YELLOWKNIFE - Many Yellowknifers may not be aware of the many bugs and foliage along the city's trails and in its parks.

Mike Fournier works for Environment Canada and in his spare time teaches those interested about Yk's unique flora and fauna.

Aryn Franklin, summer student with the wildlife division of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, holds one of the many butterflies that can be spotted around Yellowknife in the summer. - Cara Loverock/ NNSL photo

Fournier said Yellowknifers are lucky to have the array of wildlife that abounds in the city, unlike most southern locations.

"There's some absolutely amazing things ... I don't know if there's another city in Canada that has loons nesting within a five minute walk of downtown. That's pretty unusual," he said.

As far as plants go, orchids are a popular wildflower that are often dug up and brought home to gardens, according to Fournier.

"A sparrow's egg ladyslipper is one of the bigger, more beautiful orchids that we have here," said Fournier.

The fairy slipper or calypso orchid is also a Northern gem, but not easily spotted. "They're very difficult to find. You almost have to stumble across them if you're out in the forest or along the roadside," he said.

As far as bugs are concerned it has been hard to miss the black bugs gathering in swarms recently, especially for those camping or fishing. Although they're bothersome, they don't bite, said Fournier.

"A midge is kind of like a mosquito," he said. "That's what you'll see a lot of the birds feeding on right now."

Other bugs out and about are water beetles.

"The big, pernicious water beetles, if you pick one up and hold them in your hand they will sting you," said Fournier. "Some of the water bugs will sting."

Fournier warned against screaming and flailing - a common response - in reaction to water spiders, and spiders in general.

"You're probably better to scream and back off rather than swat," he said.

As far as desirable bugs, June is the peak month for butterfly spotting.

"There's probably easily 10 or 12 species of butterflies that are flying around right now," said Fournier, adding there are roughly 52 species in Yellowknife in total.

Dragonflies are also emerging at this time. Although people often have the misconception that they bite, Fournier said they will not harm people. "They're often so big and so kind of nasty looking," said Fournier. "I think they're beautiful personally, but some people think they're nasty looking."

He said they are beneficial to the ecosystem as they eat more pesky bugs like mosquitoes and black flies. "Don't kill them if you can help it," he said.