2021 October 30

    Aziza Cooper sends two photographs of one of our most productive and exciting butterfly locales  – McIntyre reservoir, Central Saanich  –  as it was yesterday, October 29.

McIntyre reservoir        Aziza Cooper

McIntyre reservoir        Aziza Cooper

Apparently the butterfly season isn’t quite over yet.  Kirsten Mills and Aziza Cooper have both seen  Cabbage Whites recently.  Kirsten saw and photographed one at Muir Creek on October 28.  Aziza saw three near McIntyre reservoir on October 29.  Kirsten also saw a Lady (Vanessa sp.) at Jordan River on October 28, but was unable to be certain of the exact species.)

Cabbage White  Pieris rapae (Lep.: Pieridae)   Kirsten Mills

And Aziza photographed a drone fly near the reservoir on October 29:

Drone fly Eristalis sp. (probably tenax) (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Aziza Cooper

2021 October 29

    Jochen Möhr writes from Metchosin:  After another ten day hiatus – with rainy and stormy days and nights – finally one Epirrita autumnata.

Autumnal Moth Epirrita autumnata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

2021 October 27

    Val George writes:  Yesterday, October 26, there were two Autumnal Moths Epirrita autumnata on the walls of the nature house at Goldstream Park.

Autumnal Moth Epirrita autumnata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Val George

2021 October 18

    Aziza Cooper writes:  Friday, October 15, this creature was in my home, and I removed it in a jar. Sorry I’m not bold enough to try to take it out.   Jeremy Tatum replies:  You may safely let it out.  It is not aggressive and it won’t attack you.   I’d be inclined not to let it crawl around on your hand.  It has a strong and sharp rostrum.  If you are not sure what its rostrum is, let it crawl on your hand, and you will soon find out.

Western Conifer Seed Bug Leptoglossus occidentalis (Hem.: Coreidae)   Aziza Cooper

2021 October 17

    Jochen Möhr writes yesterday from Metchosin:  Well, after more than three weeks of absence – since September 23 – and after I had practically given up on checking around the black light, this afternoon  I finally discovered two moths at the ceiling:  Synaxis jubararia and Epirrita autumnata.  And this morning, two Epirrita autumnata and one Noctua pronuba.

October Thorn Tetracis jubararia (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Autumnal Moth Epirrita autumnata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

   Jeremy Tatum  shows a photograph of a Large Yellow Underwing caterpillar.

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