2018 May 19 evening

Message from Gordon Hart:

Hello Butterfly Counters,

The May count runs nine days from the third Saturday, May 19, to the fourth Sunday, May 27. You can submit a count anytime over this period, and you can do more than one count, just use a separate form for each count. In the case of repeat counts, or more than one person counting an area, I will take the highest count for each species.

Please use the form at https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?p=33 on the Victoria Natural History Society website .

The count area is the same as the Christmas Bird Count circle (attached). For butterfly identification there are numerous internet sites, but most or all Victoria species are listed on E-Fauna. If you select by photographer, all the photos under James Miskelly’s name are of Victoria species. Here is the link: http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/efauna/photoGallery/Gallery.aspx?gr=showall&pid=175&photographer=miskelly,%20james&specrep=0

A lot of butterflies have been sighted recently, so a look at the Invertalert  (https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?cat=8) will also show you many species flying now.

If you would like a suggestion for an area to count, please send me an email. The weather is finally looking much better this month, so we can hope for a good count.

In addition to the counts, a monthly butterfly walk is held on the first Sunday of each month – the next walk will be on June 3rd. We start at the summit of Mount Tolmie at 1pm, and decide where to go from there. I will send out another reminder near the month-end.

Thank-you for submitting your sightings and happy counting! 

Gordon Hart

Butterfly Count Coordinator

Victoria Natural History Society

Count circle map link:

http://christmasbirdcount.ca/bcvi/CBCMaps.html#VictoriaMap

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  A Spotted Tiger Moth emerged yesterday from a cocoon made by a caterpillar last year:

Spotted Tiger Moth Lophocampa maculata (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Jeremy Tatum

2018 May 19

    Jochen Möhr writes from Metchosin:  Yesterday morning at the moth light, I found

5 Melanolophia imitata, 2 Tyria jacobaeae, and one each of Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli, Perizoma curvilinea, Lophocampa maculata as well as two which I could not identify.  (Not to worry – Libby Avis has done that for us – see photographs below.)

Spotted Tiger Moth Lophocampa maculata (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae) Jochen Möhr

Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli  (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr

Perizoma curvilinea (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Peppered Moth Biston betularia (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Agrotis obliqua (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

  Libby Avis writes from Port Alberni:  Have had a fair amount of moth activity this week, including two Hyalophora euryalus , one male and one female which showed up the day after Moralea saw hers (see May 12). Have attached three others from yesterday morning: Anavitrinella pampinaria, Metarranthis duaria and Spiramater lutra.

Anavitrinella pampinaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Libby Avis

Metarranthis duaria (Lep.: Geometridae) Libby Avis

Spiramater lutra (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Libby Avis

   Libby also sends photographs of a caterpillar that she found on an ornamental birch tree in her yard.

Common Emerald Hemithea aestivaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Libby Avis

Common Emerald Hemithea aestivaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Libby Avis

2018 May 18 evening

   Mike Yip writes from Nanoose Bay: Yesterday, when I was photographing a Western Brown Elfin in the rhododendron bush, a Cedar Hairstreak landed in the nearby osier dogwood.  It also nectared on the holly tree.  Western Spring Azures are also common in the yard as are the black and yellow bumble bees.  The Western Tailed Blue was on Cross Road where the Arctic Skipper is still nectaring on the vetch.

Western Tailed Blue Everes amyntula (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Mike Yip

Western Spring Azure Celastrina echo (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Mike Yip

Western Brown Elfin Incisalia iroides (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Mike Yip

Cedar Hairstreak Mitoura rosneri  (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Mike Yip

Bombus vosnesenskii (Hym.: Apidae)  Mike Yip

  Thanks to Annie Pang for identifying the bee for us.

Lots more in the queue – but will have to wait until tomorrow!   And maybe not first thing in the morning – I’ll be up in the wee hours watching Harry and Meghan.     Jeremy

2018 May 18 morning

   Annie Pang sends a photograph of a syrphid maggot found on a lettuce.  These maggots feed upon aphids.

Syrphid maggot (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Annie Pang

   Annie also sends a photograph of a Cabbage White.

Cabbage White Pieris rapae (Lep.: Pieridae)  Annie Pang

   Tracey Mellor sends a photograph of a Catocala caterpillar shortly before pupation looking for somewhere to bury itself and pupate.  It is most likely our commonest species, the oak-feeder C. aholibah.

Catocala sp. (probably aholibah) (Lep.: Erebidae – Catocalinae)  Tracey Mellor

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I reared a small caterpillar from Indian Plum. The adult moth emerged a few days ago, and it was so featureless that I didn’t think it could be identified.  No problem for Jason J. Dombroskie, who kindly identified it for us as Argyrotaenia franciscana.

Argyrotaenia franciscana (Lep.: Tortricidae)  Jeremy Tatum

   Sonia Voicescu reports the following from Rithet’s Bog, May 16: 6 Western Spring Azures, 6 Cabbage Whites and 21 (yes, that’s 21!) Ringlets.  It’s good to know that the Ringlets are doing so well at Rithet’s Bog and at Island View Beach.  Will someone check Layritz Park and Quick’s Bottom? 

Western Spring Azures Celastrina echo (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Sonia Voicescu

Western Spring Azures Celastrina echo (Lep.: Lycaenidae) 

Sonia Voicescu

Coenonympha tullia (Lep.:  Nymphalidae – Satyrinae)  Sonia Voicescu

2018 May 17 evening

   Nathan Fisk sends a photograph of a colourful bee, kindly identified for us by Sean McCann as either Agapostemon or Augochlora.

Agapostemon or Augochlora (Hym.: Halictidae)   Nathan Fisk

   Jeff Gaskin writes:  Yesterday evening, May 16, on Christmas Hill I saw 1 Propertius Duskywing, and 3 Painted Ladies on the southern peak.

   Kirsten Mills writes:   I had this Pale Tiger Swallowtail by the reservoir on Mount Tolmie today around noon. There was also a Painted Lady.

Pale Tiger Swallowtail Papilio eurymedon (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Kirsten Mills

    Annie Pang sends a photograph of a Cedar Hairstreak  from Gorge Park on May 4 – a different, and much fresher – individual from the one shown on May 3.  Annie says:  “ I  know they are still on the wing in Metchosin and probably in Gorge Park as well”.   Jeremy Tatum says:  “I don’t think I’m ready to use the name ’Callophrys gryneus’ for this butterfly yet!”

Cedar Hairstreak Mitoura rosneri (Lep.:  Lycaenidae)  Annie Pang