2016 July 5
The prepupal Lorquin’s Admiral caterpillar shown in Aziza’s photograph on the July 3 posting has now pupated. Here is the chrysalis.
Lorquin’s Admiral Limenitis lorquini (Lep.: Nymphalidae)Jeremy Tatum
2016 July 4
Butterflies may be a bit scarce in and near Victoria just now, but it is quite another story on Mount Cokely. On June 29 Ron Flower photographed several splendid butterflies, most of which we don’t see here in Victoria. See also Aziza’s June 26 list (June 27 posting).
Western Sulphur Colias occidentalis (Lep.: Pieridae) Ron Flower
Rocky Mountain Parnassian Parnassius smintheus (Lep.: Papilionidae) Ron Flower
Jeremy Gatten writes: I bought extension tubes to get a little closer for macro shots and I am quite happy with the results!
First, I found an interesting wasp, Philanthus crabroniformis, that I learned is a beewolf. The females lay eggs on a bee host and when the carnivorous larvae emerge, they consume it. I found it at Tod Creek Flats behind the Red Barn Market on West Saanich Road.
Next, I had a different bee fly at the old gravel pit off Veteran’s Memorial Parkway near Colwood. Almost all bee flies I encounter locally are Bombylius major, but this one lacks the pattern on the wings and is much more golden. It could be Systoechus oreas. At the same location I had a very exciting find: a large dark spot on a rock turned out to be a Catocala briseis moth!
Philanthus crabroniformis (Hym.: Crabronidae) Jeremy Gatten
Bee fly Probably Systoechus oreas (Dip.: Bibionidae) Jeremy Gatten
Catocala briseis (Lep.: Erebidae – Catocalinae) Jeremy Gatten
2106 July 3
Annie Pang sends a photograph of a Seven-spotted Ladybird seen on July 2.
Seven-spotted Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata (Col.: Coccinellidae) Annie Pang
She also sends photographs of two Essex Skippers – one of the normal form, and the other of the uncommon pale form “pallida” from Cuthbert Holmes Park.
Essex Skipper Thymelicus lineola (Lep.: Hesperiidae) Annie Pang
Essex Skipper Thymelicus lineola f. “pallida” (Lep.: Hesperiidae) Annie Pang
Aziza Cooper writes: Today, Sunday, July 3, three butterfly watchers went to the hydro lines north of Spectacle Lake. The butterflies were very scarce. We found two Lorquin’s Admirals and one Lorquin’s Admiral caterpillar about to pupate. The only other butterfly we saw was one skipper flyby, not identifiable.
The day was quite warm but quite cloudy, and it seems the butterfly season is already coming to a close. We observed 32 species of birds and ate many delicious wild berries. The walk was very pleasant!
Aziza sends a photograph of the Lorquin’s Admiral pre-pupal caterpillar, and also of a fly that landed on Jeff Gaskin’s back-pack. Thanks to Claudia Copley who has tracked it down as a species of Anthrax.
Lorquin’s Admiral Limentis lorquini (Lep.: Nymphalidae)Aziza Cooper
Anthrax sp. (Dip.: Bombyliidae) Aziza Cooper
2016 July 2
Devon Parker writes that he and his Dad went on a hike on June 26 from Spectacle Lake to Oliphant Lake. They found
2 Dun Skippers
1 Clodius Parnassian
4 Lorquin’s Admiral
1 Hydaspe Fritillary
1 flyby fritillary
Jeremy Tatum and Bill Savale visited Muir Creek today, July 2, and saw 2 adult and one caterpillar Red Admirals, as well as the expected Western and Pale Tiger Swallowtails, Lorquin’s Admiral and Essex Skipper.
Rosemary Jorna writes: We were at Peden Lake in the Sooke Hills today July 2 2016. Two Lorquin’s Admirals were flying. Dragonflies and damselflies were out in great numbers and varieties but I only got this shot of a mature male Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis . There were a dozen or more of these males darting about.
Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis (Odo.: Libellulidae) Rosemary Jorna
2016 July 1
Monthly Butterfly Walk. All are welcome. We meet this Sunday, July 3, at 10:00 a.m. (note the change in time), at the top of Mount Tolmie. We usually discuss where we will go when we meet. It is very weather-dependent, of course, and if the weather is bad it may have to be cancelled. But if the weather is good, one possibility is Cowichan Station, to see if we can see the Margined White.
Jeremy Tatum writes: A Satyr Comma ecloded (emerged) this morning from the chrysalis shown on June 21. You can see the empty chrysalis case to the left of the butterfly. This is a female. The underside of the male has a much more “scribbly” pattern, and a thicker, more “ear-shaped” white mark. I released the butterfly this morning on bramble blossom on Lochside Drive north of Blenkinsop Lake. It is the first adult Satyr Comma that I have seen this year.
The interesting photograph below was taken by Andrew Simon. The aphids are being “farmed” by the ants, who enjoy the sweet “honey dew” that the aphids exude. The aphids are said to obtain some advantage from the ants, which protect them from predators. Well, there is a predator at the bottom of the photograph. The pale slug-like creature there is the maggot of a hoverfly (Syrphidae), and these syrphid larvae are among the most voracious predators of aphids. Do you think the ant that is partially straddling the maggot is doing its job?
We have four organisms to identify in the photograph. I think the botanists may agree that the thistle is the Canada Thistle Cirsium canadensis, also known as Cirsium arvense. In spite of its English and scientific names, I believe it is a European invader, and not a native species. I don’t know if we can find anyone to identify the ants or the aphids for us. The fly larva would seem to be even more of a challenge, but Dr Jeff Skevington exceeded my expectations and has gone down to Subfamily level – it’s in the Subfamily Syrphinae.
Ants, aphids, and a syrphine maggot
Ren Ferguson writes, from Salt Spring Island: Attached is a photo of what I think would be a species of fly? Anyway, I have never seen this critter before and was hoping for some help in identifying it. It landed on the railing of our deck here on Salt Spring Island on June 29. That is a large body percentage given over to compound eyes!
Jeremy Tatum responds: I am absolutely and genuinely terrified of tabanid flies, and I experienced that feeling of terror as soon as I saw the photograph, from which I deduce that it is a tabanid fly. Thanks to Claudia Copley for idenifying it as Tabanus punctifer.
