2022 June 18 morning

 June Butterfly Count

Message from Gordon Hart

Hello, Butterfly Counters,

The June count period starts Saturday June 18 and runs until Sunday June 26. The April and May counts were down in numbers of butterflies compared with previous years, and June will probably continue this trend.

This is an informal census of butterfly numbers and species in Greater Victoria. The area is defined by the Christmas Bird Count circle, extending from Victoria to Brentwood Bay and Island View Road in Central Saanich, and west to Happy Valley and Triangle Mountain, and Langford Lake and Goldstream areas. 

You can submit a count any time over the count period, just use a separate form for each count and location. In the case of repeat or duplicate counts, I will use the higher numbers. To submit counts, please use the form on the VNHS website at: https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?p=33

If you have difficulty with the form, please send me an email with the information.

Thank-you for submitting your sightings and good luck with your count.

Gordon Hart,

Butterfly Count Coordinator,

Victoria Natural History Society

    Jochen Möhr sends a photograph of the double cocoon formed by the caterpillar of Malacosoma.  We have two species of Malacosoma – this one is probably M. californicum.

Malacosoma (probably californicum)  (Lep.: Lasiocampidae)   Jochen Möhr

   Rosemary Jorna has seven caterpillars from the ova laid by a Ceanothus Silk Moth (see May 6 and May 27 entries).  Originally feeding on Thimbleberry, they readily transferred to Hardhack, on which they are now being reared.  Here are two of the caterpillars now.

Ceanothus Silk Moth Hyalophorus euryalus (Lep.: Saturniidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Ceanothus Silk Moth Hyalophorus euryalus (Lep.: Saturniidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Ceanothus Silk Moth Hyalophorus euryalus (Lep.: Saturniidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Ceanothus Silk Moth Hyalophorus euryalus (Lep.: Saturniidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Ceanothus Silk Moth Hyalophorus euryalus (Lep.: Saturniidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Ceanothus Silk Moth Hyalophorus euryalus (Lep.: Saturniidae)  Rosemary Jorna

2022 June 17

    Aziza Cooper found this caterpillar on Fennel in her yard in Saanich.  Alas, it’s not an Anise Swallowtail butterfly – it’s a Silver-spotted Tiger Moth whose presence on the Fennel is purely incidental – its normal food is Douglas Fir.

Lophocampa argentata (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Aziza Cooper

   Jeremy Tatum shows a caterpillar of Zotheca tranquilla found on Sambucus at Blenkinsop Lake, June 17.

Zotheca tranquilla (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

   Also at Blenkinsop Lake today, writes Jeremy Tatum, I saw (but was unfortunately not able to photograph) a beautifully pristine Hydrelia albifera (Geometridae) resting, with perfect wings fully spread, on a leaf of Cornus stolonifera, the larval foodplant.

2022 June 15

   Rosemary Jorna showed pictures of a Ceanothus Silk Moth laying an egg on May 6, and a first instar caterpillar on May 27.  Now she writes:  I caught my Ceanothus Silk Moth “undressing”.  In slightly more technical language, that would be “undergoing ecdysis”.  The caterpillar shown below is fourth instar.  The head is down, near the bottom of the photograph.  Near the top of the photograph we see the last two segments of the caterpillar pulling away from the yellowish mass above it.  This yellowish mass is the shed skin of the previous (third) instar.

Hyalophora euryalus (Lep.: Saturniidae)   Rosemary Jorna

2022 June 14

    Jochen Möhr sends photographs of two bumble bees from Metchosin, June 12.   Thanks to Steven Roias for identifying them for us.

Bombus melanopygus (Hym.: Apidae)  Jochen Möhr

Bombus sitkensis (Hym.: Apidae)  Jochen Möhr

   Jeff Gaskin writes:  Butterflies at Viaduct Flats this morning, June 14, included a Propertius Duskywing and at least four Ringlets.  Western Spring Azures are still around – I found a few of them at Quick’s Bottom today as well.

2022 June 12

    Jeff Gaskin writes:  June 11, on Christmas Hill one Anise Swallowtail at the summit and a Pale Tiger Swallowtail on my way down towards Rainbow Avenue.

   Barb McGrenere writes from the Cadboro Bay area:   This Cedar Hairstreak was feeding on June 11 on the flowers of our highbush cranberry. 

Cedar Hairstreak Incisalia rosneri (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Barb and Mike McGrenere

[Note: This butterfly may be found in the literature under many different names – English, genus and species.  It impractical to keep up with an ever-changing and extensive synonymy on this site.  For consistency we stick with one name throughout the site.]

   The scarcity of butterflies and moths this spring is tempting Jochen Möhr to try for other creatures.  He recorded this fly at Metchosin today:

Syritta pipiens (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Jochen Möhr

   Moths are not entirely absent, however, and John and Christine McClarnon found this large – if somewhat less than pristine –  giant silk moth in the Hazlitt Creek area.

Hyalophora euryalus (Lep.: Saturniidae) John and Christine McClarnon