spruce- a large stand of these is to the left. Above the sky is a mix of smooth grey clouds with some wispy bits in front, a blue-grey zone and some stormy/fluffy clouds low down. Sunday the sun was out, starting to warm though near freezing, side window clear, windshield was still icey. The sun is out and half the image is bright blue sky. The foreground is a wetland with tallish dry golden grass, a little farther in studded with many low bog birch, mostly leafless, grey. Near the midpoint numerous small green conifers rise- some would be spruce, others tamarack/larch which will yellow and drop needles. Farther back still are mid-size and larger trees- golden (and some nearly/bare) poplar, birch and tamarack and green spruce. At the far right a white house with dark roof and a couple of outbuildings, one bright blue, can be seen. Nearly the lower half of the view is occupied by a field covered in palest blond grass (hay or grain, the resolution is too poor to be sure). The field is bordered by a wire and post fence and a gravel side road that crosses from left to right. On the other side of the road we see mixed forest of dark spruce and golden poplars stretching away to the foothills, a few buildings visible through the trees. Far beyond foothills rise hazy and blue with the snow-capped peaks of larger more distant mountains showing behind them. Above the sky is blue with faint light clouds above the mountains.
October 7, 2025 at 5:39 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
The lovely #seed heads of native Northern/Canada Hawkweed Hieracium umbellatum Every #season has its #beauty 🙂 #nature #WildPlants #BorealForest #Autumn 🌿📷 🌱This one is growing wild on the acreage but it has found its way into a couple of garden beds- I'm happy to see it where there's space #Alberta
Late afternoon sun lights up a cluster of whitish fluffy seedheads- similar to dandelions, but smaller and denser with a hint of gold where each bit of fluff attaches. With the camera set for the bright seedheads, the background appears green-black with slightly lighter patches but no detail. The cluster also holds a couple of what seem to be spent flower heads that did not form seed, and a couple of still closed heads with the pappus (fluffy bits) coming to a point like a flower bud-- these likely will still open to be full seed heads like the others.
October 4, 2025 at 5:09 AM
cohanf.bsky.social
I've been trying to take advantage of warm dry #autumn weather to get ready for winter. While in my woodcutting area a Mourning Cloak #Butterfly joined me for a bit+ #FallColour has been building- probably near peak now + a great #lichen patch #Alberta #nature #BorealForest #GetOutside #BugSky 🌿
October 2, 2025 at 6:46 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
Fewer flowers day by day- no notable frost yet, but can't be far.. A few #weeds here and there are popular with the remaining #pollinators This tiny #bee and #fly were enjoying one of the last #flower heads on Cirsium arvense/Creeping Thistle last week #nature #BugSky #insects #Alberta 🌱🌿📷
The top of a thistle plant is highlighted in afternoon sun against a dark and blurred background of green foliage, with a few blurred partly golded grass blades standing as vertical stripes in the background. At lower left are two spent, faded brownyflower heads and at centre right is a still viable pale purple flower head. There are no petals nor petal-like ray flowers (that's what daisies have) just a mass of thread-like disk flowers- a sort of pom-pom. On this flower head are perched two small insects: a tiny bee and a small fly. The bee is black with fine white lines on its abdomen and short pale fuzz visible in places- on its head, leg joints, 'shoulder' area etc. The wings are long and narrow, folded over its 'back'(abdomen) and iridescent translucent. The fly has a rather shiny upper thorax, an almost metallic greeny-grey with irregular dark markings and a few bristly hairs. This colour extends between the large dark brick red compound eyes. The large wings are mostly transparent with an amber hint and brown veins like stained glass borders. The abdomen is divided into several bands of a deep amber colour, separated with fine dark lines with short dark bristly hairs. In this shot the bee is in focus on the left, seen from the side, face down between the florets; fly on right is blurred. The top of a thistle plant is highlighted in afternoon sun against a dark and blurred background of green foliage, with a few blurred partly golded grass blades standing as vertical stripes in the background. At lower left are two spent, faded brownyflower heads and at centre right is a still viable pale purple flower head. There are no petals nor petal-like ray flowers (that's what daisies have) just a mass of thread-like disk flowers- a sort of pom-pom. On this flower head are perched two small insects: a tiny bee and a small fly. The bee is black with fine white lines on its abdomen and short pale fuzz visible in places- on its head, leg joints, 'shoulder' area etc. The wings are long and narrow, folded over its 'back'(abdomen) and iridescent translucent. The fly has a rather shiny upper thorax, an almost metallic greeny-grey with irregular dark markings and a few bristly hairs. This colour extends between the large dark brick red compound eyes. The large wings are mostly transparent with an amber hint and brown veins like stained glass borders. The abdomen is divided into several bands of a deep amber colour, separated with fine dark lines with short dark bristly hairs. In this view the fly on the right is in focus, seen from above, its head angled a bit to the left. The top of a thistle plant is highlighted in afternoon sun against a dark and blurred background of green foliage, with a few blurred partly golded grass blades standing as vertical stripes in the background. At lower left are two spent, faded brownyflower heads and at centre right is a still viable pale purple flower head. There are no petals nor petal-like ray flowers (that's what daisies have) just a mass of thread-like disk flowers- a sort of pom-pom. On this flower head are perched two small insects: a tiny bee and a small fly. The bee is black with fine white lines on its abdomen and short pale fuzz visible in places- on its head, leg joints, 'shoulder' area etc. The wings are long and narrow, folded over its 'back'(abdomen) and iridescent translucent. The fly has a rather shiny upper thorax, an almost metallic greeny-grey with irregular dark markings and a few bristly hairs. This colour extends between the large dark brick red compound eyes. The large wings are mostly transparent with an amber hint and brown veins like stained glass borders. The abdomen is divided into several bands of a deep amber colour, separated with fine dark lines with short dark bristly hairs.
September 30, 2025 at 5:16 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
#AutumnEquinox a short video gathering foliage +showing the finished #altar for the season, honouring primordial #BirdGoddess + #GreatMother #Māra + #Ragana the Wild One + the Twin Gods + remembering my Mom and Aunt
#fall #Alberta #Canada #GoddessCulture #animist #WitchSky #SolaceInNature
September 26, 2025 at 6:34 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
#AutumnEquinox Wishing all in the Northern Hemisphere a beautiful autumn +winter to come, time of ripening, maturing, senescence, death that precedes rebirth- heralded by the most crazy beautiful natural spectacle of the year! #PaganSky #animist #baltic #Latvian #Alberta #Canada 🌱🌿 #SeasonalRhythms
In the centre is a stem with several bright yellow flowers- roughly star shaped, upward facing with wide slightly recurved petals and a cluster of upright golden stamens in the centre, above narrow mid-green leaves. The blurry background is more green foliage, scattered yellow flowers and a vine that threads through the centre with deep dark burgundy wine leaves. The sun shines in from above/behind highlighting bits of foliage against dark shadows and making the yellow flowers glow, and the edges of the image are lightened and blurred a little to enhance the autumnal glow. The image has a narrow dull gold border and semi-script text in slightly varying sizes and tones of gold that says "wishing you a Blessed Autumn Equinox"
September 22, 2025 at 9:18 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
Video from August 27- early signs of #Autumn + #apples
Things have moved along already though still lots of green + above average temperatures #LeafMother begins work slowly, picking up speed day after day #Alberta #Baltic #Latvian #PaganSky #animist #weather 🌱 YouTube + #Spectra links to follow
September 17, 2025 at 6:26 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
I don't have tons of late #flowers -especially since in normal years we'd be likely to have frost by now so plants are wrapping up! Luckily the Comfrey Symphytum officinale is still flowering- these have flowered for months, and I've chopped off mounds that flopped/went to seed #bees #pollinators 🌱📷
Late afternoon sun shines through a the top of a tall plant, stems ending in slightly arching clusters of small pinky purple to violet flowers. Many flowers have already finished leaving rows of green developing seed cases. A fuzzy pale gold and black bumblebee hangs from one of the flowers. Background is a blur of green, gold and violet.
September 16, 2025 at 9:23 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
Yesterday was my #LazyMonday so #GausuMate #MotherOfLaziness said take it easy! I went out late afternoon, spent time watching birds around the apple trees, had a nice short #SlowWalk around the acreage + into the bush on the farm. #garden #nature #Alberta #Autumn #fall #Baltic #Latvian #PaganSky
Late afternoon sun shines through a bushy plant nearly a couple of metres high. It has medium to bright green rough texured leaves, pointed arrow shaped, near hand length farther up the stems, much larger farther down. The stems end in slightly arching clusters of small pinky purple to violet flowers. Many flowers have already finished leavingrows of green linear developing seed cases. WE can see a few red-brown vertical clusters of developing veronica seeds, and a leafy rose stem to the left. The blurred background is shadowed mowed grass, dark apple trunks and part of a large silvery propane tank. Late afternoon sun shines through a bushy plant nearly a couple of metres high. It has medium to bright green rough texured leaves, pointed arrow shaped, near hand length farther up the stems, much larger farther down. The stems end in slightly arching clusters of small pinky purple to violet flowers. Many flowers have already finished leavingrows of green linear developing seed cases. WE can see a red-brown vertical clusters of developing veronica seeds to the left, and leafy rose stems in the centre rear. The blurred background is partly shadowed mowed grass, dark apple trunks and a shadowed area of larger trees farther back.
September 16, 2025 at 9:16 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
Cool #moth shot over a couple of days on an old wall/screen door below a night light. Seems to be Maple Spanworm Moth Ennomos magnaria; we don't really have maple trees here, but they also use other trees such as Poplar #insects #nature #Alberta #Canada #inverts #BugSky 🌿📷
Same alt all images. This a mid sized moth. At rest it looks very much like semi-dry autumn leaf: dull pale faded to fairly bright goldy/brown with faint speckles and slightly wavy/toothed wing edges. Rather than making themselves flat like many moths, they are often perched with the wings extended and body partly curled upward- making a semi-bowl of the wings above the body. There are several views from different angles and in different light- the 'bowl' of wings viewed from above/straight on; side views showing the fat lightly fuzzy caterpillar body, a couple with the wings extended more flatly. They are perched variously on a smooth crimped (corrugated?) white metal wall, a dark door screen, old window/door frames with peeling blue paint, faded duct tape repairs and moss growing. In a couple of views the late day sun is shining through the moth's wings, making the pale gold come alight. Same alt all images. This a mid sized moth. At rest it looks very much like semi-dry autumn leaf: dull pale faded to fairly bright goldy/brown with faint speckles and slightly wavy/toothed wing edges. Rather than making themselves flat like many moths, they are often perched with the wings extended and body partly curled upward- making a semi-bowl of the wings above the body. There are several views from different angles and in different light- the 'bowl' of wings viewed from above/straight on; side views showing the fat lightly fuzzy caterpillar body, a couple with the wings extended more flatly. They are perched variously on a smooth crimped (corrugated?) white metal wall, a dark door screen, old window/door frames with peeling blue paint, faded duct tape repairs and moss growing. In a couple of views the late day sun is shining through the moth's wings, making the pale gold come alight. Same alt all images. This a mid sized moth. At rest it looks very much like semi-dry autumn leaf: dull pale faded to fairly bright goldy/brown with faint speckles and slightly wavy/toothed wing edges. Rather than making themselves flat like many moths, they are often perched with the wings extended and body partly curled upward- making a semi-bowl of the wings above the body. There are several views from different angles and in different light- the 'bowl' of wings viewed from above/straight on; side views showing the fat lightly fuzzy caterpillar body, a couple with the wings extended more flatly. They are perched variously on a smooth crimped (corrugated?) white metal wall, a dark door screen, old window/door frames with peeling blue paint, faded duct tape repairs and moss growing. In a couple of views the late day sun is shining through the moth's wings, making the pale gold come alight. Same alt all images. This a mid sized moth. At rest it looks very much like semi-dry autumn leaf: dull pale faded to fairly bright goldy/brown with faint speckles and slightly wavy/toothed wing edges. Rather than making themselves flat like many moths, they are often perched with the wings extended and body partly curled upward- making a semi-bowl of the wings above the body. There are several views from different angles and in different light- the 'bowl' of wings viewed from above/straight on; side views showing the fat lightly fuzzy caterpillar body, a couple with the wings extended more flatly. They are perched variously on a smooth crimped (corrugated?) white metal wall, a dark door screen, old window/door frames with peeling blue paint, faded duct tape repairs and moss growing. In a couple of views the late day sun is shining through the moth's wings, making the pale gold come alight.
September 16, 2025 at 6:25 AM
cohanf.bsky.social
I also have the video on YouTube and #Spectra ( #Fediverse non-corporate hosting) if you prefer those.
#video #nature #GetOutside #PaganSky 🌿📷 #Wildlife
spectra.video/w/j3HBp5bHrq...
youtube.com/shorts/3a7lB...
A female (or young?) White-tailed Deer stands side on to the viewer, body pointed to right, face toward us, watching intently. She is surrounded by tall grasses that conceal most of her lower body/legs. There are shrubby willows around showing a hint of fall colour, enhanced by slightly smoky air and late afternoon light. Farther back is shady mixed woods. Text in white says "May Your Day be a Deer one!"
September 12, 2025 at 7:19 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
Irritated #deer seen when I was out for a #SlowWalk on the #farm lol She seemed to think I was in her way! #nature #Alberta #CountryLiving #animals
September 12, 2025 at 7:11 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
The signs are there: we are sliding into #autumn and the pace is sure to increase in coming days.. Meanwhile there are still #summer #vignettes if you look! #BlueSkyArtshow #EastCoastKin #Alberta #Canada 🌱📷
A solitary medium-light pink rose flower, seen at nearly eye level from the side. It is semi-double with a few petals pointing variously more or less downward near the stem, then a couple of rows forming a loose bowl in the centre. The flower is leaning slightly to the right and the sun is coming from that side also, partly lighting the flower. The background is a blurred mosaic of lighter sun-lit gold green and deep green shadow.
September 6, 2025 at 3:45 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
After a kinda wet/not hot #summer it's been dry + warmer: mid-20's/30C, nights below/well below 10C- (<85F/50F) so a few toasty afternoon hours. Good ripening/harvesting weather for farmers.
It got smoky yesterday, will prob keep today below forecast .. #weather #Alberta #landscape #CountryLiving 📷
Pre-sunset, a hazy view, made darker by looking at the glowing sun about halfway up the view, just poking out from the left side of a shadowed thickly mixed treed area to the right.In front of those trees is a golden diamond shaped sign with a black checkered border and a two-way arrow in centre indicating no through road. More dark poplar saplings fill the left of the view, while up the centre is a road allowance and grassy area adjacent. To the right a gravel driveway curves into to shadow of the trees with a mowed area beside it giving way to the taller grass, forbs and saplings of the road allowance. Left of the grassy throughway is a wire and post fence with pasture beyond, followed by a power line with T poles in the middle distance, some patches of trees farther away. The sky is pinkish, especially near the sun, fading to grey farther up. Pre-sunset, evening light warmed further and greyed by a distinct smoke haze, looking across a wetland pasture with dense growth of low mounded willows, some showing blue-green leaves, others with a hint of autumn gold, others simply dull/browny from some summer stress (insects or fungus?. There are some taller but not mature poplars in mid distance to left, and in the hazy distance ahead we can see some areas of mature woodland.
September 3, 2025 at 7:20 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
Another #wasp on #Aralia First clearish views of this for me so I was excited! I got a brief look then spent 35mins traipsing around to all of the flowering plants, finally found it again! Not great/close shots, but I was still stoked! #iNat #BugSky #insects #Alberta #inverts #nature 🌱🌿 #Canada
same alt for all shots: A tiny wasp moving around on tiny flowers. To the eye this wasp seemed like a bright metallic green, in closer view it is as much or more blue- a deep, bright (?) metallic, sparkly blue, with typical wasp shape and the segments and edges of its body and head are highlighted/outlined with a lighter metallic green that blends into the blue. In many shots it is catching the sun and shines like foil- a little larger ( a lot larger) it would make an awesome Solstice Tree (you might call it Christmas Tree..lol) decoration. It is moving around in an Aralia flower cluster made up of many small ball-like clusters- a bunch of single tiny flower stems coming from a single point like fireworks radiating outward. Each tiny tiny floret is like a small green ball(these will become berries) tipped with whitish floral bits. Many many of these roundish clusters of tiny florets make up the whole flower spike which is a hand length or more in height, and not as wide as tall. These are close views of the wasp in various positions as it moves around- from one side or the other, the top seen from tail end, sitting on a leaf, etc. I wasn't super close- full zoom on my 300mm lens, then most are cropped as well, so not super crisp. same alt for all shots: A tiny wasp moving around on tiny flowers. To the eye this wasp seemed like a bright metallic green, in closer view it is as much or more blue- a deep, bright (?) metallic, sparkly blue, with typical wasp shape and the segments and edges of its body and head are highlighted/outlined with a lighter metallic green that blends into the blue. In many shots it is catching the sun and shines like foil- a little larger ( a lot larger) it would make an awesome Solstice Tree (you might call it Christmas Tree..lol) decoration. It is moving around in an Aralia flower cluster made up of many small ball-like clusters- a bunch of single tiny flower stems coming from a single point like fireworks radiating outward. Each tiny tiny floret is like a small green ball(these will become berries) tipped with whitish floral bits. Many many of these roundish clusters of tiny florets make up the whole flower spike which is a hand length or more in height, and not as wide as tall. These are close views of the wasp in various positions as it moves around- from one side or the other, the top seen from tail end, sitting on a leaf, etc. I wasn't super close- full zoom on my 300mm lens, then most are cropped as well, so not super crisp. same alt for all shots: A tiny wasp moving around on tiny flowers. To the eye this wasp seemed like a bright metallic green, in closer view it is as much or more blue- a deep, bright (?) metallic, sparkly blue, with typical wasp shape and the segments and edges of its body and head are highlighted/outlined with a lighter metallic green that blends into the blue. In many shots it is catching the sun and shines like foil- a little larger ( a lot larger) it would make an awesome Solstice Tree (you might call it Christmas Tree..lol) decoration. It is moving around in an Aralia flower cluster made up of many small ball-like clusters- a bunch of single tiny flower stems coming from a single point like fireworks radiating outward. Each tiny tiny floret is like a small green ball(these will become berries) tipped with whitish floral bits. Many many of these roundish clusters of tiny florets make up the whole flower spike which is a hand length or more in height, and not as wide as tall. These are close views of the wasp in various positions as it moves around- from one side or the other, the top seen from tail end, sitting on a leaf, etc. I wasn't super close- full zoom on my 300mm lens, then most are cropped as well, so not super crisp. same alt for all shots: A tiny wasp moving around on tiny flowers. To the eye this wasp seemed like a bright metallic green, in closer view it is as much or more blue- a deep, bright (?) metallic, sparkly blue, with typical wasp shape and the segments and edges of its body and head are highlighted/outlined with a lighter metallic green that blends into the blue. In many shots it is catching the sun and shines like foil- a little larger ( a lot larger) it would make an awesome Solstice Tree (you might call it Christmas Tree..lol) decoration. It is moving around in an Aralia flower cluster made up of many small ball-like clusters- a bunch of single tiny flower stems coming from a single point like fireworks radiating outward. Each tiny tiny floret is like a small green ball(these will become berries) tipped with whitish floral bits. Many many of these roundish clusters of tiny florets make up the whole flower spike which is a hand length or more in height, and not as wide as tall. These are close views of the wasp in various positions as it moves around- from one side or the other, the top seen from tail end, sitting on a leaf, etc. I wasn't super close- full zoom on my 300mm lens, then most are cropped as well, so not super crisp.
September 2, 2025 at 10:24 PM
cohanf.bsky.social
I've mentioning this sighting, probably my most exciting of the year, finally got photos edited.
I had one poor view earlier, then this one (late July) hung around long enough and still enough that I could get lots of photos
More on iNat inaturalist.ca/observations...
#Bugsky #inverts 🌿📷🌱#Alberta
Close crop, side view. This tiny wasp has almost unbelievable colours/markings- the head thorax and forelegs are a mix of medium metallic sparkly green and medium metallic sparkly blue (!) at times blending together but also with distinct separation of the sections of the body. There is a bit of gold (fuzz? can't see it clearly) on the face and legs. The rear section of the body, the abdomen is metallic red, with highlights and ( I think) the underside being a metallic greenish gold, blending into the red. It seems the whole critter might have very fine stubble, in any case some kind of slight texture which enhances, or creates, the sparkly effect, helped by the sunshine in these images. Wings are translucent and very shiny, with a hint of brown or copper/reddish. It is seen in various positions and angles on the tiny florets of Achillea/Yarrow- flat clusters of small flower heads made of clear white ray flowers (not petals, but you might think so) form a flat plane, with tiny golden disk flowers in the centre. Head on view, gives a good sense of the zones of colour and shows the gold mixed with red on the abdomen. This tiny wasp has almost unbelievable colours/markings- the head thorax and forelegs are a mix of medium metallic sparkly green and medium metallic sparkly blue (!) at times blending together but also with distinct separation of the sections of the body. There is a bit of gold (fuzz? can't see it clearly) on the face and legs. The rear section of the body, the abdomen is metallic red, with highlights and ( I think) the underside being a metallic greenish gold, blending into the red. It seems the whole critter might have very fine stubble, in any case some kind of slight texture which enhances, or creates, the sparkly effect, helped by the sunshine in these images. Wings are translucent and very shiny, with a hint of brown or copper/reddish. It is seen in various positions and angles on the tiny florets of Achillea/Yarrow- flat clusters of small flower heads made of clear white ray flowers (not petals, but you might think so) form a flat plane, with tiny golden disk flowers in the centre. The same wasp, less close but we can see that it was visiting the flowers along with other insects: in this view we also see a small brown/gold patterned butterfly out of focus to left. The same wasp, less close but we can see that it was visiting the flowers along with other insects: in this view another kind of tiny wasp, a small black with white stripes, like a regular wasp but tiny, is flying in from the left
August 28, 2025 at 6:32 AM
cohanf.bsky.social
Native #bees of - various kinds of #BumbleBees #LeafcutterBees etc love the several species of Saussurea /Sawwort that I've grown (like they love most #Composites) here they are enjoying Saussurea riederi, an East Asian species #BugSky #inverts #FlowerReport #Alberta 🌱🌿🐝
August 26, 2025 at 6:12 PM