Fall Flowers

Fall Flowers, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

A walk in the countryside and signs of fall. The dandelions have all gone to seed and other flowers are following suit. Many are starting to dry up. These purple flowers take advantage of the September sunshine. Insects still attracted by their bright yellow centres will spread the pollen to ensure another season of blooms.

Day 239: Old Tree

Day 239: Old Tree, originally uploaded by susanvg.

I passed this great old tree today. It has cavities, great homes for a variety of insects. Many of Montreal's streets are tree-lined with great big maples and ash as well as many other trees. Some trees were lost in the ice storm of 1998. Our latest threat is the emerald ash borer. It is not yet in Montreal, but is some 30 km away. There is an attempt to isolate it; let's hope this is possible.

Our world is getting smaller, with travel and the shipping of food across the world. Hitch-hiking along are insects, which settle in new areas where they have no predators. The devastation they can cause is enormous. We need our local insects, but this is one case where immigration is not welcome. How do we keep that balance in nature that existed long ago?