2022 May 22 morning

    Gordon Hart writes:  We walked along the Prospect Road to Munn Road power lines on May 21 and saw at least 50 Western Spring Azures. There were several groups gathered at damp spots along the path. We also saw at least seven Epirrhoe plebeculata moths. There were also several dragonflies and damselflies, but no other butterfly species.

   We also saw thousands of honey bees forming a swarm in a bush near Munn Road. When we first saw them they were in the air over quite a large area, and later the group had formed a compact swarm on a branch of the bush.  I wonder how long they will stay there, and where they will end up?  At home, we had a variety of butterflies: two Green Commas; two Mourning Cloaks chasing one another; a fresh Western Brown Elfin; and several Western Spring Azures.  We saw one Pacific Forktail damselfly, Ischnura cervula.

  Jeff Gaskin writes:  On May 21, I found a Mourning Cloak, 3 Satyr Commas and 3 Western Spring Azures north and south of Blenkinsop Lake.

   Jeremy Tatum writes:   On May 21 I walked along the Panhandle Trail, off Munn Road, ans I saw a Western Brown Elfin, a Propertius  Duskywing, a Green Comma as well as several Western Spring Azures and Sara Orangetips.  In the evening, at 5:15 pm, there was a rather worn Red Admiral on the Mount Tolmie reservoir.

 Caterpillars of  the Silver-spotted Tiger Moth are abundant and ubiquitous at present, so I took the opportunity of photographing one at UVic.

Lophocampa argentata (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Jeremy Tatum

2022 May 21 morning

    Aziza Cooper writes:  On May 20 I did a hike on the Sugarloaf Trail in the Sooke Hills Regional Park. I found four Western Pine Elfins, one California Tortoiseshell and a few Western Spring Azures in two locations on high slopes. At the beginning of the trail near a creek there was one Mourning Cloak and five more Western Spring Azures. The trailhead is along Sooke Road west of Humpback Road.  One millepede was also along the trail.

Western Pine Elfin Incisalia eryphon (Lep,: Lycaenidae)  Aziza Cooper

Western Spring Azure Celastrina echo (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Aziza Cooper

California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Aziza Cooper

Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa (Lep.: Nymphalidae)

Cyanide Millepede Harpaphe haydeniana (Polydesmida – Xystodesmidae)  Aziza Cooper

Barb McGrenere writes:  Yesterday, Mike and I saw one fresh Mourning Cloak in a willow at the north end of Blenkinsop bridge.  (Probably not the same one that Aziza saw! – Jeremy T)

Jeremy Tatum sends a photograph of a beetle found at UVic.  Thanks to Scott Gilmore for identifying it as the Painted Lady Beetle Mulsantina picta.

Painted Lady Beetle Mulsantina picta (Col.: Coccinellidae)  Jeremy Tatum

2022 May 20

    May Butterfly Count –  Notice from Gordon Hart:

Hello Butterfly Watchers,
The May count period starts Saturday May 21 until Sunday May 29. 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 from the VNHS website at https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?p=33
If you have difficulty with the form, just send me an email with the information.
Thank-you for submitting your sightings and good luck with your count.
-Gordon

Gordon Hart,

Butterfly Count Coordinator,
Victoria Natural History Society
Gordon Hart
hartgordon19@gmail.com

   Jeremy Tatum writes that he saw a Western Spring Azure in Uplands Park, today, May 20.

2022 May 19

  Jochen Möhr sends a photograph of Eupithecia ravocostaliata/nevadata from Metchosin:

  Eupithecia ravocostaliata/nevadata (Lep.: Geometridae)    Jochen Möhr

2022 May 16

    Aziza Cooper writes:  This caterpillar was on the Swan Lake Nature House yesterday, May 15.

Silver-spotted Tiger Moth Lophocampa argentata (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Aziza Cooper