2023 September 9

Aziza Cooper sends a photograph of a Pine White caught by a spider, and a free Pine White, from Aylard Farm, September 8.  These were the only butterflies she saw.  Jeremy Tatum writes that he thinks that the spider might be Araneus diadematus, but he is not at all sure.

Pine White Neophasia menapia (Lep.: Pieridae) caught by spider
Aziza Cooper

Male Pine White Neophasia menapia (Lep.: Pieridae) Aziza Cooper

2023 September 8

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  The moth shown below ecloded from its pupa today.  The caterpillar, which fed on Rumex obtusifolius, was shown on August 20, and the pupa on August 31.

Dark Marbled Carpet Dysstroma citrata (Lep.: Geometridae)
Jeremy Tatum

Marie O’Shaughnessy writes that at 10:30 this morning, she saw a male and a female Blue Dasher, a Blue-eyed Darner and two Paddle-tailed Darners at Swan Lake.

Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor
(Odo.: Aeshnidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

Also at Swan Lake, Marie photographed an Orb-weaver Spider and a Stink Bug:

Araneus diadematus  (Ara.: Aranaeidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

Banasa dimiata (Hem.: Pentatomidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy

Kirsten Mills writes:  Jeff Gaskin and I went today, September 8, to McIntyre Reservoir. We saw a Variegated Meadowhawk and a lady. Jeremy Tatum writes:  I had a little difficulty at first in being sure which species of lady it is, but, but after a close look I agree with the unanimous identification by Jeremy Gatten, Gordon Hart and David Harris that it is a somewhat worn West Coast Lady.
  Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Kirsten Mills

West Coast Lady Vanessa annabella  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Kirsten Mills

2023 September 7

Gordon Hart writes:   I attach a photo of a Leaf-cutter Bee, Megachile genus, lifting off from a daisy, at Panama Flats. You can see the large mandibles used to cut circular segments of leaves for its nest. The shutter speed was 1/2500 sec. and still did not stop the wings!

Gordon also shows a photograph of a Bee Fly (Bombyliidae), also from Panama Flats

Leaf-cutter Bee Megachile (Hym.: Megachilidae)  Gordon Hart

Bee Fly, possibly Hemipenthes (Dip.: Bombyliidae)  Gordon Hart

Jeremy Tatum writes:  Here is a photograph of a moth Xestia xanthographa, which flew into my Saanich apartment today.  This is a European moth, which is fairly common and well-established on Vancouver Island.  Its English name is Square-spot Rustic, although, when talking to myself, I have taken to calling it “X x”.

The Western Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar, shown on September 4, has produced the chrysalis shown below.

Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa (Lep.: Noctuidae)
Jeremy Tatum

Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus (Lep.: Papilionidae)
Jeremy Tatum

2023 September 6

   Ron Flower photographed a butterfly and a beetle at Outerbridge Park on September 4:

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui (Lep.: Nymphalidae)   Ron Flower

June Beetle Polyphylla crinita (Col.: Scarabaeidae)  Ron Flower

Jeff Gaskin writes: On September 2, I went up Christmas Hill and between 4:45 p.m. and 5:05 p.m there was a very worn Red Admiral and an even more worn Painted Lady there.

Marie O’Shaughnessy saw a fresh-looking Painted Lady on the ramp to the water at McIntyre reservoir, September 5.  She also saw a Common Green Darner, two Paddle-tailed Darners, a Cardinal Meadowhawk and a male Variegated Meadowhawk, shown below.

Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum
(Odo.: Libellulidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  The caterpillar shown below was found along the railway line north of Cowichan Station in June.  The adult moth emerged from its pupa yesterday, September 5.  The larval foodplant was Geum macrophyllum.

Xylena curvimacula (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

Xylena curvimacula (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

2023 September 5

   At McIntyre reservoir on September 2,  Marie O’Shaughnessy saw:
1 Common Green Darner
1 Blue-eyed Darner
4 Paddle-tailed Darners (including two in cop.)
4 Blue Dashers
1 Cardinal Meadowhawk
4 Woodland Skippers
3 Cabbage Whites

  Paddle-tailed Darners Aeshna palmata (Odo.: Aeshnidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

Here are some photographs taken by Ian Cooper on September  1 by the *E&N Trail, @Colquitz River Park in Saanich and along the #Galloping Goose Trail in View Royal.

#Araneus diadematus   (Ara.: Araneidae)   Ian Cooper

*Harmonia axyridis (Col.: Coccinellidae)   Ian Cooper

*Unidentified Harvestman (Opi.: Phalangiidae)   Ian Cooper

@ Porcellio scaber (Isopoda: Porcellionidae)   Ian Cooper

#Tiny (2mm) linyphiid spider (Ara.: Linyphiidae)   Ian Cooper

 * Banasa dimiata (Hem.: Pentatomidae)   Ian Cooper