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Did you know that Canada’s largest butterfly relies on a rare slice of our local ecosystem to survive? 🦋✨
The spectacular Giant Swallowtail calls the Carolinian Forest of southwestern Ontario home. But to raise the next generation, these giants look for a very specific partner: the Hop Tree (Ptelea trifoliata).
As a threatened native species, the Hop Tree acts as a vital host plant. Giant Swallowtail butterflies lay their eggs exclusively on members of the citrus family—and the Hop Tree is one of our only native options! Its unique leaves provide the exact nutrients their caterpillars need to grow.
Fun fact: The caterpillars actually look just like bird droppings! It’s a clever, built-in camouflage that keeps them safe from predators while they munch on Hop Tree leaves.
By protecting and planting native species like the Hop Tree, we are keeping the magic of the Carolinian zone alive. Keep your eyes peeled for these magnificent flyers in your backyard! 🌿🇨🇦
05/31/2026
You know, my impulsivity is usually my superpower—until it isn’t.
Last Wednesday afternoon, it made me a hero. I was driving up Indian Line north of Hagersville and spotted a native snapping turtle stranded right on the centre line. Without a second thought, I pulled over and rescued it. Total success. Leaping before looking honestly works out for me more often than you'd think.
But just four hours later, the darker side of that same trait caught up with me.
It was just before 8:00 PM when I noticed one of my beehives had swarmed. To be completely honest with you, I was already harbouring this simmering, impulsive anger at my partner because she hadn't checked the four hives that had overwintered and were showing obvious signs of overpopulation. Fueled by that irritation and rushing against the fading light, I made a totally reckless choice: I grabbed the net, bypassed my protective suit, and went in completely unprotected.
The bees did exactly what bees do. They attacked me, getting hopelessly tangled in my hair and delivering six stings straight to my temple and scalp.
It got bad, fast. I went into immediate anaphylaxis. Even after I deployed an EpiPen, my partner still had to call an ambulance. I ended up spending the next several hours hooked up to a four-hour potassium drip, and I didn't finally get discharged from the hospital until 3:30 AM.
Don’t feel sorry for me, I knew better. But lesson learned: I absolutely must wear a bee suit and full protection from now on, and I have to carry an EpiPen with me at all times.
I guess when I act fast out of instinct and empathy, I save a turtle. But when I act fast out of anger, I end up in an ambulance. The moral of my story is clear: I leap before I look. I just need to start making sure it's not into a swarm of bees.
Irene
⁉️ Anyone know why we were making a ruckus with pots and pans last Sunday morning? (Sorry, neighbours, but it really was necessary!!)
This practice, called “tanging”, is part of beekeeping folklore and meant to encourage a swarm of bees to land quickly, as it sounds like an approaching thunderstorm.
Apparently, there is no scientific research to prove this method actually works, but it did for us last weekend, and Irene was able to recapture the swarm. 🥳
Fortunately for our neighbours, the pots and pans have been safely stowed back in the kitchen. Our impromptu percussive performance will not be on repeat!
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