2022 September 23 morning

Here are several  recent insect photographs from Ian Cooper, together with a repeat of a photograph from August 25 for comparison.   First, the Drone Fly Eristalis tenax.  Note the black hourglass shape.

Eristalis tenax (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Ian Cooper

Next, for comparison, a repeat of Ian’s August 25 photograph of a male Eristalis arbustorum.  The two eyes of the male touch each other.

Male Eristalis arbustorum (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Ian Cooper

Now a photograph taken yesterday of a female of the same species.  The female’s eyes do not quite touch, and the pattern is different.

Female Eristalis arbustorum (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Ian Cooper

Now three photographs, from different angles, of a very different-appearing Eristalis – Eristalis flavipes.  “Flavipes” means yellow feet”, as you will see in the second and third photographs.

Eristalis flavipes (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Ian Cooper

Eristalis flavipes (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Ian Cooper

Eristalis flavipes (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Ian Cooper

Lastly from Ian, two more syrphids, a grasshopper and a moth:

Helophilus sp.  (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Ian Cooper

Syritta pipiens  (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Ian Cooper

Melanoplus sp.  (Orth.: Acrididae)  Ian Cooper

Udea profondalis (Lep.: Crambidae)  Ian Cooper

Lynda Dowling sent the caterpillar photograph below to Gordon Hart, who forwarded it to Invert Alert:

Eyed Hawk Moth Smerinthus ophthalmica (Lep.: Sphingidae)

Lynda Dowling

Jochen Möhr sends a photograph of a moth from Metchosin last night:

Xanthorhoe defensaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

2022 September 22

    The Declination of the Sun was 0 degrees at 3h 06h 04m pm PDT today.  Farewell to Summer.  Welcome to Fall.

 Jeff Gaskin writes:

  Today, Sept. 22, I found a Lorquin’s Admiral in very fresh condition along Markham Road south of Quick’s Bottom or just near the very broad pathway to Layritz Park. It was being very territorial so you may if you want to see it go there.

  Also, I found a Striped Meadowhawk at the Horticultural Centre, but nothing much there by way of butterflies except five Cabbage Whites. Then, as I was walking down Wilkinson Road north of Lindsay Street, I found a dead Striped Meadowhawk still in good condition. Pretty good find I thought considering I’ve never seen Striped Meadowhawks before.

2022 September 21 evening

    Marie O’Shaughnessy and two companions saw 2 Striped Meadowhawks,  1 Blue-eyed Darner, 1 Common Green Darner,  and a Mourning Cloak butterfly in Uplands Park at noon, September 21.

Striped Meadowhawk Sympetrum pallipes (Odo.: Libellulidae)

Mike Yip photographed a pair of dragonflies in cop. at Nanoose,  September 19:

Striped Meadowhawk Sympetrum pallipes (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Mike Yip

Striped Meadowhawk Sympetrum pallipes (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Mike Yip

Mike also photographed this tachinid fly.  Although it resembles Tachina algens, and may indeed be that species, we are grateful to Dr Rob Cannings, who went to the trouble of examining similar specimens of Tachina sp in the RBCM, and he concluded that it is not safe to identify the species with certainty, and it is best to leave it at genus level.

Tachina sp. (possibly algens) (Dip.: Tachinidae)  Mike Yip

Ian Cooper sends a photograph of a damsel bug  photographed before dawn, September 18 , at View Royal by the Galloping Goose trail.

Nabis (possibly roseipennis) (Hem.:  Nabidae)  Ian Cooper

Val George writes:  This afternoon, September 21, I went to McIntyre Reservoir to check out the Orange Sulphurs that have been seen there recently. I saw three and maybe two more – the additional two may have been the ones I’d seen earlier.

Orange Sulphur Colias eurytheme (Lep.: Pieridae)  Val George

2022 September 21 morning

   Aziza Cooper writes:  On September 20, one fresh Red Admiral and one Pine White were at Aylard Farm in East Sooke Park. The Red Admiral landed on my pant leg. 

Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Aziza Cooper

Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Aziza Cooper

   Mike Yip sends a photograph of a pair of damselflies from Nanoose.

Tule Bluet Enallagma carunculatum (Lep.: Coenagrionidae)  Mike Yip

   Marie O’Shaughnessy photographed this Yellow Woolly Bear at McIntyre reservoir yesterday afternoon.

Yellow Woolly Bear Spilosoma virginica (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae) 

Marie O’Shaughnessy

2022 September 20

    Colias Alert!  Kirsten Mills saw four Orange Sulphurs at McIntyre  Reservoir today.  Below  are two photographs.  Kirsten also saw a Lorquin’s Admiral at Sayward Road, as well as the following dragonflies at McIntyre Reservoir: 3 Blue-eyed Darners,  1 Paddle-tailed Darner,  1 Common Green Darner, and 1 Black Saddlebags.

Orange Sulphur Colias eurytheme (Lep.: PIeridae)  Kirsten Mills

Orange Sulphur Colias eurytheme (Lep.: PIeridae)  Kirsten Mills

   Jeff Gaskin saw, at the north end of the Blenkinsop Lake bridge:  1 White-faced Meadowhawk,  4+ Blue-eyed Darners,  1 Blue Dasher,  and 1 Eight-spotted Skimmer.

  Here are more arthropods photographed by Ian Cooper at the same place as his Udea:

Helophilus sp. (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Ian Cooper

Honey Bee Apis mellifera (Hym.: Apidae)  Ian Cooper

Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae) Ian Cooper

Syrphus sp. (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Ian Cooper

Uncertain but possibly Myathropa florea (Dip.: Syrphidae)