2021 September 25

    Rare Butterfly Alert!    Rosemary Jorna sends photographs of an American Lady from the Kemp Lake area today,  September 25.

American Lady Vanessa virginiensis (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Rosemary Jorna

American Lady Vanessa virginiensis (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Rosemary Jorna

   Jeff Gaskin writes:  I found a Lorquin’s Admiral still in very fine condition at the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific on Quayle Road in the flower gardens.  That was yesterday, September 24.

   Aziza Cooper sends photographs of a dragonfly and a fly from Aylard Farm, Sooke, September 24:

Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Aziza Cooper

Greenbottle Lucilia sp. (Dip.: Calliphoridae) on the carcase of a

 Townsend’s Vole Microtus townsendii (Rod.: Cricetidae)

Aziza Cooper

   Rosemary Jorna sends a photograph of a drone fly  from the Kemp Lake area today, September 25.

Drone Fly Eristalis (probably tenax) (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Rosemary Jorna

2021 September 24

    Jochen Möhr sends a photograph of a Catocala from Metchosin this morning.  Jeremy Tatum writes: It is a pity that the several species of these large and spectaular moths are so difficult to distinguish from each other, even with a fresh specimen, and even when the striking hindwing pattern can be seen.  The one with the most conspicuous white spot in the middle of the forewing usually turns out to be our default species C. aholibah, and there are some other features that lead me to think that Jochen’s moth is probably that species.   However, perhaps it is safest to leave it as Catocala sp.

Catocala sp.  (Lep,: Erebidae – Erebinae)  Jochen Möhr

2021 September 23

    At press time (which varies erratically each day, but today is at 5:30 pm) we received no invertebrate reports.  However,  yesterday’s Invert Alert had two flies and a moth, then unidentified.  Thanks to Libby Avis and Jeff Skevington, we now have identifications (to a degree) for all of them, so viewers can turn back to yesterday’s posting to see what they are.

2021 September 22

Say goodbye to Summer, and welcome to Autumn.   The declination of the Sun was zero at 12:21 pm PDT today.

Jeff Gaskin reports that Kirsten Mills saw two Lorquin’s Admirals yesterday, September 21.    One was seen on the Cedar Hill Golf Course, and the other was seen while Kirsten was driving along Royal Oak Avenue near Lochside School.   These are late dates for Lorquin’s Admiral, but not unprecedented.  For example, in 2019 one was seen as late as September 25.

Gordon Hart sends photographs of two flies and a moth.  We thank Jeff Skevington for identification of the flies, and Libby Avis for the moth.

Of the first fly, Dr Skevington writes:  It is a female Dasysyrphus intrudens (a complex of species but currently all bearing this name so you can post it as this species).   The second is the Drone Fly Eristalis tenax.

Dasysyrphus intrudens (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Gordon Hart

Drone Fly Eristalis tenax  (Dip.: Syrphidae) Gordon Hart

    The moth also belongs to a complex of species – although they do have different names  – in  the genus Parabagrotis.  There are several species, and a good case could be made for identifying Gordon’s moth as any of them – or for rejecting any of them.  Thanks to Libby for identifying the genus.  Prudence suggests leaving it as the genus level.

Parabagrotis sp. (Lep.: Noctuidae)   Gordon Hart

2021 September 21

    Jeremy Tatum sends a photograph of a creature found in his bathroom this morning.  It belongs to the Order Thysanura (Zygentoma of some authors), Three-pronged Bristletails.  Taxonomists don’t seem to have settled whether or not they belong in the Class Insecta. The three species most commonly encountered  indoors are the Firebrat Thermobia domestica, the Silverfish Lepisma saccharina  and the one below, Ctenolepisma longicaudata,  whose English name varies from  author to author.  Some authors spell the specific names of some or all of them  –um rather than –a.  I find that the Firebrat is by far the commonest, followed by C. longicaudata.   I have yet to see Lepisma saccharina in Victoria.  T.domestica and C. longicaudata  like warm places;  L. saccharina prefers cool places.   I keep my apartment fairly warm, which may be why I have yet to see L. saccharina.

Ctenolepisma longicaudata (Thy.: Lepismatidae)   Jeremy Tatum

Rob Gowan sends a photograph of a Goldenrod Crab Spider with a hover fly victim, in his Fairfield garden, September 19.

Misumena vatia (Ara.: Thomisidae)  with hover fly (Dip.: Syrphidae) victim       Rob Gowan

Rob also sends a photograph of a Variegated Meadowhawk seen at the East Sooke Park hawk watch, September 20.

Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum (Odo.: Libellulidae)   Rob Gowan