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Medway Creek

r e f l e c t i o n s

Wanderer’s Eye

Aniruddha Dhamorikar

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There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,

There is a rapture on the lonely shore,

There is society, where none intrudes,

By the deep sea, and music in its roar:

I love not man the less, but Nature more.

– George Gordon,

Lord Byron, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage

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ntroduction

I have been interested in nature since childhood. After getting hold of a camera, I started photographing landscapes and trees.

Slowly, I became interested in the smaller, intricate organisms such as butterflies, and was fortunate to own a digital point-and-shoot

camera. My curiosity started ever increasing as I could photograph more and more tiny flowers and insects, and also birds from far. My

camera goes wherever I go, and it has helped me observe far more than I would without a camera. Whether it is through photography or

videography, learning about nature through lens is more interesting now than ever.

Medway Creek is one of the tributaries of Thames River. It runs a course of 214 km, and drains just after running through the

Medway Heritage Forest – one of the few remaining wooded areas that hide the river from urbanization and agriculture. The Carolinian

forests dominate this riparian zone. These forests are rich in biodiversity, characterized primarily by deciduous, broad-leaf trees. It is

estimated that about 80% of Canada’s Carolinian forests has already been destroyed because of urbanization and intensive agriculture. The

remaining portions, mostly scattered and disconnected, continue to be threatened by human development. The threats are not only due to

direct human-impacts such as deforestation and water-pollution, but due to many anthropogenic activities such as accidental introduction

of invasive species that now dominate many parts of Medway Creek.

On September 7th 2009, I moved to London, Ontario to study at the University of Western Ontario. I lived across Medway Creek,

which opened an array of photographic experiences and an opportunity to study this tiny patch of Carolinian forest. As I move on, away

from this land I have barely known for six months, I regret for I did not explore it enough. I developed a fondness for this piece of land,

that I can't help but wonder if I will ever come back to visit this place. Wanderer’s Eye’s Medway Creek Reflections is looking back and

reflecting on experiences in the season of fall, winter and spring of 2009 and 2010. It is a collection of pictures and observations made on

nature walks at Medway Creek - a backyard, an escapade, a paradise lost amidst concrete forests.

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Fall

Fall is best known for the brilliant colours of the

trees. These colours are a result of shutting down of

photosynthesis, where the green chlorophyll disappears –

transforming the leaves into myriad shades from yellow to

red as they decay and ultimately fall.

I will discuss my observations over the months of October

and November, when I first discovered this little paradise.

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Maple trees along the bank of Medway Creek

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The weather was clear and bright, a mild

breeze swept within the trees, carrying the

leaves with it. The temperature was falling,

and not many animals were seen, except a

few birds and squirrels. I treaded along

Medway Creek watching Downy

Woodpeckers in search of food;

Mourning Doves perched atop a bare tree,

Black-capped Chickadees curiously flying

about me, and American Robins pulling

earthworms from the ground. A male

Northern Cardinal sat quietly across the

creek, who took to the wing as soon as I

pointed my camera at him.

A flock of European Starlings flew over

the creek and disappeared behind the

trees. Although the trees were undergoing

a colourful transformation, the grass was

still green and mushrooms took root over

rotting wood.

By evening, the light fell on the canopy,

setting it aglow, and it filtered its way

down – touching the water – relieving the

coolness. The sun bid farewell to this tiny

stretch of woodland, promising warmth

for another day before winter returned.

October 17th 2009

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The Carolinian habitat of Medway Creek

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Coprinus sp. | The Shaggy Ink-cap

It is a common mushroom seen in backyards. The

gills beneath the cap are white, then turn pink,

then turn black and secrete a black liquid filled

with spores – hence the name. It is considered

edible when young, provided it is consumed as

soon as it is collected.

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Harmonia axyridis | Multi-coloured Asian Ladybird Beetle

An invasive pest, it was first introduced in the USA in 1916 to control aphid populations. Since then it spread ever farther and reached Canada. It is

now abundant than any native ladybird beetles of Canada. Fall season sees a large invasion of these beetles as they swarm into homes to find suitable

places to hibernate during winter. In nature, these beetles hibernate in tree and rock crevices, but are accidentally attracted to high-rise buildings, in

particular those that are light in colour and look like rock-faced cliffs.

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A green patch along the creek, photographed in October

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A cold breeze swept across the street and

hushed the rustling leaves in the corner.

Fall neared its end, and the breeze cleared

the way for winter.

The landscape was dry for most part and I

walked on a thick blanket of golden

brown leaves, covering every inch of the

forest floor. The crumbling noise of the

dead leaves, sweet music of the creek, the

chirping of Chickadees and quacking of

the geese was very welcoming. I was

home.

With all the birds maintaining a safe

distance, I was amazed to see a moth

fluttering in a nearby thicket. How long

had it been since I saw a butterfly, or even

a moth, I wondered. As I treaded further,

looking up and down – trying to find

mushrooms and other hidden creatures, I

accidentally scared a few Eastern Gray

Squirrels basking in the autumn sun.

Although the woods were dry and empty

for most part, the banks of the creek were

teeming with tiny herbs and shrubs, some

even flowering – and as I sat down to take

photographs, suddenly a White-tailed

Deer appeared, followed by two fawns.

November 14th 2009

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A bare Maple tree

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Aster | Plants belonging to family Asteraceae are strong, and able to withstand cold temperatures. Hence it is not surprising to see them flower

in the season when most plants were drying out.

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Alsophila pometaria | Fall Cankerworm Moth

The cankerworms defoliate a variety of hardwood species such as oaks, maples, elms and ash. The adults emerge during fall until December.

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Zenaida macroura | Mourning Dove

It is one of the most widespread birds of North America. They almost exclusively feed on seeds; as was this one. It is considered to be a closely related

species of the extinct Passenger Pigeons. It is called a Mourning Dove because of its “cooing” call.

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Sciurus carolinensis

Eastern Gray Squirrel A common rodent of Medway Creek, it is seen

scurrying on parapets and on top of houses, on

pine trees and oaks. I spent a pleasant time

photographing these woodland creatures.

The binomial name, Sciurus is derived from two

Greek words, skia meaning shadow and oura

meaning tail. This name alludes to the squirrel

sitting in the shadow of its tail.

London, known as the Forest City, was said to be

teeming with squirrels a few decades ago, now

only a fraction of these wander along the suburbs

and remaining wooded areas.

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Odocoileus virginianus | White-tailed Deer

The commonest large mammal in Canada. They are timid, and if threatened – they stomp on the ground and flap their tails – to warn other deer of the

danger. London has a healthy population of White-tails, but I saw only a few at Medway Creek – a doe, two fawns and a buck in fall and early spring.

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Winter

While fall is the season of colours, winter looks best

in its white cloak. The days grow shorter and nights

longer. Life in the woods comes to a pause, or so it

seems. I will discuss my observations over the

months of January and February, when I set out to

discover how still life really is during winter months.

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Spring is yet far. The chirping of birds and

chuckling of squirrels has decreased, and the

silence of winter has prevailed. I walk the solemn

streets to school and back home. The snow has

consumed the landscape, so much that I hardly

ever see anything that is green. Then came a week

in January, of something unexplained but loved by

all called the January Thaw.

Exploring Medway Creek wasn’t new to me, but

surprisingly it was – very new, very different. After

walking around the creek, seeing no animals

around – I considered photographing dried plants

– it is an excellent subject to experiment

compositions and monochrome pictures.

January 17th 2010

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Old Mushrooms

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Snowstorm

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A fallen seed

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White-tailed Deer footprints on the creek

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The clouds unveiled a deep blue sky as the

temperatures rose above freezing. The sun

shone brightly, melting snow away. The

air felt warm for once. I went to explore

Medway Creek again, which always

amuses me. This tiny woodland is so

small, I thought I had explored most of its

winter avatar, but I was wrong.

On this warm winter day, I wandered into

the wilderness where I stumbled upon

little interesting things, such as this tiny

plant buried in snow. It either happens

because the plants, being darker, absorb

sunlight and thus warm up a little, leading

to snowmelt along its circumference.

Another explanation is that some bacteria

on the surface of plants serve as centers

for ice nucleation, while some harbor ice

minus bacteria that are protected from

being frozen over, leading to the

snowmelt.

There were many Stoneflies on the snow

as well – an indicator that the water

quality of Medway Creek is excellent.

February 21st 2010

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Photographed in February, compare with image on page 10

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Small Winter Stonefly – Female

Stoneflies are known to be excellent fish food; therefore seeing so many at Medway Creek was a good sign that there is food in the water. Their presence

is also, more importantly, a good indicator of the health of the ecosystem, indicating good oxygen rich waters.

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Noctua pronuba

Winter Cutworm caterpillar I did not expect to see a caterpillar in the dead of

the winter. I assumed it to be dead and

mummified by the cold. I took a few photographs

and continued on my walk. I visited the caterpillar

again, and was amazed to see it had vanished –

probably it became the supper of a Chickadee I

saw feeding around the area earlier. After looking

around a bit – I saw it three feet from where it

earlier was. It was alive and crawling on snow!

Cutworms are so called because they feed at the

base of the plants. Winter Cutworms can tolerate

cold temperatures. They are considered a serious

pest, thus a threat to the native biodiversity.

It is native to Europe, first found in Nova Scotia

in 1979, and thence spread to Ontario. The

caterpillar feeds on a range of plants such as

beets, cabbage, carrot, grapes and strawberries.

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Tetragnatha sp. | Long-jawed Orb Weaver

A spider in winter was my most cherished find. After a quick search on the internet, I came across many resources on a variety of spiders that are

active during winter. It is a Tetragnathid spider, commonly seen in all seasons at Medway Creek.

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Cepaea nemoralis | Brown-lipped Snail

A native of Europe, it was first found in North America in 1857. It has been a common sight in southern Ontario, being abundant in gardens and wild

habitats.

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Picoides pubescens | Downy Woodpecker, male

It is the smallest woodpecker of North America. They are restless, often seen fluttering from one tree trunk to another. They were seen feeding on

gall-insects and other hibernating bugs. These are amongst the few winter residents of Medway Creek.

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Spring

Spring defines rebirth and regeneration, as

seemingly dead plants sprout back to life,

hibernating animals leave their hibernacula to soak

up the sun, and the migrant birds return to their

homeland. I had many revelations about Medway

Creek in March and April than any other months.

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Winter

Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a

shoe full of slush, said Dough Larson, a columnist

in Wisconsin-based newspapers. After four

months of waiting and staring eagerly at the last

snowstorm, the weather changed its course within

a few days. The temperatures rose about 10C after

what seemed like an eternity and the snow started

to melt. This snowmelt gave Medway Creek a

fearsome flow; the water levels increased

dramatically – a makeover to the slow, clear water

than once flowed calmly beneath the ice. Spring is

here, but the trees are yet to reincarnate in shades

of green. However, the warmer weather did attract

some creatures I’d like to call the harbingers of

spring.

Spring is not only a climatic transformation, but

many biological changes take place. Life blooms.

The air is filled with songs of birds. American

Robins and Cedar Waxwings return from their

wintering grounds. Northern Cardinals and Song

Sparrows start to sing and Canada Geese and

Mallards prepare to nest.

March 20st 2010

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Medway Creek and the bare trees

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Goldenrod Gall

A variety of Dipterans, commonly called flies –

more specifically Midges and Gnats, lay eggs early

in the season on Goldenrod plants. These grubs

develop inside the stem, and create a bulbous

growth, which is called gall. The Goldenrod Galls

are very common throughout the creek.

These grubs, albeit their protective gall, fall prey

to Downy Woodpeckers and Black Capped

Chickadees, who have learnt how to drill a hole in

the gall and eat the grub. The one photographed

was probably consumed by a bird.

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Midge

If you look closer at the tiny fauna, the

commonest to be seen early in spring are the

midges. These very many flies are commonly seen

mating along the shoreline.

The adult Midges look similar to a mosquito, but

are not mosquitoes, nor belong to the same

Family. The photographed adult probably

metamorphosed from an aquatic larva or a gall-

making larva. These adults have a short lifespan,

since their only purpose is to mate and carry on

the progeny.

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Prenolepis sp.

False Honey Ant/ Winter Ant An interesting sight was that of an ant that barely

managed to walk on melting snow. It is a Queen

ant, having shed the wings, now searching for a

place to establish a colony.

It is the only ant to be seen scampering on the

forest floor early in spring in southern Ontario,

hence commonly called as Winter Ant. The

Queens and Drones hibernate underground

during winter months and awake as soon as

temperatures rise. I also happened to see a many

mating pairs a few days after this ant was

photographed.

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Tetragnatha sp. | Long-jawed Orb Weaver

These spiders are abundant all along the shoreline, building orb-webs on dried plants. They quickly swing to the nearest plant if threatened, as did this

one photographed on a dried inflorescence – now well camouflaged and hidden from prying eyes.

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Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis

Eastern Garter Snake Just as I walked through the thickets, something stirred

in the undergrowth. I saw a slender body slither in a

hurry – it’s a snake! I yelled to myself. The snake froze

for a moment – as did I – raised its head and looked at

me intensely. This was the first time I photographed a

snake in Canada.

Garter Snakes were high on my wish-list of Canadian

wildlife and early spring was the best season to observe

them as they leave their hibernacula with warming

climate. March is the season of reproduction, when the

early birds – males – bask in the sun in order to gear up

for chasing the first female that leaves the hibernacula.

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Branta canadensis | Canada Goose

Although Canada geese are resident throughout the year in London, I saw more and more returning to Medway Creek as soon as the snow melted.

This is one of a pair that stood patiently over an outcropped boulder in the creek.

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Melanerpes carolinus

Red-bellied Woodpecker A pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers came and settled

on a bare tree. The male chased the female, who flew

off, and then the former perched high on the tree and

began calling on top of its voice. They inhabit

deciduous Carolinian forests; hence seeing them is not

uncommon. They probably flew south for the winter –

and are now back again.

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Bombycilla cedrorum

Cedar Waxwing Cedar Waxwings are known for their nomadic,

irruptive behaviour. They are wanderers, constantly in

search of a new food source. These Medway Creek

visitors probably came from south, were seen feeding

on Stoneflies, and will probably go northwards still,

depending upon their will.

They were as curious of me as I was of them, and a few

even decided to come very close to me and stare with

their inquisitive eye.

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Tamias striatus | Eastern Chipmunk

Member of Sciuridae, the Squirrel family, Chipmunks in general build an extensive network of tunnels and chambers – preferring to stay close to the

ground, but are capable of climbing way up in the trees if frightened. There are several Chipmunks all along the creek, but observing them is difficult.

They are more commonly heard scampering through thickets, making joyful sounds as they play together.

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No more salty shores. No more snow blowing in

your eyes. No more slippery roads. The days are

longer and nights shorter. The air is warm and

humid. The winds of change have arrived. And

with these winds come all the residents of Medway

Creek. I spent quite sometime in the woods during

April, observing and studying as much as I could.

I was able to photograph most of what I saw, but

capturing the subtle scent of spring is impossible.

It is like metamorphosis, where after four months

of inactivity, life ecloses as plants start to bloom

and bees begin to buzz.

I am glad I managed to explore this avatar of the

creek before I left London. It has only been six

months since I discovered this little paradise

known only to a handful of people who jog

through the woods or walk their dogs.

I had some expectations on wildlife sightings from

this land, of which I did see a few. I also saw many

birds I wanted to see. I fulfilled my dream of

photographing the famous Garter Snakes of

North America. It was wonderful to see how the

biodiversity rose from a few sightings in winter to

several new ones a day during spring. This burst of

life is something I became engaged in, that I will

surely miss at Medway Creek – the first Canadian

wilderness I ever explored.

23th April 2010

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Sanguinaria canadensis | Bloodroot

It was the first flower-of-the-season I saw. It is commonly called Bloodroot since the root has a red coloured pigment that oozes out when the root is

crushed. Within a few weeks after photographing it, the flowers were shed and the seeds formed. It is one of the plants whose seeds are dispersed by

ants, a process called myrmecochory. The seeds have a fleshy part called an elaiosome that attracts ants. The ants take the seeds to their nest where

they eat the elaiosomes and forget the seeds, where they are protected until they germinate.

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Tussilage farfara | Clotsfoot

It is a perennial herbaceous plant, medicinally used as a cough suppressant. These flowers also appear early in spring and vanish within days. The leaves

appear later in the season.

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Equisetum sp.

Horsetail I first assumed it to be a parasitic plant, because it

lacked any leafy structures, and the inflorescence

seemed different than any green plants. It is in fact the

most curious looking plant. Although common in

moist woods, ditches and wetlands, the diversity of

Sphenophyta is very low, with only one genus

Equisetum, and fifteen species distributed worldwide.

These plants have changed little over time. It is the only

genus of plants that uses Silicon for cell-wall

strengthening.

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Viola sororia

Common Blue Violet Little violet flowers of Viola were spread across the

paths and deep in the woods. It is a perennial plant

native to eastern North America. It is the most

widespread of all Violets. The flowers and leaves are

edible – a good source of food in the woods!

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Formica podzolica | Formica Ant

These ants were seen in the open forest with a few boulders around. They were out investigating a crushed fellow worker and their alertness to

disturbance around the murder scene was apparent from my being too close to them. This species of Formica builds nests on ground, but explore tall

plants to tend to aphids.

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Andrena sp. | Miner Bee

These small bees burrow in the ground – creating multiple tunnel systems – hence the common name. It is an important ecological service provider

for the flora of the Creek, and this land provides an ideal habitat for it to mine, collect pollen and pollinate.

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Leaf-cutting Bee

This Bee decided to rest over the flower instead of collecting pollen. Leaf-cutting Bee is one of the largest genera of bees. They, like Miner Bees – to

whom they are closely related – also build underground nests or nest in natural cavities.

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Water Strider

Water Striders were one of the first few insects to be seen as soon as the creek melted and created little pools. It is a true bug in the family Gerridae that

is adapted to life on the surface of the water. They are predatory, feeding on other insects and tadpoles.

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Hoverfly

A little flower-visitor was seen resting on a dry plant on

a windy evening. It was a Hoverfly. By now many flies

– other than Midges – were out, such as this one. Their

time of eclosion is matched with the first flowers that

bloom in spring – not only because they need the

nectar to feed on, but the hidden agenda of Nature is,

in fact, to carry on the process of reproduction – as

these early flies (and bees) help plants pollinate, thereby

assuring the survival of plants for the next spring

season.

Hoverflies belong to family Syrphidae. The males are

territorial, and keep hovering over their accomplished

territories to impress the females. There were several

species of Hoverflies and Beeflies along the creek.

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Coccinella septempunctata | Seven-spotted Ladybug

It is the only Ladybird beetle I saw that was not Asian Ladybird beetle. It was accidentally introduced to North America from Europe.

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Cicindela sexguttata | Three-spotted Tiger Beetle

It is the early riser of the Tiger Beetles to greet the warming season. It is also the most common Tiger Beetle seen around the creek. They prefer a forest

path clear of leaf litter than a forest floor. This helps them run around chasing their prey easily. They were seen basking in the sun and feeding on ants.

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Malacosoma americanum | Eastern Tent Caterpillar

These social caterpillars belong to a moth in the genus Malacosama. They build conspicuous silk tents on host trees, hence the name. The caterpillars

hatch early in spring and build tents soon after they eclose. The position of the tent faces the early morning sun, so that the caterpillars can easily

regulate their body temperatures by basking.

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Millipede

One of the little fellows I met on the forest floor was a Millipede, as it hurried down a boulder amidst an ocean of leaves – a place that is the ideal

habitat for these organisms. It was probably basking in the open when I found it.

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Red Velvet Mite

I came across this little velvet mite along the forest path. They are common during spring, as they come out on the surface to hunt. Their brilliant red

colouration is due to high levels of carotene. The adults, being active hunters, are beneficial to the environment as they feed on insects that feed on

fungi. The nymphs are parasitic on other invertebrates as well as vertebrates.

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Wolf Spider

Wolf Spiders, of the family Lycosidae, were common all around the creek. They are quick, active hunters. They have evolved to hunt the forest floor,

with two large eyes that can see very well. In addition, there are four eyes in a row just below the two large eyes, and two more looking to left and right

of the head. Although small, they are efficient predators of the undergrowth.

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Tetragnatha sp.

I mentioned this spider twice already, once during fall and once in winter. Spring saw large Tetragnathids around the creek. They are probably different

species or the same in a different period of growth. The size of this spider was well over an inch, enabling to look at the eye pattern of this orb-weaver.

Spider eye-patterns are unique to each family, aiding in their identification up to family level.

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Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis

Eastern Garter Snake This little snake is Toby Garter. I followed Toby for

several hours one day, photographing and filming his

behaviour. It was quite entertaining and a great way to

observe the snake. During the time of filming, I and

Toby came across several other male snakes, which did

not care much about one another. But one snake

changed their behaviour – it was probably male,

mimicking female pheromones, or an actual female.

Their behaviour, as has been documented amongst

Garter Snakes, was erratic and quick, with jerky

movements and constant tongue flicking. Toby and the

other “rival” of his were racing to find the scented lady

snake. Their search however failed, and I saw Toby

disappear in the wood debris along the creek,

continuing his search.

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Turdus migratorius

American Robin There are some birds that have adapted to live in urban

areas as well as forests. This cosmopolitan bird is what

I’d call an ideal example of adaptation – which is not

very urbanized, like House Sparrows, neither restricted

to the woodlands.

American Robins were present until late fall, and

migrated with the onset of winter. They were the first

birds to dig earthworms after the rains. They are known

to come back to places that has a steady supply of food,

hence seeing them back at the creek in spring was a

sign that there is food for the adults and the chicks that

will hatch in early summer at Medway Creek.

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Molothrus ater

Brown-headed Cowbird A dull brown female and a dark, brown headed male

sat preening on a tree. There was a small noisy flock of

these birds visiting the creek. The females, instead of

building nests, put all their energy into producing eggs,

sometimes more than three dozen a summer. The eggs

are laid in nests of other birds, abandoning the young

to foster parents.

These New World blackbirds flock in thousands during

fall for migration, and return in spring. Presence of this

bird – although parasitic – shows how the delicate

equilibrium of populations is maintained. It proves that

it is not only the predator – prey relationship that ought

to be balanced to maintain an ecosystem, but

parasitism, commensalism and social behaviour plays

an equally important role.

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Zenaida macroura

Mourning Dove A lonely Mourning Dove sat patiently on a stormy

evening. I observed these birds to be very wary in

wooded areas, although they were easy to approach in

the suburbs. This interesting behaviour was probably

learnt early in their lives to respond to humans, since a

forest bird wild seldom encounter a human, whereas a

city bird will always encounter a human. What I wonder

is, will us humans as a species, with the “urban” habitat

that we have created affect the evolution of these birds

– in other words, will we lead a species to evolve into

different subspecies in the following millennia, as has

happened with some species that have evolved into

different subspecies because of different habitats.

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Colaptes auratus

Northern Flicker/Yellow-shafted Flicker On one of the walks, I came across a male Flicker.

Thence I often saw this male and a female around the

creek. The most interesting behaviour of this

woodpecker is called anting, for which they use the acid

from the ants to assist in preening. It also keeps them

free of parasites.

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Anas platyrhynchos | Mallard Duck – Drake

Photographing Mallard Ducks at Medway Creek seemed impossible, since they are very wary of humans. I finally managed to photograph this drake

while he was preening himself in the evening sun. Duck Banding is carried out to keep records of the birds all across North America.

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Cathartes aura

Turkey Vulture The birds that soar high in the sky, apart from Red-

tailed Hawks, are Turkey Vultures. I last saw them in

fall, then they disappeared in winter, and were back

again in spring. Vultures are also indicators of the

health of a habitat; however these vultures seem to

hover more commonly over highways than over

forests. The reason is roadkills. The vultures have learnt

that they are bound to find food near highways than in

forests. This questions the fact that if vultures indicate

health of the ecosystem (which they certainly do in

remote parts of the world), can they be used as

indicators to monitor roadkills occurring on certain

highways? There are many factors to be considered, but

they sure are a sign that something died on the highway

near Medway Creek.

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These are but the fraction of sightings that I could photograph. I

missed many, and many I did not see at all. What I did see was

the diversity a little ecosystem without corridors holds. Medway

Valley Heritage Forest might be another little park in a big city,

but it’s not the size of the parks that really matters. It is the

number of the people that visit the parks. It is a

gateway for many people young and old to

discover a new hobby, to realize the nature’s

bounty, which is not to be taken, but shared

in the form of art, music, love, education and

awareness. These little parks hold the key to

sensitize people on how important the wilderness

is to us humans as it is to the animals. Let’s not live

in ignorance of our four walls, let’s break the chains

that lock your minds and explore. See. Observe. And

you will realize that we must do something for nature as

we do for our community, just as a bee that provides food

for the grubs also pollinates the plants at the

same time, or a spider that predates on

a pest. Let’s conserve our heritage

forests. Let’s protect ourselves by protecting the

wilderness.

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Appendix | Medway Creek Forest Area map, courtesy of Google Maps

The map shows the extent of Medway Creek forest, to the east is the University of Western Ontario. More than half of the forested area

is the Medway Valley Heritage Forest, maintained by the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority.

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eferences

Canadian Arachnology (2010). Retrieved February 27, 2010, from The Neartic Spiders Database: http://www.canadianarachnology.org/data/canada_spiders/

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