2024 March 23 evening

   Jochen Möhr sends a photograph of a geometrid moth from Metchosin.  We have previously labelled this moth Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli, because we have been unable to distinguish between these two similar species.   Somewhat unexpectedly, Venusia obsoleta  has now been moved to another genus, and is now Nomenia obsoleta.  We are now in the difficult position that we cannot distinguish between two moths in different genera.  A further complication is that a third species, N. duodecimlieata is also a possibility,

According to MPG, male Venusia pearsalli have filiform (simple) antennae.  Unfortunately it does not say what the female antennae are like, nor do we know the sex of Jochen’s specimen, and we don’t see quite enough of the antennae to be sure what form they are.  MPG says the antennae (it doesn’t specify which sex) of Nomenia obsoleta are “apparently” unipectinate.

Nomenia /Venusia  (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

   And here is another selection of miscellaneous invertebrate from Ian Cooper:

*Common striped woodlouse – Philoscia muscorum (Isopoda: Oniscidae)   Ian Cooper

*Ambigolimax valentianus (Pul.: Limacidae) Ian Cooper

   Thanks to Robert Forsyth for identification of the above slug, which I had originally mislabelled.

#Grey Field Slug – Deroceras reticulatum (Pul.: Agriolimacidae)   Ian Cooper

*Common Chrysalis Snail – Lauria cylindracea – (Pul.: Lauriidae)   Ian Cooper

*Springtail – Orchesella villosa (Coll.: Orchesellidae)   Ian Cooper

Unfortunately, we have not (yet) been able to identify the fly below.  If any viewer can help, please do so.

Unknown fly  (Diptera)  Ian Cooper

#Female linyphiid spider, possibly Neriene sp. (Ara.: Linyphiidae)   Ian Cooper

#Female linyphiid spider, possibly Neriene sp. (Ara.: Linyphiidae)   Ian Cooper

2024 March 23 morning

Some pre-dawn work by Ian Cooper from *Colquitz River Park and by the 9 km marker on the # Galloping Goose Trail in View Royal.  We thank Dr Robb Bennett for the spider identifications.

#Female linyphiine spider (Ara.: Linyphiidae – Linyphiinae)  Ian Cooper

*Female Cybaeus (probably signifer) (Ara.: Cybaeidae) Ian Cooper

*Immature male Clubiona  (Ara.: Clubionidae)  Ian Cooper

*Immature male theridiid (Ara.: Theridiidae)  Ian Cooper

#Female Pimoa altioculata (Ara.: Pimoidae)

Unidentified moth caterpillar (Lep.: Noctuidae)   Ian Cooper

Noctua pronuba  (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Ian Cooper

Jochen Möhr photographed this moth at his Metchosin home:

American Tissue Moth Triphosa haesitata  (Lep.: Geometridae)
Jochen Möhr

2024 March 21

   Jeremy Tatum sends a photograph of this woodling moth that flew into his living room in Saanich last night.   Moths of the genus Egira are known as “woodling”moths.  They are largely western moths, and they are among the first noctuid moths to be seen in Spring.  Egira hiemalis is the earliest, usually appearing in February.  E. curialis (below) and others follow later.

Egira curialis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

2024 March 20

   Happy Nowruz, everyone!

Now that Spring is here, insects are starting to stir, although this syrphid fly photographed yesterday by Aziza Cooper seems to have had a chilly night, for it is covered with dew.

Hover fly (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Aziza Cooper

Jochen Möhr was wondering why we seem to have more butterflies here in suburban Victoria than he sees in the wilds of Metchosin.  We are glad to hear, therefore, that on March 19 Jochen at last saw his first Mourning Cloak of the year on William Head Road.  Unfortunately much too briefly even to attempt to photograph it.  Jeremy Tatum writes:  Well, I haven’t seen a Mourning Cloak yet this year – so Metchosin can’t be all that bad!

2024 March 19

Spring starts at 10:06 pm PDT this evening.

Aziza photographed this Mourning Cloak on the Mount Tolmie reservoir on March 18.

Mourning Cloak  Nymphalis antiopa (Lep. Nymphalidae)  Aziza Cooper

   Aziza writes:  Today, March 19, I saw three Mourning Cloaks – one along the Colquitz Creek path near Marigold Street, one flushed from Conway Road near Interurban Road, and one at the Beaver Lake Riding Ring trails (photograph of this one below).  Two California Tortoiseshells were still on the Mount Tolmie reservoir at 5:30 pm.

Mourning Cloak  Nymphalis antiopa (Lep. Nymphalidae)  Aziza Cooper

Here are more of Ian Cooper’s photographs from this morning at *Colquitz River Park and the #Galloping Goose Trail in View Royal.

* Young Limax maximus (Pul.: Limacidae)  Ian Cooper

* Adult Limax maximus (Pul.: Limacidae)  Ian Cooper

# Eratigena (probably duellica)  (Ara: Agelenidae)  Ian Cooper

# Linyphiid spider, probably Neriene sp. (Ara.: Linyphiidae)  Ian Cooper

*Cross Orb-weaver Araneus diadematus  (Ara.: Araneidae) Ian Cooper

* European Sowbug  Oniscus asellus (Isopoda: Oniscidae)  Ian Cooper