Internivial blooms with two Two-spotted morphs

Edmonton’s frigid Spring reappeared for the Long May Weekend, the traditional planting out time here, but the week before had a few bright spots in between the cold and snowy end pieces. Two ‘native’ wildflowers were among the highlights, Coltsfoot (Petasites palmatus) and Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris), although both were a week or two later than ‘normal’. Coltsfoot produces thick spikes of white flowers in April (well, May now) before the leaves appear and seems to be especially relished by pollinators. Marsh Marigold is just the opposite – leaves pop out of the ground as soon as the snow melts, but flowers hold off until May (or mid-May this year) – but are equally attractive to pollinators.

Lots of other flowers from the tiny Bugleweed to the more impressive Pasqueflower have made an appearance, so here is celebration of colour and form to chase the cold clouds away. A few insects also made an appearance, including two of the several colour morphs of the 2-spotted ladybug Adelia bipunctata. When the sun shines, more and more pollinators are showing up, including the inevitable queen yellowjackets and bald-faced hornets - signs of summer barbie confrontations to come. Lots of sawflies too - quite the diversity of Tenthridinidae in Edmonton - and all looking for a garden plant to lay their eggs on. Poor columbine, willow, saskatoon, creeping jenny, and currants, but lots of happy grubs to come.