2021 May 20

   Jeff Gaskin saw 19 Ringlets today in Layritz Park or the disc playing field area,  and 5 more at Markham Road by Viaduct Flats.

A Propertius Duskywing  was photographed by Greg McKillop on Mount Douglas this morning.

Propertius Duskywing Erynnis propertius  (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Greg McKillop

   Rosemary Jorna writes:  We took a walk at the Sooke Potholes today  I was disappointed by the complete lack of butterflies. We  came down to our favourite beach and there were a dozen or more Swallowtails flying about and puddling.   There were about 4 Western Tiger Swallowtails and 8 or more Pale Tiger Swallowtails – 3 to 8 puddling and the rest flying overland around the pool and beach.  We watched them for about a half hour.  They were gradually losing interest in that patch of wet sand.

Two Western Tiger Swallowtails Papilio rutulus and two Pale Tiger Swallowtails P. eurymedon

(Lep.: Papilionidae)          Rosemary Jorna

One Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus and three Pale Tiger Swallowtails P. eurymedon

(Lep.: Papilionidae)          Rosemary Jorna

 Philodromus sp. (Ara.: Philodromidae)  Rosemary Jorna

2021 May 20 morning

   Identification updates.  Libby Avis points out that a moth I had labelled on May 17 as Venusia sp is actually Lobophora sp.  And a caterpillar on May 16, which I had speculated might be Polygonia faunus, has now been confirmed as that species.  I have made the necessary changes to these pages.

   On consecutive days, May 18, 19, Derrick Marvin had two of our largest and most spectacular moths in his Duncan garden:

Smerinthus ophthalmica (Lep.: Sphingidae)  Derrick Marven

Hyalophora euryalus (Lep.: Saturniidae)   Derrick Marven

   Jeff Gaskin reports a latish Sara Orangetip  by the parking lot at Thetis Lake Park, May 19.

2021 May 19

   Jeremy Tatum shows a photograph of Euceratia castella.  The caterpillar feeds on Snowberry.

Euceratia castella (Lep.: Plutellidae)   Jeremy Tatum

2021 May 18

   Yesterday, May 17, Aziza Cooper  found this Propertius Duskywing on the west slope of Mount Douglas.

 Propertius Duskywing Erynnis propertius (Lep.: Hesperiidae)   Aziza Cooper

And Gordon Hart found this Western Brown Elfin on Mount Tolmie.

Western Brown Elfin Incisalia iroides (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Gordon Hart

   Gordon photographed a damselfly and a dragonfly at his Highlands property.  We are most grateful to Dr Rob Cannings for identifying them.

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

Male California Darner Rhionaeschna californica (Odo.: Aeschnidae)  Gordon Hart

    Wendy Ansell writes:  Today, Gerry and I saw 1 Common Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia) at Island View Beach on the outer trail just before the Indian Reserve.

2021 May 17 afternoon

    Jochen Möhr writes that on May 14 he saw three Propertius Duskywings at Weir’s Beach, two of them in copula.  He also writes:  I constantly see P. rapae  – up to three simultaneously on my Metchosin property.  I also saw Western Spring Azures on three occasions, without being able to document any of them, and similarly one Sara Orangetip and one Pale Tiger Swallowtail, each on one occasion since the beginning of May.

On May 16, he saw on his Metchosin property

1 Erynnis propertius

2 Papilio eurymedon

1 Papilio zelicaon

1 Meganola minuscula

1 Nadata gibbosa

1 Smerinthus ophthalmica (the third one this season, all different individuals)

2 Lobophora nivigerata/magnoliatoidea

Propertius Duskywings Erynnis propertius (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Jochen Möhr

Meganola minuscula (Lep.: Nolidae)  Jochen Möhr)

Nadata gibbosa (Lep.: Notodontidae)   Jochen Möhr

Smerinthus ophthalmica (Lep.: Sphingidae)  Jochen Möhr

Lobophora nivigerata/magnoliatoidea (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jochen Möhr

   Jeff Gaskin writes:  Yesterday, May 16, I did my butterfly count at the Lochside trail north and south of Blenkinsop Lake.  I found a Red Admiral and a Satyr Comma by a patch of nettles about 100 metres south of the bridge.  Another Satyr Comma was north of the lake.  I also saw a Pale Tiger Swallowtail along Arbutus Road later in the day.