2021 May 25
Here are photographs by Kan Vaughan of a dragonfly from the Beaver Lake retriever ponds, and a butterfly from Mount Tolmie, in the last week.
Four-spotted Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata (Odo.: Libellulidae) Ken Vaughan
Anise Swallowtail Papilio zelicaon (Lep.: Papilionidae) Ken Vaughan
Jeremy Tatum writes:
Total eclipse of the moon tonight:
Start: 2:45 am PDT
Total: 4:11 – 4:26 am PDT
End: 5:52 am PDT
2021 May 24
Jeremy Tatum writes: Here’s another Hypena californica from Stinging Nettle along Lochside Drive north of Blenkinsop Lake.
Hypena californica (Lep.: Erebidae – Hypeninae) Jeremy Tatum
2021 May 23 evening
Moths of the geometrid genus Eupithecia are called “pugs”. Most of the caterpillars feed on flowers. Here is one from near Blenkinsop Lake on a flower of Rosa nutkana. In Klaus Bolte’s 1990 study of 62 species of pugs in Canada, he lists Rosa as the foodplant of only one species: E. maestosa. Whether the one in this photograph is this species, we shall have to wait and see.
Eupithecia sp. (Lep.: Geometridae) Jeremy Tatum
Diane Crowther reports seeing a Two-banded (Checkered or Grizzled) Skipper Pyrgus ruralis on May 16, fluttering along along above and landing on the dirt tracks which follow the hydro line near the south border of the Hartland Mountain Bike Park.
Rosemary Jorna reports that she had only a brief hour at the Sooke Potholes on May 21. She saw 2 Western Spring Azures, 3 or more Pale Tiger Swallowtails and this Mylitta Crescent. The blue posed nicely but the Myllita Cresent led her a merry dance.
Western Spring Azure Celastrina echo (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Rosemary Jorna
Mylitta Crescent Phyciodes mylitta (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Rosemary Jorna
The Grizzled Skipper and Mylitta Crescent are nice sightings – these two species are not seen here all that often these days.
2021 May 23 morning
Jeremy Tatum shows an Acronicta impleta from Blinkhorn Lake.
Acronicta impleta (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jeremy Tatum
Mike McGrenere sends a photograph of a Propertius Duskywing from Mount Douglas, May 19.
Propertius Duskywing Erynnis propertius (Lep.: Hesperiidae) Mike McGrenere
Aziza Cooper writes: On May 22, I found two Silvery Blues at the roadside daisy/lupin patch in Colwood, on Sooke Road where it meets the Trans Canada Highway. One butterfly was pristine and one had some wing damage.
Aziza adds: On May 21 at Tod Creek Flats there was one Western Tiger Swallowtail, and there was another one on May 22 at Christmas Hill. A Propertius Duskywing was also at Christmas Hill.
Silvery Blue Glaucopsyche lygdamus (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Aziza Cooper
Silvery Blue Glaucopsyche lygdamus (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Aziza Cooper
Silvery Blue Glaucopsyche lygdamus (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Aziza Cooper
A miscellany from Rosemary Jorna. Aphids from lupin at Sooke Potholes; jumping spider from Kemp Lake; sawfly larvae from gooseberry at Whiffin Spit:
Macrosiphum albifrons (Hem.: Aphididae) Rosemary Jorna
Phidippus johnsohni (Ara.: Salticidae) Rosemary Jorna
Gooseberry sawfly Nematus ribesii (Hym.: Tenthredinidae) Rosemary Jorna
2021 May 22
Val George reports the following butterflies from Mount Douglas on May 16: 22 Cabbage Whites; 2 Western Spring Azures; one each of Sara Orangetip, Propertius Duskywing, Pale Tiger Swallowtail, Western Tiger Swallowtail and Painted Lady. Val also reports two Painted Ladies on the summit of Mount Douglas, May 21. Photograph of one of them below.
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Val George
Mike McGrenere reports a Mourning Cloak from Livesay Road, Central Saanich, May 18. And on May 22, Mike McGrenere and Jeremy Tatum saw a Mourning Cloak and a Satyr Comma along Lochside Trail north of Blenkinsop Lake.
Jeremy Tatum shows a Raspberry Weevil and a California Snout Moth. The caterpillar of the moth, which fed on Stinging Nettle, was shown on May 9.
Otiorhynchus singularis (Col.: Curculionidae) Jeremy Tatum
Hypena californica (Lep.: Erebidae – Hypeninae) Jeremy Tatum