This blog provides an informal forum for terrestrial invertebrate watchers to post recent sightings of interesting observations in the southern Vancouver Island region. Please send your sightings by email to Jeremy Tatum (tatumjb352@gmail.com). Be sure to include your name, phone number, the species name (common or scientific) of the invertebrate you saw, location, date, and number of individuals. If you have a photograph you are willing to share, please send it along. Click on the title above for an index of past sightings.The index is updated most days.

2024 February 19

2024 February 19

   Yet another collection of interesting invertebrates from Ian Cooper, February 19.  *Colquitz River Park and #Galloping Goose Trail in View Royal.

*Stone centipede, probably Lithobius forficatus (Lithobiomorpha:  Lithobiidae)  Ian Cooper

*Probably winter gnat (Trichoceridae) or crane fly (Tipulidae)  (Diptera – Nematocera) Ian Cooper

*Harvestman (Opiliones)  Ian Cooper

#Limax maximus (Pul.: Limacidae)   Ian Cooper

#Folding-door spider – Antrodiaetus pacificus (Ara.:- Mygalomorpha: Antrodiaetidae)   Ian Cooper

#Callobius pictus (Ara.: Amaurobiidae)   Ian Cooper

 

Jochen Möhr sends photographs of two moths from Metchosin,  February 19:

Eupithecia sp.  (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jochen Möhr

Male Phigalia plumogeraria  (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2024 February 18

2024 February 18

   More invertebrates by Ian Cooper. Pre-dawn, February 18.  *Colquitz River Park and #Galloping Goose Trail in View Royal.

#Unidentified fly (Dip.: – Nematocera, possibly Trichoceridae)  Ian Cooper

*Arion subfuscus (Pul.: Arionidae)   Ian Cooper

#Snout mite (Acari:  Bdellidae)   Ian Cooper

#Folding door spider – Antrodiaetus pacificus (Ara.:- Mygalomorpha:   Antrodiaetidae)   Ian Cooper

*Unidentified male linyphiid spider (Ara.: Linyphiidae)   Ian Cooper

*Unidentified linyphiid spider (Ara.: Linyphiidae)   Ian Cooper

2024 February 16

2024 February 16

Here is another variety of invertebrates photographed by Ian Cooper on February 16 2024 in *Colquitz River Park and by the 9 km marker on the #Galloping Goose Trail in View Royal.

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

* Globular springtail. (Collembola – Symphypleona – Dicyrtomidae)   Ian Cooper

* Eratigena sp. (Ara: Agelenidae)   Ian Cooper

# Pimoa altioculata (Ara: Pimoidae)   Ian Cooper

# Unidentified linyphiid spider (Ara.: Linyphiidae)   Ian Cooper

# Unidentified linyphiid spider (Ara.: Linyphiidae)   Ian Cooper

2024 February 15

2024 February 15

   More invertebrates photographed by Ian Cooper in the predawn of February 7 along the Galloping Goose Trail, View Royal.

Running crab spider Philodromus dispar (Ara.: Philodromidae)   Ian Cooper


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

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

2024 February 14

2024 February 14

  Butterfly!   Gordon Hart passes on a note from Burl Jantzen that yesterday, February 13, Burl saw a Mourning Cloak near the south end of the Swan Lake boardwalk.

  Libby Avis has identified the (hitherto unidentified) moth shown on February 10  (quo vade).

  Here is a wide variety of invertebrates photographed by Ian Cooper on February 12 2024 in *Colquitz River Park and by the 9 km marker on the Galloping Goose Trail in #View Royal.

 

# Snout mite (Acari:  Bdellidae)  Ian Cooper

*Lauria cylindracea (Pul.: Lauriidae)  Ian Cooper

*Deroceras panormitanum (Pul.: Agriolimacidae)  Ian Cooper

#Orchesella cincta (Coll.: Orchesellidae)  Ian Cooper

#Globular springtail (Collembola – Symphypleona – Dicyrtomenidae)  Ian Cooper

 

#Crane fly larva – a “leatherjacket” – most likely Tipula paludosa (Dip.: Tipulidae)  Ian Cooper