Bugging Out In Northern Ontario, Part 4: Detour Bog to Fraserdale

Bogs and fens are some of my favourite haunts to explore as a naturalist. These peatlands hold a diverse array of plant species adapted to the acidic or alkaline conditions. And with these plant species come the associated insects, and the birds, and all the rest. Today's goal was to explore a patterned fen near the end of the Detour Mine road, just a few kilometres before the mine itself.

Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

This particular fen has been put on the radar due to a number of interesting dragonfly and damselfly species that reside here. Several years ago intrepid dragonfly hunters targeted this area, presumably because it is relatively easy to access from the paved Detour Mine Road. And by relatively easy to access, I mean it only takes about a kilometre of slogging through thick peat moss interspersed with prickly Black Spruce bows protruding at every angle. It is not for the faint of heart, but I've spent many hours in similar habitats during my career as a field biologist, so I don't mind. ​

Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Last year I spent a day tromping around this very wetland near the end of August. I was a little too late in the year to have a reasonable shot at two rare Somatochlora emeralds - the Quebec and Whitehouse's Emeralds - both species with a limited range in northern Ontario. I also struck out with another northern rarity, the Canada Whiteface. But that is why I returned this year. 

My visit in 2024 had not been totally in vain, as I found two other big targets of mine - the Subarctic Darner and Zigzag Darner. 

Subarctic Darner (Aeshna subarctica) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

While I had been blessed with sunny conditions last year, this would not be the case today. Heavy smoke from wildfires further west in Canada had drifted eastwards into northern Ontario, casting a heavy haze over the landscape. Though clouds were not present, the thick smoke really cut down on the solar radiation, and I worried that dragonflies wouldn't be too active. The temperatures were also rather cool in the morning. It was around noon when I finally began my trek down the overgrown logging road. 

Logging road leading to Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Butterflies were active along the entrance path, including Atlantis and Silver-bordered Fritillaries, Pink-edged Sulphur, several skippers and Dorcas Copper. 

Pink-edged Sulphur (Colias interior) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Dorcas Copper (Tharsalea dorcas) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Atlantis Fritillaries (Argynnis atlantis) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Reaching the end of the logging road, I punched through the stand of shrubby trees to access the more open peatlands. Hiking was no easier here. Though I did not have to contend with dense tree growth, the ground was hummocky with deep holes that were difficult to avoid, and protruding black spruce boughs still pricked at me. The plant life was interesting in this area and I stopped frequently to photograph the bounty. 

White Bog Orchid (Platanthera dilatata) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Great Sundew (Drosera anglica) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Bog Goldenrod (Solidago uliginosa) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

I noticed four species of orchids of which my favourite was this Green Adder's Mouth, simply because of its excellent name. 

Green Adder's Mouth (Malaxis unifolia) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Hooded Ladies' Tresses (Spiranthes romanzoffiana) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

This species is the Rough Wood Aster, and in Ontario it appears to be restricted to the northeast corner of the province just south of James Bay. There are only a couple of records on iNaturalist for the province, but it seems to be a relatively common species in this fen. Last year it was seeding, but I caught them early enough this year to see them in flower. 

Rough Wood Aster (Eurybia radula) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Some small orange butterflies grabbed my attention and moments later, I was staring at my first Arctic Fritillaries! This was a long time coming for me and so I savoured the excellent views of one. 

Arctic Fritillary (Boloria chariclea) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Even with the hazy conditions there was just enough power behind the sun, and butterflies and many other insects were flying. Dragonflies were conspicuously absent, however. I hoped that this would change once I reached the patterned fen where my three main dragonfly targets resided. 

Yellow-banded Bumble Bee (Bombus terricola) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

I paid close attention to any moth that was flying, as there was a good chance that it was a species that I "needed". This was productive as I added three lifer moths over the course of my time in the peatlands here. 

Phiaris turfosana - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Sulphur Angle (Macaria sulphurea) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Despite the various distractions, I eventually I slogged my way to the patterned fen, where a bogbean-lined creek cut a channel to the north. Here, everything drains towards the Arctic Ocean. 

Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

For the next three hours I waded around in my rubber boots, taking care to avoid certain areas where it is very easy to punch through the floating mat of vegetation. I was successful in this regard, unlike last year where I had a nervous moment waist-deep in the fen. 

Horned Bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Rose Pogonia (Pogonia ophioglossoides) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Dragonfly-wise, it was slow going. The high winds were certainly not helping matters, either. Several darners patrolled the bogbean-lined creek and I identified Subarctic, Zigzag and Canada Darner. I noticed a few meadowhawks and some Sedge Sprites, but that was it. Finally, around 5 PM, a Somatochlora emerald began patrolling the creek, but it remained out of range of my net and I did not even get a swing off. Needless to say, I was pretty frustrated with my second Somatochlora-free visit to this particular fen. 

Sedge Sprite (Nehalennia irene) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

The deerflies were rather persistent all afternoon. I photographed a few of them, and tallied two species: Benign Deer Fly and Bothersome Deer Fly. I thought they were all bothersome? Though I can confirm, that species in particular is rather bothersome...

Benign Deer Fly (Chrysops mitis) - Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

I took this photo near the beginning of my bog slog, before the crushing defeat of not finding any Somatochlora set in. 

Selfie in the Detour Lake peatlands, Cochrane District

Though it had been a somewhat disappointing afternoon, I still came away with a lifer butterfly and many other great sightings. But I will have to return once more for my target dragonflies. That is how it goes sometimes. 

That evening, I found a different gravel pit to set up my moth light, only a kilometre or so from where I had set up the previous evening. In the end I should have just returned to the first location. Though the conditions were much better tonight with overnight lows of 15 degrees (versus 9 the previous night), the clearing was a lot smaller which may have impacted how many moths were attracted to the light. I photographed many fewer species. But there were a few highlights, of course!

Finnish Dart (Actebia fennica) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Wavy-lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Four-spotted Ghost Moth (Sthenopis purpurascens) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Pelochrista argentialbana - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Though moth diversity was lower than the previous evening, the total biomass of moths was likely higher. This was entirely due to the White Eulithis Moths, of which many hundreds flooded the sheets. There was scarcely any room for anything else. 

White Eulithis Moths (Eulithis explanata) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

If my identification is correct, than this moth (Dysstroma suspectata) is one of the better finds for the night as there are just a handful of observations on iNaturalist and just a couple for Ontario. Again, this is another example of something appearing rare because of the limited coverage up here. 

Dysstroma suspectata - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

A long overdue lifer for me was this species, the Simple Wave (Scopula junctaria). 

Simple Wave (Scopula junctaria) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

One of the more unusual species of moth was this tortricid which I have tentatively identified as Epinotia madderana. 

Epinotia madderana (tentative ID) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Some high pitched squeaks coming from the top of a spruce piqued my interest as there could only be one culprit - a Northern Flying Squirrel. I watched the little guy with my flashlight for a moment or two. No photos, though, as I had my macro lens on my camera for the mothing. 

Brown Pine Looper Moth (Caripeta angustiorata) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

This Xestia mixta was another big highlight for me, as this noctuid moth seems to be rarely reported. All of the previous Ontario records on iNaturalist are from this corner of the province. 

Xestia mixta - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Below are a few more photos from the evening. The warmer temperatures enticed me to stay at the sheets until nearly 2 AM, and there were still new moths appearing when I finally shut down the lights. 

Mint-loving Pyrausta Moth (Pyrausta acrionalis) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Formosa Looper Moth (Chrysanympha formosa) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Sharp-lined Yellow (Sicya macularia) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Great Brown Dart (Eurois astricta) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

The late night of mothing necessitated a relaxed start to the day, followed by a leisurely breakfast of scrambled eggs on a toasted bagel and coffee, thanks to the utility of my one-burner stove. It was another hazy day. I debated heading back into the patterned fen from yesterday but in the end, cut my losses and began heading south. As I was packing up breakfast, I noticed a moth stuck inside my car and flying against the window. It was another new one for me, the Drab Angle. And then, just as I was about to depart, a Somatochlora emerald began flying around my car! Thinking quickly, I grabbed my net out of the back seat and made an accurate swing. Success. 

Lake Emerald (Somatochlora cingulata) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

This is a Lake Emerald, one of the larger emeralds and one of just a couple of species that show complete white rings around the border of each abdominal segment. My first Somatochlora of the trip in hand, and a lifer at that! Though this is a widespread species in the north, you never forget your first, and it took away some of the sting of yesterday's Somatochlora-free hike. 

Lake Emerald (Somatochlora cingulata) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Lake Emerald (Somatochlora cingulata) - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

During my 2024 trip I spent some time at a beautiful watercourse called the Floodwood River, one of the few along the Detour Mine Road that has any significant flow. A nice array of dragonfly species reside here including two, the Riffle Snaketail and Boreal Snaketail, that love the faster-flowing water. I decided that I would enjoy a swim here while also trying my hand at netting snaketails. ​

Floodwood River - Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

It only took a few minutes until I noticed the first snaketail zipping over the river. It appeared to be a female who was ovipositing into the water. I managed a few poor photos while led me to believe it was a Boreal Snaketail, but I wanted a better view. My patience along the shore was unrewarded as she never came within swinging range. About the only odonate I was seeing here were numerous River Jewelwings. 

River Jewelwing (Calopteryx aequabilis) - Floodwood River, Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

My strategy shifted to wading in the river. On my walk back to the car to change into my swimming trunks I noticed a Somatochlora cruising over a wet ditch. It landed near the water's surface and I came down quickly with my net. Just like that, I had my first Brush-tipped Emerald in the hand.

Brush-tipped Emerald (Somatochlora walshii) - Floodwood River, Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

My river-wading strategy brought me closer to several snaketails, but none of my swings were successful. These things are so dang fast!  It was a game of patience, as I often had to wait ten or fifteen minutes after an unsuccessful swing until the next snaketail appeared. 

Several other dragonflies were enjoying the weather. Various darners cruised along the shoreline including one that appeared to be either a Fawn or Ocellated Darner. Eventually it landed on a mid-river log and began laying eggs in the water, allowing me to take some distant photos. My first Fawn Darner!

Fawn Darner (Boyeria vinosa) - Floodwood River, Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

I took a few swings at several of the larger and more colourful Aeshna darners, procuring my long-overdue lifer Lake Darner. 

Lake Darner (Aeshna eremita) - Floodwood River, Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Earlier on I had observed a huge black and yellow dragonfly dragging along an unfortunate River Jewelwing. Surely it was a Dragonhunter, one of our largest species which often predates other odonates. Soon I noticed one resting on stream-side vegetation, and just like that I had a Dragonhunter in hand. 

Dragonhunter (Hagenius brevistylus) - Floodwood River, Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Dragonhunter (Hagenius brevistylus) - Floodwood River, Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Satisfied with my morning, I began assembling my gear to head back up to the roadside when a beautiful dragonfly alighted on a mid-river rock. It was a male Boreal Snaketail! I bent down and picked up my camera very slowly and carefully to avoid flushing the dragonfly. It didn't seem to mind my presence and I managed quite a few very nice photos of this uncommon species. 

Boreal Snaketail (Ophiogomphus colubrinus) - Floodwood River, Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

I stopped at several other river crossings on my way south back to Cochrane. The wind was picking up and clouds filtered over the sun on occasion, causing the insect activity to scale back some. But I still added a few species to the trip list including Chalk-fronted Corporal, Shadow Darner, Belted Whiteface and Hagen's Bluet. 

Shadow Darner (Aeshna umbrosa) - unnamed lake, Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Belted Whiteface (Leucorrhinia proxima) - unnamed lake, Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

Hagen's Bluet (Enallagma hageni) - unnamed lake, Detour Mine Road, Cochrane District

And by dinnertime I arrived back in Cochrane, where I refuelled with gasoline, drinking water and ice for my cooler. It was time to head west towards Smooth Rock Falls and then north to Fraserdale and Abitibi Canyon. That will be subject of my next post.