Highlights from BTC Trail Ambassadors in Sydenham

Two of our Bruce Trail Conservancy Trail Ambassadors, Anna Zandvliet & Kate Bonn, have had some amazing species sightings along the Niagara Escarpment this summer in the Sydenham section of the Bruce Trail (Blantyre to Wiarton). Check out this update:

Over the past 9 weeks, Kate and I have identified about 150 species of plants, insects, fungi, etc. using iNaturalist. Here are some highlights:


One of my first observations was at Jones Falls – a species of chocolate tube slimes. It looked like this old tree trunk was being turned into a brown shag carpet. Fungi and slime molds have the best names – chocolate tube slime, fairy fingers, Dryad’s saddle… So imaginative.





Along the road is not where you expect to find cool colourful creatures. But sure enough, on the road on our way to Bluewater Park, we found a pink primrose moth. We were passing some evening primrose, and I saw something pink in the middle of a flower. It struck me as weird, so we stopped and found this beautiful little moth. As the name suggests, evening primrose is the host plant for this species’ larva.





We were walking in the Kemble Mountain area - near Dodd’s Hill - and I saw what looked to me like a fried potato. But when Kate picked it up, it was hollow. iNaturalist said it was in the genus Amphibolips. Through a little googling and the help of iNaturalist members, I discovered it was an old oak apple gall of the larger oak apple wasp.





One of my favourite observations was the American cancer root. We found it in the Lindenwood Management Area. At first, it looked like a bunch of pinecones standing up. It didn’t look like a plant or fungi, so I was stumped. That was because this is a non-photosynthesizing, fully parasitic plant. It gets its nutrients from attaching to the roots of oak or beech trees.





The best observations are the ones you aren’t looking for and just happen by chance/luck.

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Thank you for your interest in the Bruce Trail Conservancy and our work to preserve a ribbon of wilderness, for everyone, forever.

Posted on August 10, 2023 12:38 PM by shimeem