2024 July 7 morning
Monthly Butterfly Walk this afternoon at 1:00 pm. Details in yesterday’s (July 7) evening posting.
Jeremy Tatum writes: At 6:00 am this morning, I has just finished washing my hands and face and the back of my neck, and I had pulled the towel towards me to dry my face, when the moth shown below suddenly flew out from between the folds of the towel and straight into my face.
Apamea amputatrix (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jeremy Tatum
2024 July 6 evening
Butterfly Walk, Sunday July 7
Message from Gordon Hart
This is a reminder for the Nature Victoria (VNHS) Butterfly Walk on Sunday, July 7.
We will meet at the Mount Tolmie summit by the reservoir, at 1.00 p.m. You can park in the parking lot there, or in the large lot north of the summit. After a look around the summit, we will decide on a destination from there.
I think we can be fairly certain of sunny weather, so come prepared for the heat, with water to keep hydrated, sunscreen, and suitable clothing.
You can review Vancouver Island butterflies at Val George’s website : https://vancouverislandbutterflies.com/
See you on Sunday,
Gordon Hart
Ian Cooper writes: Here are a few more recent photos from the ^E&N trail and the #Galloping Goose trail in View Royal. Most were from my July 4 photo shoot. The Enoplognatha ovata spider was photographed on July 3rd.
# Limax maximus (Pul.: Limacidae) Ian Cooper
^ Larva of Asian Ladybeetle Harmonia axyridis (Col.: Coccinellidae) Ian Cooper
^ Seven-spotted Ladybird beetle – Coccinella septempunctata (Col.: Coccinellidae)
Ian Cooper
# Ground beetle – Pterostichus sp. (Col.: Carabidae) Ian Cooper
Thanks to Scott Gilmore for confirmation of the genus
Unidentified tortricid moth (Lep.: Tortricidae) Ian Cooper
# Enoplognatha ovata (Ara.: Theridiidae) Ian Cooper
The Lorquin’s Admiral shown below was photographed at Jochen Möhr’s Metchosin residence by Jochen’s son while on a visit.
Lorquin’s Admiral Limenitis lorquini (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Marcel Hartges
2024 July 6 morning
Ian Cooper writes: Here is a selection of photos taken late on July 4 by the ^E&N trail and by the #Galloping Goose Trail in View Royal, as dusk gave way to nightfall.
Arion rufus (Pul.: Arionidae) Ian Cooper
I was amazed at how big this slug was when I spotted it through the vegetation by the trail. Easily the largest slug of this species I’ve seen yet!
#Mosquito – Culiseta incidens (Dip.: Culicidae) Ian Cooper
#Blue-green Sharpshooter Hordnia atropunctata (Hem.: Coccinellidae) Ian Cooper
^Spittle Bug – Philaenus spumarius (Hem.: Cercopidae) Ian Cooper
^Seven-spotted Ladybird – Coccinella septempunctata (Col.: Coccinellidae)
Ian Cooper
2024 July 5 evening
Marie O’Shaughnessy counted butterflies and dragonflies yesterday, July 4, as follows:
Outerbridge Park
1 Lorquin’s Admiral
1 Western Tiger Swallowtail
1 Cabbage White
4 Essex Skippers
3 Cardinal Meadowhawks
2 Blue-eyed Darners
McIntyre reservoir
1 Painted Lady
2 Cabbage Whites
2 Western Pond Hawk, male and female
The female was busily eating a female damsel fly. A vicious predator!
7 Blue Dashers
4 Common Green Darners
4 Blue-eyed Darners
6 Eight-spotted Skimmers
2 Variegated Meadowhawks
Many damselflies mating
Mount Tolmie
1 Western Tiger Swallowtail
2 Lorquin’s Admirals
2 Painted Ladies
1 Cabbage White
1 Red Admiral
Male Western Pondhawk Erythemis collocata (Odo.: Libellulidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy
Western Pondhawk Erythemis collocata (Odo.: Libellulidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy
Western Pondhawk Erythemis collocata with damselfly prey (Odo.: Libellulidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy
Western Pondhawk Erythemis collocata (Odo.: Libellulidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy
Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum (Odo.: Libellulidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy
The moth below was photographed by Jochen Möhr in Metchosin this morning.
Eulithis xylina (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr
2024 July 5 morning
Butterfly Walk, Sunday July 7
Message from Gordon Hart
This is a reminder for the Nature Victoria (VNHS) Butterfly Walk on Sunday, July 7.
We will meet at the Mount Tolmie summit by the reservoir, at 1.00 p.m. You can park in the parking lot there, or in the large lot north of the summit. After a look around the summit, we will decide on a destination from there.
I think we can be fairly certain of sunny weather, so come prepared for the heat, with water to keep hydrated, sunscreen, and suitable clothing.
You can review Vancouver Island butterflies at Val George’s website : https://vancouverislandbutterflies.com/
See you on Sunday,
Gordon Hart
The moth below was reared from caterpillar by Charlene Wood’s six-year-old son Nico.
Apple Ermine Moth Yponomeuta malinellus(Lep.: Yponomeutidae) Charlene Wood
Thanks to Charlene Wood for identifying the creature below, photographed by Ian Cooper along the Galloping Goose Trail, June 30 2024
Bristly Millepede Polyxenes sp. (Diplopoda – Polyxenida: Polyxenidae)
Ian Cooper
Aziza Cooper draws attention to a sighting of a Grey Hairstreak by Rebecca Reader-Lee, July 4, near Ross-Durrance Road west of Pease Lake. Rebecca’s excellent photograph can be seen at
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/227183757