bumblebee shrimp

bumblebees grazing on riccia.

... of shrimp and corydoras

These C. habrosus are just getting to know their new neighbourhood in the cherry shrimp tank. Other than the odd accidental bump, the two species pretty much ignore each other, although the habrosus sometimes tag along behind the large female cherries when swimming.

shruums magical shrooms

It gets a little hazy, that border between inside and out. The yellow 'shrooms popped up in an indoor clump of bamboo; this little grey umbrella has its home in a ficus.
Outside, the arum carries the torch into October.

salvinia (water fern)

Salvinia is a true fern, adapted for a floating lifestyle. Needs full light. Works well in ponds or tanks. It is not considered 'frost-hardy'; however, it does seem likely that this plant could over-winter outdoors in very sheltered areas here in the G.V.R.D. of southwest B.C.
Salvinia is an aggressive invasive species wherever released into the wild in warm-weather regions, including Washington State. Never release non-native plants or animals into the wild, even via your toilet or kitchen sink. Makes great garden mulch, so if you have excess, use around your roses.
The hanging roots trail 5 to 8 cm below the water, making an excellent habitat for fish fry and fresh water shrimp. Salvinia can reduce algae growth by blocking light at the water surface and using up nutrients in the water.
Floating plants can help contain jumping fish, especially at the margins.

beer tab snares duck at Trout Lake

Please cut up and dispose of beverage tabs properly. Birds and 

small mammals are often snared and die in these things.

Images taken by C.J.W. Vos at Trout Lake, Vancouver, BC.

trapped duck by C.J.W. Vos is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

new friends

corydoras reticulatus and corydoras melanistus (id tenative)
ghost shrimp w/ eggs
bumblebee shrimp
red cherry shrimp

spring and summer 08

^^spring flowers
^^baby chickadee comes inside to investigate
^^clivia
^^zebra finch babies at 9 and 11 days

^^same babes at 20 and 22 days

Jacob's Ladder (purple leaf)

Iris pair

anticipating spring

This miniature iris hasn't flowered since 2003. This year, it's the 1st to greet the spring.

Strawberry buds, February

The first of the berry crop

November's blossom, February's fruit

The last of 2007's berry blossoms over winters, along with the aphids.