2017 May 26

   The present unaccustomed warm and sunny weather is producing lots of fine photos of invertebrates.

Here is another photo of a young Dot-tailed Whiteface by Gordon Hart.

Dot-tailed Whiteface Leucorrhinia intacta (Odo.: Libellulidae) Gordon Hart

Mike Yip writes from Nanoose Bay:  Butterfly activity was definitely up yesterday (May 25). I was working in the garden when a dark brown medium-small butterfly fluttered in and landed on a rhubarb leaf. I was close enough to see that it was a Propertius Duskywing. Of course, it was gone by the time I got my camera, but it was replaced by a light brown butterfly that landed on a raspberry leaf. It turned out to be a Cedar Hairstreak which allowed one quick photo before darting away. A few minutes later a one-tailed Pale Tiger Swallowtail flew in and started nectaring on the lilacs. Meanwhile Cabbage Whites and Western Spring Azures were common. With all that activity I decided to check Cross Road, which was only 2 km away. As expected the Western Tailed Blues and Western Brown Elfins were at the beginning of the trail and the lone Western Pine Elfin was on the same fern waiting for a mate. The only new butterflies were two first-of-year Grey Hairstreaks.

Mike’s tiger swallowtail below is of interest.  It looks rather too yellow and not white enough for a Pale Tiger Swallowtail, but the width of the black bands and the orange crescent near the tail point to a Pale Tiger rather than to a Western Tiger.  While most of our tiger swallowtails are relatively easily told apart, occasionally we get one that can be puzzling.  We’re going to label this one Pale!

Pale Tiger Swallowtail Papilio eurymedon (Lep.: Papilionidae) Mike Yip

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

Grey Hairstreak Strymon melinus (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Mike Yip

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

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

   Thank you, Sean McCann for identifying the cuckoo bee below.

Cuckoo bee Nomada sp.(Hym.: Apidae – Nomadinae)  Mike Yip

   Daniel Dönnecke writes: While on Hornby Island this last weekend I noticed that there were butterflies out which frequently distracted me from bird watching. There was a swallowtail, many duskywings, an anglewing (comma) and this Western Pine Elfin.

Also while mowing my lawn this afternoon I flushed a small butterfly from a young Sitka Spruce. It landed again and I got a picture of it.  [Jeremy Tatum writes:  This one is a little past its sell-by date.  I am torn between Western Brown Elfin and Cedar Hairstreak.  I would be interested in opinions (with reasons!)]

Western Pine Elfin Incisalia eryphon (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Daniel Dönnecke

Western Brown Elfin?  Cedar Hairstreak?  Opinions, anyone?

Daniel Dönnecke

Two more from Daniel.   Commas are notoriously difficult to identify from upperside alone, but Jeremy Tatum thinks this one is most likely a Green Comma.  Opinions welcome.

 Probably Green Comma Polygonia faunus (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Daniel Dönnecke

Propertius Duskywing Erynnis propertius (Lep.: Hesperiidae) Daniel Dönnecke

Some spider photographs by Dar Churcher from Colwood.   Not sure what the spiderlings are on the first photograph.  They are most likely Araneus diadematus, but they could be another species.

Probably Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae) Dar Churcher

   The following were identified by Sean McCann.

Salticus scenicus (Ara.: Salticidae)  Dar Churcher

Platycryptus californicus (Ara.: Salticidae)

Platycryptus californicus (Ara.: Salticidae) Dar Churcher

Samantha Hatfield sends a photograph of an Anise Swallowtail in the act of ovipositing on some Fennel at Shelbourne and Haultain Streets.

Anise Swallowtail Papilio zelicaon (Lep.: Papilionidae)

Jeremy Tatum writes:  The micro below is probably the same species as the micro shown on May 16.  The caterpillars looked very similar, except that the May 16 one was found and reared on Snowberry, and today’s was found and reared on Stinging Nettle.

Olethreutes glaciana (Lep.: Tortricidae)   Jeremy Tatum

   Val George writes:  Here is a photo of a Four-spotted Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata taken yesterday, May 25, at the Pike Lake Substation off Munn Road.  Also, today, May 26, I saw my first meadowhawk of the season,  a Cardinal Meadowhawk Sympetrum illotum on Thetis Island whilst on a trip with the Cowichan Valley Naturalists.

Four-spotted Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Val George

2017 May 25

   Wylie Thomas found another Cat on the Broom in Uplands Park – doubtless blown off a nearby oak in yesterday’s gale.

Catocala aholibah (Lep.: Erebidae – Catocalinae) Wylie Thomas

  Yesterday Gordon Hart followed a Leptostales rubromarginaria near the Pike Lake substation ponds, and he eventually found it in cop with another individual.  The two were slightly different in coloration, one much paler than the other.  It would be interesting to know if this is sexual dimorphism, or if one were merely more worn than the other.  The immature stages and larval foodplant of this tiny reddish day-flying geometrid are unknown. Gordon’s observation shows that the species is likely to be ovipositing in that area right now.  Here is someone’s chance to make a contribution to knowledge!  If anyone sees one ovipositing, please save the egg – Jeremy Tatum would be eager to rear it.

Leptostales rubromarginaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Gordon Hart

2017 May 24

   Sheryl Falls reports the sighting of a Mylitta Crescent in Nanoose on May 22.  This butterfly doesn’t seem to be as common as it once was, so all sightings are of interest.

Aziza Cooper writes: Yesterday, Monday, May 22 along the railroad tracks from Humpback Road to Goldstream Creek, I observed:

Cabbage White – 5

Propertius Duskywing – 2

Western Spring Azure – 9

Cedar Hairstreak – 3

The Cedar Hairstreaks were at the intersection of the tracks with Goldstream Creek, next to the Water District access road. I’m not sure, but I think the Duskywings may have been the first I’ve ever seen in that location.

I’m also forwarding a photograph of a Carpenter Ant.

Cedar Hairstreak Mitoura rosneri (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Aziza Cooper

Cedar Hairstreak Mitoura rosneri (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Aziza Cooper

Propertius Duskywing Erynnis propertius (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Aziza Cooper

Carpenter Ant Camponotus sp. (Hym.: Formicidae)  Aziza Cooper

Gordon Hart writes: On Monday, May 22, 2017, I saw my first of year Pale Tiger Swallowtail here at home, along with a Painted Lady, Brown Elfin, three Spring Azures, three Cabbage Whites, and a female Green Comma Polygonia faunus.  I have attached a photo of the comma, and a Narcissus Bulb Fly.  Several were heard announcing their presence with a loud buzzing. There are lots of dragonflies around now. I have attached a picture of a female California Darner, and an American Emerald, Cordulia shurtleffii.

[Jeremy Tatum writes:  We have had just one or two reports of Anise and Pale Tiger Swallowtails this year, but not yet a Western Tiger Swallowtail.]

And on May 23 Gordon photographed a Dot-tailed Whiteface at the Pike Lake Substation ponds.

Thanks to Rob Cannings for dragonfly identification!

Narcissus Bulb Fly Merodon equestris (Dip.: Syrphidae) Gordon Hart

California Darner Rhionaeschna californica (Odo.: Aeshnidae) Gordon Hart

 American Emerald Cordulia shurtleffii (Odo.: Corduliidae)  Gordon  Hart

Dot-tailed Whiteface Leucorrhinia intacta (Odo.: Libellulidae) Gordon Hart

 Green Comma Polygonia faunus  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Gordon Hart

Green Comma Polygonia faunus  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Gordon Hart

   Julio Navarro found a caterpillar of Catocala aholibah on some Broom at Uplands Park, May 22.  The foodplant of the caterpillar is oak, so this full-grown caterpillar has finished feeding and is looking for somewhere to pupae.

 Catocala aholibah (Lep.: Erebidae – Catocalinae) Wylie Thomas

Nathan Fisk writes:  Caught this pseudoscorpion at Fort Rodd Hill today. Picking its way through the oak mulch.

False scorpion (Order Pseudoscorpiones) Nathan Fisk

2017 May 23

   Dar Churcher sends two pictures of the jumping spider Phidippus johnsoni from Colwood.  In the second picture notice the small droplets of whitish fluid on the wall below and to the left of the spider.  These droplets were spat out by the spider at a distance, presumably in this case as a defensive measure as the spider felt threatened at the approach of Dar’s close-up camera.

Johnson’s Jumping Spider Phidippus johnsoni (Ara.: Salticidae) Dar Churcher

Johnson’s Jumping Spider Phidippus johnsoni (Ara.: Salticidae)

Dar Churcher

Sheryl Falls reports a sighting of a Cinnabar Moth on May 19 in the Transfer Beach area of Ladysmith.  This is a European moth and it is interesting to know that it has spread as far as Ladysmith.  As a non-native moth, should it be regarded as an invasive pest?  Not necessarily, because its caterpillar is effective in controlling a rather invasive European plant, Ragwort.

Cinnabar Moth Tyria jacobaeae (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae) Sheryl Falls

Bryan Gates sends us a challenge with a photograph of a moth from Saratoga Beach, near Oyster River, May 20.  The moth is rather worn – so much so that Jeremy Tatum gave up on the identification.  However, Libby Avis successfully identified it as a worn specimen of Melanolophia imitata, whose caterpillar feeds on Douglas Fir.  A relatively fresh specimen of this species appeared on this site on April 26.

Melanolophia imitata (Le.: Geometridae)  Bryan Gates

Marie O’Shaughnessy photographed a male Sara Orangetip near “Warbler Alley” on Mount Tolmie on May 18, and a Cedar Hairstreak in the Goldstream Heights area, May 20.

Cedar Hairstreak Mitoura rosneri (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

Mik Yip reports seeing his first swallowtail sp. and comma sp. at Nanoose Bay today.

Jeremy Tatum replies:  Yes, it has been an extraordinarily poor season so far.  I have seen only one comma and no swallowtails of any species, and indeed no Western Tiger Swallowtail has yet been reported to Invert Alert. Mike sends pictures of a bumblebee, probably Bombus melanopygus, though we can’t be absolutely certain.

 Bombus sp. (Hym.: Apidae)  Mike Yip

2017 May 22

   Mike Yip writes from Nanoose Bay:  Western Tailed Blues are finally flying on Cross Road. Saw one on May 20 along with many Western Spring Azures and three Western Pine Elfins.

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

Western Pine Elfin Incisalia eryphon (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Mike Yip

   Mike Yip also sends a picture of a pair of beetles that he found under an old log.  Thanks to Charlene Wood for identifying them for us as a species of woodland ground beetle, genus Pterostichus.

Woodland ground beetle Pterostichus sp. (Col.: Carabidae)  Mike Yip

   Val George writes:  My May butterfly count for Mount Douglas and the surrounding area, conducted yesterday, May 21, produced the following:  18 -20 Cabbage Whites, 10 Western Spring Azures, 8 or 9 Painted Ladies, and 1 Anise Swallowtail.

  Jeremy Tatum writes:  Top pf Mount Tolmie, 5:45 pm.  One Painted Lady on the reservoir, and three near the Jeffery Pine.  One Propertius Duskywing near the entrance to the reservoir.  And lots of Cabbage Whites.

  Dar Churcher sends a photograph of a striking syrphid fly, kindly identified for us by Jeff Skevington as Chrysotoxum sp.   Some of these syrphid flies are very striking in appearance and one would imagine they were easy to identify.  But to be certain, dipterists have to see a structure  known as a calypter or squama close to the base of the wing. A close-up lateral shot of a syrphid might be able to reveal this.

Chrysotoxum sp. (Dip.: Syrphidae) Dar Churcher