Flora survey in Gatineau & macro photos of beetles

Yesterday I was at Gatineau Park helping out with the joint lab flora/fauna survey.  The survey is slowly coming to an end as the canopy closes over, the spring ephemerals start to set seed, and the pollinators complete their nesting stage.

In addition to some remaining trilliums, I found this delicate-looking White Baneberry a.k.a. Doll's eyes (Actaea pachypoda).

My main job of the day was putting ant-exclusion bags over senescencing trillium flowers to prevent ants from taking the seeds.  Here is an ant inside a trillium flower - either drinking nectar or checking out if the seeds are there yet.

While I was leaving the park, I found another borer that I saw at Mud Lake yesterday.  

Flatheaded Poplar Borer (Dicerca tenebrica)

So cool-looking!

Then today, I found a dead scarab beetle covered by ants outside my place.  I took the beetle inside so I can take some photos with it (and also to pin it).

Parastasia brevipes

Just doing things to pass this waiting period before my field season begins next week.