2022 August 20

   Jeremy Tatm writes:  The young hawk moth caterpillar shown on August 15 is now in its next instar:

Smerinthis ophthalmica (Lep.: Sphingidae)  Jeremy Tatum

The exuviae (cast skins) of dragonfly nymphs can often be found clinging to vegetation at the edge of a pond.  Viewers are asked to look out for these, and to save any that they find.  It would be particularly interesting to look around the edge of McIntyre reservoir, where Black Saddlebags are so common, though I don’t know how you’d get down to the edge without disturbing shorebirds, etc.   There are other places, though, where Saddlebags are being seen.  Definite proof of breeding of the Black Saddlebags in British Columbia is still lacking.  Finding exuviae of a nymph would surely be proof.

Jochen Möhr sends photographs of three moths from Metchosin this morning:

Xestia xanthographa (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Cosmia praeacuta (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Udea profondalis (Lep.: Crambidae)  Jochen Möhr

2022 August 19

    Cheryl Hoyle sends two photographs from View Royal, August 18.  Thanks to Libby Avis for identifying the moth as a recent introduction from Europe.

Mesapamea secalis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Cheryl Hoyle

Male Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae)  Cheryl Hoyle

Jochen Möhr sends a photograph of Pero sp. from Metchosin this morning.   This is a difficult genus, but at present it seems most closely to resemble P. mizon.

Pero mizon (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Rosemay Jorna sends photographs of a Pacific Spiketail  from Sooke Potholes Regional Park today.  It will be noticed that this one has blue eyes, whereas Ron Flower’s one, shown on August 15, had brown eyes.  We think that the blue-eyed one is a male, and the brown-eyed one is a female.

Pacific Spiketail Cordulegaster dorsalis (Odo.: Cordulegastridae)  Rosemary Jorna

Pacific Spiketail Cordulegaster dorsalis (Odo.: Cordulegastridae)

 Rosemary Jorna

Pacific Spiketail Cordulegaster dorsalis (Odo.: Cordulegastridae)  Rosemary Jorna

Jeremy Tatum reports that he saw a Western Tiger Swallowtail along Royal Oak Drive today.

Can other viewers pass this date, please?

2022 August 18  evening

     A plea from Jeremy Tatum:  Please, if you spot a mistake of any sort in any of the Invert Alert postings, please do not be shy about letting me know.  I just discovered a mistake (now corrected) in my spelling of the scientific name of the Pine White – I’m sure someone must have noticed!

    We are approaching the end of the butterfly season, though not quite there yet.  Swallowtails are beginning to become scarce, so it is worthwhile reporting any of these so that we can document the last dates.   There will still be Lorquin’s Admirals, Pine Whites, Cabbage Whites, Woodland Skippers around, and we may see a few late-season butterflies such as Red Admirals and Orange Sulphurs.  So keep reporting all butterfly sightings.

   Jeff Gaskin writes:  I saw a rather late Western Tiger Swallowtail this morning, August 18, just behind Tillicum Mall.  Lorquin’s Admirals are also still around as one was there and another in a backyard in the Burnside/Gorge neighbourhood.

2022 August 18 morning

    Aziza Cooper photographed this moth at Haynes Park, Oak Bay, on August 16.  Unfortunately we have not  been able to identify it with certainty, and it may have to remain unidentified.  A  good possibility suggested by Libby Avis is one of two species of Mniotype.  These species are variable, and are devoid of very obvious features by which they can be readily identified.  Aziza’s moth, too, is devoid of very obvious features – but that is not quite enough!

Possibly Mniotype sp. (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Aziza Cooper

   Jochen Möhr Sends photographs of three moths from his home in Metchosin.  Thanks to Libby Avis for identifying the first, and for confirming the other two.

Great Brocade Eurois occulta (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Xestia xanthographa (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr

Campaea perlata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

2022 August 17 evening

    Aziza Cooper sends photographs of a skipper nectaring on Gumweed from Clover Point, and a dragonfly from McIntyre reservoir, August 17.

Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Aziza Cooper

Western Pondhawk (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Aziza Cooper