2018 February 6

   Jeremy Gatten writes: I will start off by saying that I don’t have any photos available at this exact moment, but I have photos on my camera at home.  [Jeremy Tatum writes: We look forward to seeing some!]

   Jeremy G continues: So… what’s on the wing these days?  Well, I think that the generally miserable conditions have at least been mild, so more moths are about than I expected.  A trip out to the legendary Hans Helgesen Elementary School in Metchosin yielded: ~5 Eupithecia [annulata], 2 Phigalia plumogeraria, 1 Hydriomena manzanita, 3 Hydriomena nubilofasciata, ~6 Egira hiemalis, possibly 1 Lithophane baileyi, and 1 Lithophane georgii. Additionally, there was a micro that I photographed but have no idea what it is or where to start. The Metchosin Community Hall also had quite a few Egira hiemalis and Phigalia plumogeraria.

   At my place in Saanichton last night, I had 1 Hypena californica, 2 Egira hiemalis, and 1 Homoglaea dives.

   I believe the Homoglaea dives was new for me, so let’s hope this warm weather will result in a few more interesting moths being found!

   Here is a spider found by Rick and Libby Avis in Port Alberni on February 2.  We are indebted to Dr Robb Bennett for identifying it as a male Steatoda grossa.

Male Steatoda grossa (Ara.: Theridiidae)  Libby Avis

2018 February 5

   Libby Avis forwards to us an exciting message from Greg Pohl:

Hi all;

My co-authors and I are thrilled to announce the publication of our checklist of the Lepidoptera of Canada and Alaska. It’s available as a free PDF download, or to buy as a hardcover book. Here is the link:

https://books.pensoft.net/book/13218/annotated-checklist-of-the-moths-and-butterflies-lepidoptera-of-canada-and-alaska

 sincerely,

Greg Pohl and co-authors:

JF Landry

Chris Schmidt

Don Lafontaine

Jim Troubridge

Doug Macaulay

Erik van Nieukerken

Jeremy deWaard

Jason Dombroskie

John Klymko

Vazrick Nazari

Ken Stead

Scott Gilmore sends photographs of a moth and a beetle from UpperLantzville:

Probably Acleris (maybe schalleriana?) (Lep.: Tortricidae)  Scott Gilmore

Plectrura spinicauda (Col.: Cerambycidae) Scott Gilmore

Plectrura spinicauda (Col.: Cerambycidae) Scott Gilmore

2018 February 2

   Here’s a Tineola bisselliella from Jeremy Tatum’s Saanich apartment building this morning.

Tineola bisselliella (Lep.: Tineidae) Jeremy Tatum

2018 January 26

   Morgan Davies sends photographs of a noctuid/erebid caterpillar from Sidney Island, January 24.  Jeremy Tatum writes:  I don’t know what it is, though I think it is probably the same one as the one illustrated on January 5.

Unknown caterpillar (Lep.: Noctuidae or Erebidae) Morgan Davies

Unknown caterpillar (Lep.: Noctuidae or Erebidae) Morgan Davies

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I found this creature in my Saanich apartment building this morning:

Grey Firebrat Ctenolepisma longicaudata (Thysanura: Lepismatidae)  Jeremy Tatum

2018 January 22

      Thomas Barbin writes:  I’ve got two photos of a Western Black-legged Tick Ixodes pacificus I found on January 16. I actually found it inside my house crawling on a sweater I had worn the day before. I’m assuming it came from the Highlands area.

Western Black-legged Tick Ixodes pacificus (Acari: Ixodidae)  Thomas Barbin

Western Black-legged Tick Ixodes pacificus (Acari: Ixodidae)  Thomas Barbin