Plants on the Rez

nature on reserve
 

Insects on the Pays PlatReservation

The insects, birds, animals, bugs and reptiles listed below are ones that
 i know are here AS i HAVE SEEN THEM OR EVIDENCE THAT THEY ARE HERE.

house fly these are filthy little creatures , dont let them walk on your food because well you know why. keep your garbage cans sealed and screens on your windowsto keep them out.

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Mosquitos  lay their eggs in still stagnant water, the adult mosquito comes out of the water,

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FRUIT FLIES Fruit flies are annoying and people spend so much time trying to trap them with all kinds of gadgets.  the easiest way is to get rid of the fruit that they are after.

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Insects on the Reserve

 

wasps, ants, bees and sawflies
 

BUMBLE BEE

pollinates most of our food, being killed off by herbicides and pesticides. we must protect these insects. Can only sting once as its innards are pulled out when it stings and it dies.

Eignstein said that if the bees dies man only has four years left.

 We need to
save the bees
 

Yellow Jacket

This is not a nice insect it can sting you repeatedly kill this if it comes around you or get out of there. Very scarey when they are buzzing around your head.

Mud Dauber

Scary looking and this thing kills spiders, skinny waste on this guy. it will sting you and it can repeatedly.

 

pavement ant

Ants are social and the colony is almost entirely female, they have a queen that mothers all of the ants and can lay hundreds of eggs a day.

carpenter ant

Slow moving and not aggressive, they bite when provoked, these ants live in wood. the pileated woodpeckers eats these guys and so does the bear.


sucking bugs,

 

Green stink bug

this bug produces an outrageous smell if it is threatened , not a good smell. cant hurt you though

buffalo tree hopper

 these guys will stick to you and you can feel them when you take them off, dont sweat it though its harmless.

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grigs and their relatives

 

European earwig

this insect does not crawl in your ears and eat your brains, it is harmless and likes damp spots so if you don't want them around pick up your wet clothes laying around.

      

walking stick

this vicious predator will take down almost any insect, they are long and very strong.  they appear as a stick and makes it very hard to see them.

 

field cricket

noisy in the evenings sometime, loud chirping sounds and can sound creepy.


 


damsel flies and dragon flies
 

Canada darner

 these guys eat other bad insects and do not bite no reason to jump when they are around.

 

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Rusty snake tail

 another great fly that kills pesky little insects that my bite you so dont kill these or any of the dragon flies.
 

Aquatic bugs,
 


eastern kayak pond skater
 

 You've seen these little guys skating across the water, quite amazing how fast they can move, the tension of the water keeps them from sinking and the walk on water or run on water.

 

 

non insects, anthropods and spiders


 

garden centipede

I've seen these guys dragging a worms into the grass, they look pretty mean but are a much needed insect for the gardener.


 

Round millipede
 

 these guys are the same like the garden centipede they are vicious and hungry little guys. I certainly wouldn't want to have one crawling on me.

 

harvestman ( daddy long legs)

this is not a spider, predatory on small bugs and also scavenges off dead bugs and decaying plants.  harmless and cant bite you.

 

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Wolf spider

can bite you and will don't provoke or tease it. a spider bite can hurt and if your allergic much worse.

 

Yellow garden spider

takes out the bad bugs that could hurt your crop. i try not to kill any spiders but when they are in your home its different.

 

six spotted fishing spider

huge and scary looking, swims around under water looking for its prey. these guys can give you a heart attack (lol) well get it pumping fast anyways.

 
 

 


 

two winged flies
 

horse fly

these guys bite like hell, like the yellow jacket kill them.

they love it when your wet, i guess they get a drink with their meal. some are very big.

 

brown crane fly or big mosquito

No these guys don't bite and they don't eat small mosquito's  like you heard, they are harmless and prey on only the smallest of insects.

 

 

Beetles

 

 

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purple rimmed carabus

these guys are good in your garden and are very small to huge, kind o

 

pinching beetle

 

 

Woods firefly

cool to see these guys flying around at night.

 

Asian Ladybug

these bugs eat the bad bugs in your gardens be nice to these please they are worth while saving.

Noteable Sawyer (Spruce Bug)

Kill KILL Kill this is a bad bug don't let it land on you or you might jump out of your clothes. I repeat kill it.


 

 

Moths

 

 

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apple sphinx

 

 

 

waved sphinx

white underwing


 

 


Butter flies

 

Monarch butterfly

poisonous to birds that eat it. this butterfly goes south every fall and returns in the spring, it breeds in mexico

 

Cabbage white

Kill it
lays eggs in your veggies and if you don't find them they hatch and the caterpillars eat your crop. they are the hardest things to hit with a fly swatter. there is no shortage of this insect.
 

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Reptiles & Amphibians

 

Frogs

 

frogs are different than toads, a frog can hop and a toad doesn't hop plus a toad has more wart like bumps on him, frogs eat insects

Toads

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Salamander


 

WE HAVE AN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF SALAMANDER ON OUR RESERVE, IT Is AN AMPHIBIAN AND BREATHES THROUGH ITS SKIN.

IT EATS SMALL INVERTEBRATES, INSECTS AND small worms.

IT IS ON THE ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST AND IS PROTECTED BY LAW.
 

Painted Turtle

 

 

 very rare but has been seen up a the pond, impressive to compete with those big pike up there.

Garter snake

 

 

 The first time we saw a garter snake was on the sidewalk in thunder bay, snakes have a hard time to move when it is cold out, they need to warm up in the sun, the garter snake is harmless and is actually a good reptile that eats mice and other small mammals.

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birds on reserve
Bird sounds
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If your walking around in the evening or night and you hear this sound it is the call of northern saw whet owl

it eats small rodents bugs and insects and is only about the 7 to 8 inches tall not what you would expect an owl to be.
We have the Northern Flicker a woodpecker that spends most of the time on the ground, feeding on ants and other bugs.

it has a red spot on the back of the head close to the neck and hops around the grass like a robin, you'll see them from April to October

the Bald eagle is a raptor, it has claws as big as a mans hands and razor sharp.  started to breed in the area about 15 years ago, they have a white head with white tail and could make an impact on the small game available for our consumption. this raptor also fishes.
When you see this bird flying around in circles it is riding on a wind current looking for carion or dead meat.  it is a turkey vulture and has a bald face.  they have white feathers on the bottom of the wings. this bird arrived here about the same time as the bald eagle,
the red winged black bird hangs around the river and nests in the cat tails or bulrushes, female lays 3'4 pale light blue green eggs.

 

 
THE TREE SWALLOWS YOU SEE IN THE SUMMER TIME CATCHING THE FLIES AND MOSQUITO'S THAT BITE YOU ARE MIGRATORY BIRDS AND PROTECTED BY LAW. YOU CAN BE CHARGED AND FINED FOR BREAKING THEIR NESTS.

Please dont break their nests

Ruby throated humming bird is a gardeners best friend, it is like a bee and gathers nectar from flowers and pollinates them

they beat their wings at 80 beats per second and can fly up to a hundred kilometers per hour.  they can be very aggressive if provoked.
this sound is the black capped chickadee, this call helps to keep the flock together so they know where each other is.

chick a dee dee dee dee
this bird eats seeds, insects and spiders

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common raven is all black and is a big bird, it can vocalize or immitate some other birds, these birds mate for life and will eat small birds, eggs human food waste and garbage.

 
american crow is black and smaller than a raven, it makes the famous caw sound, alot of crows together are called a murder of crows, they will eat smaller birds, seeds, eggs human waste and garbage.

this bird will fly south for winter but only the other side of the great lakes.
herring gull is a seagull for short, it used to breed on seagull island until over run by the eagles,

they eat fish and will scavenge on water or on land at landfills, and will eat other small birds when given the chance and the only gull to eat garbage.

spruce grouse eat live buds and needles of spruce, pine and fur trees, berries, seeds and insects in the summer.

their deep call is undetectable to the human ear, and the male gets a red eye browed puffed necked splendor to attract the females.
ruffed grouse have a drum beat that you can hear a long way, the feet of this bird grow lots of hairy feathers to provide it with the ability to walk on snow.

eats seeds, buds flowers, berries insects leaves spiders and snails it might even take a small frog
Common Merganser is a duck with a wad of  reddish brown feathers on its head, the male has a green head

these ducks eat small fish usually white fish, trout, suckers perch and minnows, and young aquatic invertabrates.
mallard duck tips up searching for seeds of pondweeds,  aquatic invertabrates and amphibians larvae and fish eggs.

The male has the typical green head and the female is brown, the female has loud very vocal quacks and the male is quieter.
Canada goose is a migratory bird and arrives here in the spring on its way to the northern tundra where is usually rears their young,

this bird can break your arm with a hit from one of its wings so be careful, they eat grass and roots , aquatic vegetation and tubers,

Common loon has a call you cant mistake, it eats small fish and dives under the water for them, it eats large aquatic invertabrate and adult amphibians.

spotted black and white and sits low in the water because of its feet are place way back on its body

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  Whiskey jack also called the grey jay is born in the spring time often when there is still snow on the ground, these birds are very patient .

you will see these often when you hang your moose as they love moose meat like i do

  
  blue jay

a very beautiful looking bird which comes around once in a while.

 

  
  night hawk you often see these flying around at night and they are very fast and make a wierd sound when flying.

 

 

 

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animals on reserve

Animal sounds
click on picture
black bear this bear usually afraid of humans but will come into communities when it is hungry or careless residents don't keep their garbage out of their reach.  this is a wild animal and should be treated with respect.
A number of people have been killed by black bears in ontario in the last few years so you should watch out for it.  If your walking in the bush make noise so it can hear you and you dont accidentally bump into it.   want to know more

 

 


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Moose these animals walk with us within the reserve,  moose call in the fall when they mate and some of the calls are challenges to other bulls. The cow will let the toughest bulls know when younger smaller bulls are bothering them with a long moan.

This is the best tasting meat I have ever ate, and hope we get one soon.

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wolf a member of the dog family this predator hunts in packs and alone, there are some that hang around the reserve and i have seen the tracks which are bigger than my hand. 

Wolves communicate by howling and although dangerous I have not heard of one or a pack attacking or killing humans.
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fox  foxes are small-to-medium-sized animals they eat rabbit partridge and mice. Foxes are slightly smaller than a medium-size domestic dog. with a flattened skull, upright triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail.

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lynx  A lynx is a part of the cat family and can take most small game,  it is not dangerous if you leave it alone.
lynx have huge paws to help them walk on the snow and chase their prey such as rabbits, partridge and other small creatures.
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muskrat

build their homes on the sides of the river banks and bogs, these are trapped for their furs and occasionally eaten.

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porcupine  this creature has very sharp quills with barbs so they don't come out easily, these animals are dangerous for does that can get a mouthful of quills when chasing them.

My dad and shaun say that they haven't seen any in the area for a long time, they used to be abundant.
beaver they will develop their territories very quickly, taking huge trees down for the branches. sometimes they get killed while felling a tree but not very often. i have eaten beaver and find it good tasting and very rich, fatty but good.

their pelts are in demand and are trapped for this reason.
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rabbit they run around early in the morning and late at night when the sun is out all the rabbits hide in the bush.  when a rabbit hears you he stands still if it looks like they will run away whistle and they will stop running.  there are two ways to kill a rabbit one snap his neck two reach under his ribs and if you feel a little ball squeeze it that is his heart.  and one more thing in the winter they turn white in the summer they turn brown
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marten  marten run in the tree tops hunting what ever it can, a lot of squirrels and chipmunks birds and when he is on the ground he will take out rabbits.
Marten running down a rabbit.

 

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mink  A semi-aquatic mammal, the mink has dense, oily under fur for protection in the water, and stiff hairs between the hind toes to aid in swimming. Both sexes are capable of mating at ten months.

Mink prefer areas in which there are water bodies such as streams, lakes or ponds, and avoid open areas. Forested, log-strewn or thicketed areas offer prime habitat. Den sites are usually dominated by coniferous trees such as spruce, balsam and cedar. 
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skunk these guys like garbage and if you don't have it laying around you wont have a problem with these guys or the bears,  these animals stink when they are frightened or provoked they will spray..  it is said that the smell of skunk in the air kills sickness and disease in the air

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otter these are the predators of the rivers and ponds, these critters will eat their weight in clams in a few days.  very quick swimmers.

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chipmunk the chipmunk is smaller than a squirrel and has the stripes on his back.  these little guys will come to you if your patient and you got some food.

they are rodents to some people because they will chew through everything like mice.

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squirrel bigger than the chipmunk they do not fear man unless you bother them, and they will turn on you if you scare them and they will attack you.

a good survival food not much meat on them.

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bat some bats have no eyes, they don't need them as they navigate and hunt for bugs with sonar. usually night creatures but are seen flying in the daylight. they will not land in your hair if you have lice.

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mouse   A mouse or mice live inside your walls, under sheds and underground,  and can eat the food in your cupboard and will bite. a good cat or trap will take care of them but they are a nuisance.

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mole these guy crawl around underground in tunnels, they are creepy crawly creatures and make a good meal for snakes and cats. they eat bugs and worms.

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fish in reserve
waters

 
minnows are abundant in many of the lakes around pays plat and grow to a few inches long, they are great bait fish for almost any fish.

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smelts  this small fish is not native to lake superior, they arrived after the boat ladders and canals were built to allow ships to sail into the great lakes.
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clams.

live under the sand in rivers and lakes, they are filter feeders and move with a single foot. these are one of the otters favorite foods.
crayfish  will go after worms or leaches on a hook and wont let go, one day i caught about 20 of them in the Macintyre  river in thunder bay. you  can pick them up by grabbing them behind the big claws.  they are also good to eat
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lamprey  these ugly guys spawn up at fox creek that flows into pays plat river, they hatch and grow there for a while and then migrate down stream to go out on the lake after the trout and salmon and pike will eat some as they migrate.
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blood suckers also known as leeches will stick to you given the chance, salt will help them let go. these critters are good bait for many fish like pickerel, trout and pike.  I had one of these guys on me once when i was 6 in thunder bay.
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Perch is a common name for fish of the genus Perca, freshwater game fish belonging to the family Percidae.   Perch are boney and very good to eat. perch can be caught in the river up stream past the pond.
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whitefish  lots of scales on this fish, they are oily and very good to eat, the traditional way to eat whitefish is boiled, there is something about a boiled whitefish. they used to be so abundant in the lake that you could spear them when they were spawning.
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sucker is good to eat but very boney, it is a bottom feeder and will take small insects, minnows and worms.  spawns in the spring up streams.

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largemouth bass is a freshwater game fish in the sunfish family, you can catch some on cavers hill at wabasta and nishin.  bass are very good to eat and fight good too.
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Walleye is a freshwater fish native to most of Canada.  you can catch walleye in the river and pays plat lake, .  very good eating fish with not much of a fish taste.
Black Sturgeon River

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northern pike known simply as a pike (also called jackfish  is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus (the pikes).  i  won the youth division fish derby for pike with a fish 12 pounds 11 ounces gutted pike. these fish grow huge and put up a good fight.
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lake sturgeon also called rock sturgeon, is a north American temperate freshwater fish, bottom feeder  a partly  skeleton, an overall streamlined shape and skin bearing rows of bony plates on its sides and back, these fish were caught almost to extinction for their eggs, caviar
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brook trout\speckled trout is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family .  the speck is very good to eat and you can catch them up at the rapids in Pays Plat River.

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rainbow trout is a trout and species of salmonid  The steelhead (sometimes called "steelhead trout"). they spawn up the creeks in the spring and is a good time to catch them by hand. my first rainbow wasnt that big but it was pretty big for a small boy like me,
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 Lake trout is a freshwater char. Other names for it include mackinaw, lake char (or charr), touladi, togue, and grey trout. fish almost to extinction it is making a come back as a commercial fish in Lake superior.
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ling    The common ling is a large member of a family of cod-like fishes. the ling has a long slender body that can reach 2 metres in length; it is generally a deep-running fish, spending much of its life at depths of 100 m or more; younger fish are found at shallower depths.
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salmon is one of the best tasting fish i have ever ate and pink salmon is good too and is a bears favorite fish.  sockeye salmon pacific salmon Atlantic salmon and pink salmon. i never had a salmon on my rod before but hope to get one soon.
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So please enjoy my site

 

Robin