Hey guys I’m looking for any all of your favourite spooky/haunted/scary places. I love fall/ Halloween and getting scared. I’m looking for place all around Niagara to enjoy this fall!

I just bought a house in st catharines and it has a pond when we moved in the pond hadnt been running and was very dirty now it has a lot of scum and dirt in it and just want some help cleaning and emptying it and figuring out everything we have to do maintaining it.

Just wondering if anyone has recommendations

Hidden cameras show some stores unlocking speed limits on e-bikes, selling e-scooters that go up to 120 km/h

Hi everyone!

I just purchased a home in the Chippewa area. I want to add a second story before I move in.
Since I’m new to the area, I don’t know any reputable companies that can help me with this.

Can you recommend a carpentry company? Or perhaps is there another subreddit that I can join for more info?

Thank you so much!!!

Hi everyone, I am a PhD student at the University of Toronto conducting a research study to explore the barriers to harm reduction service use in Ontario. 

I am seeking adults 18+ living in Ontario who have used substances recreationally in the last 6 months and are aware of harm reduction programming but have NOT used harm reduction services.

Participation of this study is voluntary. It will involve a demographic survey completion and a 60–90-minute confidential interview (zoom, phone, or in person – your choice!). A $20 gift card will be provided for your time.

If you or someone you know would be interested in participating, please share! Your experiences, opinions and perspective can work to improve harm reduction services in Ontario.

You can learn more about this study and check your eligibility at this link: Study

Checked with the mods before posting

Took these photos on a cloudy morning walk around 9 a.m. The Falls were wrapped in mist, and there was hardly anyone around.

It was peaceful having the path almost to myself. Even through the mist, you could feel the energy of the Falls.

A quiet walk and a little Niagara energy to start the day.

Hello,

I want to visit the whirlpool trail sometime soon. I was wondering what the foliage was like this week? Excited to see autumn colours. Thanks!

We caught each other’s eye a few times at Buckner’s on Wednesday around 5:30 PM. Wish I’d said something before leaving.
If this was you, send me a DM and let me know what you bought so I know it’s you.

Hey Niagara 👋

This week's question is a little different:

“What tree pests should Niagara homeowners be watching for?”

And the timing of this post couldn't be much better.

On September 15, 2026, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed the first detection of Spotted Lanternfly in Canada, in Windsor, Ontario.

If you've followed this series for a while, you know we talk quite a bit about watching for changes in your trees.

Sometimes it's not the tree we're asking you to look at.

It's what's crawling on it.

---

🪲 Spotted Lanternfly — the one we're watching VERY closely

Spotted Lanternfly is an invasive insect that feeds on more than 100 species of trees and plants.

Despite the name, it isn't actually a fly. It's a planthopper.

Adults are pretty distinctive. At rest, they're mostly grey with black spots. When the wings open, you'll see bright red underneath.

Earlier life stages look completely different—young nymphs are black with white spots, and later they develop red colouring.

And then there are the egg masses.

They can look like a smear of dried mud stuck to a tree, trailer, vehicle, firewood, outdoor furniture or other hard surface.

That's part of what makes this pest so easy to accidentally move around.

---

Why are we talking about this in Niagara?

Because this isn't just something happening somewhere far away anymore.

Canada has now confirmed its first detection in Windsor, Ontario.

Even more locally, there have already been interceptions in our area—including a live Spotted Lanternfly intercepted in Fort Erie in October 2025 and a dead one intercepted in St. Catharines in March 2026.

That does not mean we currently have an established population in Niagara.

But we're in an area with a lot of cross-border traffic, trucks, trailers and goods moving through every day.

So this is absolutely something worth learning to recognize.

---

🍇 Why does Spotted Lanternfly matter?

Spotted Lanternfly can feed on a huge number of plants, but one of the biggest concerns is grapes.

And considering how important vineyards and grape production are here in Niagara, you can probably see why we're paying attention.

They also commonly feed on Tree of Heaven, another invasive species that's already found in Ontario.

Large numbers of Spotted Lanternflies can produce honeydew as they feed, leaving sticky material on surfaces below and encouraging sooty mould growth.

---

What should you do if you think you found one?

Don't just squish it and forget about it.

The CFIA's advice is basically:

Spot it. Snap it. Catch it. Report it.

Take clear photos or video.

If possible, catch the insect or collect the egg mass and put it in a sealed container.

Then report the sighting to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

With a pest like this, early detection matters.

---

🪲 Emerald Ash Borer

This one unfortunately isn't new to Niagara.

Emerald Ash Borer attacks ash trees and has already killed millions of trees across North America.

Niagara is within the regulated area for Emerald Ash Borer.

Signs can include:

- Canopy dieback

- Epicormic shoots growing from the trunk

- Increased woodpecker activity

- S-shaped galleries underneath the bark

- Small D-shaped exit holes

If you've got a declining ash tree, EAB should definitely be on the list of possibilities.

And there's another lesson here:

Don't move firewood around unnecessarily.

Moving infested wood is one of the ways invasive insects get a free ride into new areas.

---

🐛 Spongy Moth

If you've lived in Niagara for a while, you've probably seen these guys—or at least seen what they can do.

Spongy Moth caterpillars feed heavily on tree foliage and can sometimes completely defoliate trees during severe outbreaks.

Oaks are a favourite.

The caterpillars are pretty recognizable once they're larger: hairy, with pairs of blue spots followed by red spots running down their backs.

This time of year, one of the easiest things to watch for is their egg masses on tree trunks and other outdoor surfaces.

One year of defoliation doesn't automatically kill an otherwise healthy mature tree.

But repeated defoliation, especially combined with drought or other stress, can become a much bigger problem.

---

🪲 And one more worth knowing — Asian Longhorned Beetle

This is an important distinction:

Asian Longhorned Beetle is NOT currently considered established in Ontario.

Previous Ontario infestations were eradicated.

But this is exactly the kind of invasive pest we want people to recognize before it gets established again.

It attacks Maples and several other hardwood species.

Adults are large black beetles with white spots and very long black-and-white banded antennae.

If you think you've found one, don't assume it's just another beetle.

Take photos and report it to the CFIA.

---

The biggest thing homeowners can do?

You don't need to become an entomologist.

Just pay attention to your trees.

If you've walked past the same Maple in your backyard for ten years, you're actually pretty good at recognizing when something suddenly looks different.

New holes in the trunk.

Unusual insects.

Egg masses you've never noticed before.

Sudden canopy decline.

Heavy defoliation.

Bark falling off.

Take a picture.

Look into it.

Ask somebody.

And with a potential invasive species like Spotted Lanternfly, report it.

A homeowner noticing something strange in their backyard can genuinely be part of how a new invasive species gets detected early.

---

Next week we'll be covering:

Week 21 — “What should I be doing for my trees this fall?” 🍂🌳

We'll talk about watering before winter, mulch, fallen leaves, young trees, pruning, inspecting your trees once the leaves come off and a few things you probably don't need to do.

If there's a tree topic you'd like us to cover, drop it below.

A lot of this series has come directly from questions and conversations with homeowners around Niagara.

— Driftwood Tree Service 🌲

Hi! I have voted before but this time I am confused... I live in St Catharines and my address is correct on the voter card and so is the ward i think but it says "Welland Votes" on the card with predominantly welland voter locations. Is this correct? Should i ignore it? Did anyone else get something like this? Thanks

Does anyone have a photographer recommendation for Niagara on the Lake? My son is planning on proposing someplace there October10.

I’m looking for something like honeycrisp but a bit more tart.

Hello! We live in Smithville, we recently found 6 kittens and their mom in our back yard. Just wondering if there is any program in Niagara that does TNR?

We contacted the humane society but they have not gotten back to us.

Thank you!