2022 May 26 morning

    Gordon Hart sends photographs of caterpillars of the Sheep Moth Hemileuca eglanterina from Snowberry in Uplands Park, May 24.  In the second photograph you can see the cast skins (exuviae) of the previous instar.

Sheep Moth Hemileuca eglanterina (Lep.: Saturniidae)  Gordon Hart

Sheep Moth Hemileuca eglanterina (Lep.: Saturniidae)  Gordon Hart

   I have noticed (writes Jeremy Tatum) that some recent authors (not Gordon!) have taken to calling this moth the “Elegant” Sheep Moth.  This is strongly to be discouraged – it shows ignorance of etymology rather than knowledge of entomology.  The species name eglanterina is derived from one of the larval foodplants, the sweetbrier (sometimes spelled briar) rose Rosa eglanteria, and has nothing whatever to do with “elegant”.  The exact etymological origin of eglanteria is somewhat uncertain , but it  is believed to mean “spiny” or “sharp” – the sweetbrier has quite large spines.

These caterpillars are fairly conspicuous at this time of year, so viewers are reminded that they should not be handled.  They have poisonous spines of their own, and can give you quite a rash.

Jeremy Tatum writes: I happened to notice the egg shown below at Munn Road yesterday – it was hard to miss.  Any moth-er will instantly know what it is.  From its shape and form it is a geometrid ovum, and it is fairly large – so we have a large geometrid moth.  The leaves have spines, and will be recognized as Mahonia.  A large geometrid moth whose larval foodplant is Mahonia could scarcely be anything other than Coryphista meadii.

Coryphista meadii (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

2022 May 25

    Val George writes:  Monday, May 23, I did my official May butterfly count for Mount Douglas and the surrounding area. Result: 7 Cabbage White, 4 Sara Orangetip (photo of a female attached), 1 California Tortoiseshell, 4 Western Spring Azure.

Female Sara Orangetip Anthocharis sara (Lep.: Pieridae)  Val George

   Jeremy Tatum writes that there was a Red Admiral on the Mount Tolmie reservoir at 5:00 pm today.

2022 May 24

   On May 23 Val George had, on his Oak Bay property, a rather worse-for-wear Ceanothus Silk Moth Hyalophora euryalus, which he spared the indignity of being photographed when not at its best.

   And today he had at his home the woodling (Egira sp.) shown below.  At this time of year we have come to dread the problem of distinguishing between Egira crucialis from E. simplex.  Some of them are easy; others are less so.  Libby Avis and Jeremy Tatum are in agreement that this is one of the difficult individuals;  one of us leans towards crucialis, while the other opts for simplex. Thus we’ll have to be content with labelling this one as an either/or.

Egira crucialis/ simplex (Lep.: Noctuidae)

   Jeremy Tatum photographed today the little white moth below from Swan Lake:

Euceratia castella (Lep.: Plutellidae)  Jeremy Tatum

2022 May 23 afternoon

    Jochen Möhr sends a photograph of a Xanthorhoe defensaria  from his Metchosin home this morning.

Xanthorhoe defensaria (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jochen Möhr

   Gordon Hart sends a photograph of a female Tule Bluet along the Munn Road power line.

Tule Bluet Enallagma carunculatum (Odo.: Coenagrionidae)  Gordon Hart

   Jeremy Tatum reports a rather worn Red Admiral on the Mount Tolmie reservoir at 4:45 pm today.

2022 May 23 morning

    Here are Gordon Hart’s photographs of insects that he saw along the Munn Road power line on Saturday, May 21 – see the entry for that date.  

Leptostales rubromarginaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Gordon Hart

Western Spring Azure Celastrina echo (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Gordon Hart

Honey Bee swarm Apis mellifera (Hym.: Apidae)   Gordon Hart

Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula (Odo.: Coenagrionidae)   Gordon Hart

   Jeff Gaskin writes:  On May 22, I found a Green Comma by the parking lot in Gowlland/Tod Park at the end of Caleb Pike Road.  Also, I had 2 Sara Orangetips at Millstream Lake Road and Davies Road and another two on Millstream Road.  My total number of Spring Azures for the Highlands that is looking around Munn, Millstream, Millstream Lake and Caleb Pike Road. came to 25, and not one Cabbage White was found.

   Jochen Möhr writes from Metchosin:  Last night there was a Cinnabar Moth at my light.  [Jeremy Tatum comments:  Interesting that this day-flying moth comes to lights!]

  Jeremy Tatum writes that there was a California Tortoiseshell on the Mount Tolmie reservoir at 5:15 pm yesterday.