2022 June 29

    Jeremy Tatum writes:  This moth flew into my Saanich apartment (right opposite that Bank of Montreal!) this morning, and it perched on my leg.  It is rather worn but still just recognizable, I think, as Apamea amputatrix:

Apamea amputatrix (Lep.: Noctuidae)   Jeremy Tatum

   By contrast, the next moth is pristine fresh, just out of its pupa.  It is the third and last of the three Coryphista meadii that I managed to rear successfully from eggs this year.

Coryphista meadii (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

2022 June 28

   Rosemary shows a sexton beetle with hanger-on mites from the Kemp Lake area, June 26

Nicrophorus defodiens (Col.: Silphidae)

with probably Poicilochirus sp. (Mesostigmata: Parasitidae)

Rosemary Jorna

     Jeremy Tatum shows two photographs of a Large Yellow Underwing.  They may be compared with another individual of this variable species shown on June 21.  In the second of today’s photographs of the moth we catch a small glimpse of the yellow hindwings.

Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

   Steven Roias reports that a Polyphemus Moth  emerged today from the second of two cocoons that he has been watching through the winter.   The first one (see June 26) was a girl; today’s was a boy.  The boys have huge bipectinate antennae.

2022 June 27

    Devon Parker reports some butterflies from the 410 m (1345 ft) summit of Mount McDonald in Langford, June 24:

One Grey Hairstreak (hill-topping)

One Propertius Duskywing

One Western Spring Azure (male)

One Western Spring Azure (female)

and a Propertius Duskywing nectaring on Triteleia hyacinthina at 350 m (1148 ft) on the east slope.

Grey Hairstreak Strymon melinus (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Devon Parker

Propertius Duskywing Erynnis propertius (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Devon Parker

Jeremy Tatum sends a photograph of a moth reared from an egg found on Mahonia on Mount Tolmie, May 29:

Coryphista meadii (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

  Compare this moth with a different colour variety of the same species shown on June 23.  Compare it also with Triphosa haesitata shown on June 5.

   Jeff Gaskin writes:  I went out in the stifling heat yesterday afternoon, June 26, to Ten Mile Point.  I did find a few butterflies, among them a Red Admiral along Arbutus Road in a batch of Armenian Blackberry flowers.  Also at this location was a Pale Tiger Swallowtail. Another Pale Tiger Swallowtail was further along Arbutus Road, and still another was on Sea View Road,  where I also saw a Western Tiger Swallowtail.  Oddly enough I didn’t see either Cabbage White or Lorquin’s Admiral on the Point.  Another Western Tiger Swallowtail was along Cadboro Bay Road near Sinclair Road, and another Pale Tiger Swallowtail was on Haro Road.  A Lorquin’s Admiral was at my mother’s house on Wascana Street in the Gorge neighbourhood.

2022 June 26 afternoon

    Jeremy Tatum writes:  This morning I saw my first Lorquin’s Admiral of the year, at Rithet’s Bog.   And this afternoon at 4:00 pm there were several Lorquin’s Admirals and Anise, Western Tiger and Pale Tiger Swallowtails flying around the Philadelphus  bush at the entrance to the Mount Tolmie reservoir.

Gordon Hart writes:  I went up Knockan Hill yesterday (June 25) and I actually saw a few butterflies: four Lorquin’s Admirals, a Western Spring Azure, four Western Tiger Swallowtails, and one Pale Tiger Swallowtail.  Later, I went to Fort Rodd Hill, and saw no butterflies at all. I think they will have more later in the season.  I don’t have any more butterfly photos, but I am enclosing a fly from Knockan Hill.

Jeremy Tatum responds:  I don’t know the exact species of fly – a specialist should be able to tell from Gordon’s photograph – but I believe it is a bombyliid of the genus Anthrax.

Anthrax sp. (Dip.: Bombyliidae)   Gordon Hart

Take a look at this spectacular video by Rosemary Jorna of a caterpillar of a Ceanothus Silk Moth Hyalophora euryalus eating Hardhack:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uz5mpvd7uq9uq2d/P6263169.mov?dl=0

2022 June 26 morning

    Gordon Hart sends a picture of a spider and a beetle.  Thanks to Thomas Barbin for identifying the spider as a male Misumena vatia – somewhat different from the familiar female!  There’s not much to go on for the beetle, but Scott Gilmore says he’ll have to “guess a little” and suggests Bruchidius villosus.

Male Misumena vatia (Ara.: Thomisidae) and possibly Bruchidius villosus (Col.: Chrysomelidae)

Gordon Hart

While fetching fresh Hardhack to feed her now ravenous Ceanothus Silk Moths, Rosemary found this noctuid caterpillar:

Aseptis binotata (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Mike Yip sends photographs of dragonflies seen in his Nanoose garden.   Thanks to Dr Rob Cannings for identifying them for us.

Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor (Odo.: Aeshnidae)  Mike Yip

Common Green Darner Anax junius (Odo.: Aeshnidae)  Mike Yip

Common Whitetail Plathemis lydia (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Mike Yip

Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Mike Yip

Steven Roias has been watching two Polyphemus cocoons since last year, and he writes:  This morning, one of the two pupae hatched – a beautiful boy! We released him tonight in the backyard and watched him fly away. Now the great anticipation for the second pupa.