2018 August 22 morning

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Here is a female Vapourer Moth, also known as Rusty Tussock Moth. The Women’s Rights movement seems to have made little progress in this species.

Female Vapourer Orgyia antiqua (Lep.: Erebidae – Lymantriinae) Jeremy Tatum

   Here is an egg mass of the tent caterpillar moth Malacosoma californicum.

Malacosoma californicum (Lep.: Lasiocampidae)  Jeremy Tatum

    Jochen Möhr has been seeing and photographing many exciting moths at his moth trap in Metchosin.  One night recently he found

25 (!) Tolype distincta

9 Neoalcis californiaria

2 Ennomos magnaria

1 Perizoma costiguttata

1 Apatensis nevadensis (a new one for here!)

1 Nemoria darwiniata

   Here are some of Jochen’s recent photographs.  As ever, we are grateful to Libby Avis for help with the identifications.

Euxoa difformis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Hydriomena speciosata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Cosmia praeacuta (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Euxoa difformis  (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

2018 August 21 evening

   Ron Flower sends photographs of three dragonflies.   The first two were photographed at Island View Beach earlier this year.  The third was at Goldstream Park, August 19.

Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Ron Flower

Western Pondhawk Erythemis collocata (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Ron Flower

Pacific Spiketail Cordulegaster dorsalis (Odo.: Cordulegastridae) Ron Flower

   More moths from Metchosin are going to have to wait until tomorrow!

2018 August 21 morning

   The moth below was photographed recently by Jochen Möhr.  We had some difficulty in identifying it, and we are now grateful to Lars Crabo for identifying it ofr us as Euxoa difformis.

Euxoa difformis (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr

   Kirsten Mills writes:  Jeff Gaskin and I went to Parksville yesterday afternoon, August 20.  At Rathtrevor Park about a kilometre north of the main parking lot along the beach we saw a Grey Hairstreak and two Common Woodnymphs.   At Englishman Estuary off Plummer Road we saw a Mylitta Crescent and another Common Woodnymph.   Here’s an attached photo of a Woodnymph.

    Jeremy Tatum writes:  Here is a little moth (length 12 mm) that I found outside the back door of my Saanich apartment building this morning.  Thanks to Libby Avis for the instant identification!

Eudonia echo (Lep.: Crambidae – Scopariinae)  Jeremy Tatum

   Jochen Möhr had a big haul in Metchosin last night.  We are going to have to post them in batches!

Nevada Tiger Moth Apantesis nevadensis (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Jochen Möhr

Dasychira grisefacta (Lep.: Erebidae – Lymantriinae)  Jochen Möhr

Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Drepana arcuata (Lep.: Drepanidae –Drepaninae) Jochen Möhr

Nemoria darwiniata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

2018 August 20 evening

   Jochen Möhr sends a photograph, from Metchosin, of a noctuid moth below.  Libby Avis writes that it is one of the Xestia finatimis species group.  I.e. one of three very similar species – X. finatimis, X. infimatis and X. verniloides. 

Xestia sp.: (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

   And just in, two more moths from Jochen:

Oligia divesta (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Pero mizon (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

   Marie O’Shaughnessy writes:  I was in Uplands Park this morning and found four of these diminutive creatures, Woodland Skippers, along with one Cabbage White.  No other butterflies were seen during my hour of watching the birds.

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Yes, unless we get a late invasion of sulphurs or something, the butterfly season seems to be coming to a close, and we are by now almost restricted to Woodland Skippers and Cabbage Whites.  Be sure to report any other butterflies that you might see.  (Since I wrote that this morning, August 20, this afternoon I saw a Ringlet (Large Heath) and a Lorquin’s Admiral at Rithet’s Bog.)

Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Here is a caterpillar found at Maber Flats:

Peppered Moth Biston betularia (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jermy Tatum

   New Book   Libby Avis draws our attention to a new book on Pacific Northwest insects.  You can see details at  https://www.ubcpress.ca/pacific-northwest-insects       Although that site says that the release date of the book is August 15, it won’t be available in Canada until September 1.

April 20 morning

[This item should have been posted on the evening of August 17, but, writes Jeremy Tatum, my computer refused to behave itself on that date and it wouldn’t do what it was told.  Apologies to Mark for the delay.]

   Mark Wynja writes: On August 13 I went to the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville to photograph butterflies. There were 6-8 Common Wood Nymphs, 4 Purplish Coppers, and at least 50 Woodland Skippers. As I was photographing a Purplish Copper, a large skipper flew in and landed among the many smaller Woodland Skippers nectaring on Pearly Everlasting. Upon seeing the underside I immediately recognized it as a Branded Skipper. I returned on subsequent days and have seen at least four separate individuals. The habitat is similar to that of Cordova/Saanichton Spit with fields of grass and lots of blooming Gumweed. I believe this is the “Western/Oregon” Branded Skipper Hesperia comma colorado. Lunabelle Loiseau-Tremblay saw two more on Quadra Island on August 8.

“Western” Branded Skipper Hesperia comma colorado (Lep.: Hesperiidae) Mark Wynja

“Western” Branded Skipper Hesperia comma colorado (Lep.: Hesperiidae) Mark Wynja

Crab Spider Misumena vatia (Ara.: Thomisidae)

“Western” Branded Skipper Hesperia comma colorado (Lep.: Hesperiidae)

Mark Wynja

Top:  “Western” Branded Skipper Hesperia comma colorado  (Lep.: Hesperiidae)

Bottom:  Woodland Skippers Ochlodes sylvanoides (Lep.: Hesperiidae)

Mark Wynja