Distinguishing Features – Most familiar frog of Northwestern Ontario. large. Overall colouration, varying shades of green or brown; round black spots scattered randomly about the back and on the sides. Underside, plain white. Two light ridges down run along length of back. Forelimbs, spotted; hind legs, striped. Size 8.9 cm (3.5 in) Habitat Common throughout … Read more
General – dark green, robust, unbranched, 4 – 15 cm tall or more; single-sexed, males have enlarged heads at plant tips, females produce sporophytes; lower portion covered by grey rhizoids. Leaves – 6 – 10 mm long, lance-shaped, sharply pointed; spread at right angles when moist, erect-flattened and rolled when dry; membranous, sheathing base; edges … Read more
Distinguishing Features – Non-venomous. Overall colouration, light brown to black with two alternating rows of black spots. Three longitudinal stripes run length of body; dorsal stripe is usually yellow. Lateral stripes are cream to yellow and are located on the second and third scale rows. A row of black spots usually occurs below the lateral … Read more
The balsam poplar is the northernmost North American hardwood. Other names are tacamahac, cottonwood, or heartleaf balsam poplar. General – medium to large-sized, averaging 23 – 30 m (75 – 100 ft) high, broadleaved hardwood. Crown narrow, pyramidal with thick, ascending branches. Branchlets moderately stout, round, shiny reddy-brown, orange lenticels, buds are reddish-brown to brown, … Read more
General – green to golden-green, 3 – 12 cm long; branches somewhat upright to drooping, symmetrical, feather, tapered; plumes ‘well-groomed’; forms decorative mats. Leaves – branch leaves pleated, egg-shaped, to 2 mm long, all curled towards branch below; stem leaves pleated, curled towards stem base. Sporophytes – stalk reddish, 2 – 4.5 cm long; capsule … Read more
The red pine is also called Norway pine. It is one of the most extensively planted species in the northern United States and Canada. General – large-sized, averaging 23 – 32 m (75 – 105 ft) high, evergreen conifer. Crown sparse, oval, over a straight, limbless trunk with little taper. Branches spreading with foliage tufted … Read more
Distinguishing Features – Length: 13 – 15 cm; Tail: 2 cm; stout bodies, thick fluffy fur, small ears, very short tails, and long claws. Habitat Tundra, grassy land of northern Scandinavia and western Russia. Diet Diet consists mainly of grass, little shrubs and above all, moss; also avaiable insects in summer. Notes The noticable marked … Read more
The Minnow family Cyprinidae is perhaps the most diverse and dynamic group of fishes in the world. Members of this family can be found in all of our rivers and streams and in most lakes. Their range of environmental tolerance varies from those that are on the very extremes of their natural continental distribution and … Read more
Distinguishing Features – Overall colouration, dark brown, oily fur; throat silvery colour. Long muscular body; flattened head; short legs; webbed feet; long powerful tail. Size Male: .93 – 1.35 m (3.1 – 4.5 ft) Female: .87 – 1.14 m (2.9 – 3.8 ft) Habitat Throughout Northwestern Ontario, primarily in wooded shoreline areas of lakes, ponds, … Read more
Distinguishing Features – Small. Overall colouration, reddy brown or green and have small black dots scattered about; undersides, yellow or yellow-orange with small black dots. Skin, rough. Four toes on the front feet and five on the back. Size 6.3 – 10 cm (2.5 – 4 in) Habitat Found in southern regions of Northwestern Ontario, … Read more