2015 October 25

    Rosemary Jorna sends a photograph of a muscid fly from Francis King Park, October 22.  Aziza Cooper sends a photograph of a syrphid fly from her Oak Bay backyard and a meadowhawk  from Observatory Hill. 

Muscid fly. Possibly Helina sp. (Dip.: Muscidae) Rosemary Jorna

Syrphid fly.  Possibly Eristalis sp. (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Aziza Cooper

Meadowhawk Sympetrum sp. (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Aziza Cooper

2015 October 22

   Jeremy Tatum writes:   On September 13 (see posting of that date) I saw a Cabbage White ovipositing on Cakile, and I showed an egg in that posting.  There is great satisfaction in successfully rearing a butterfly from the egg, and the butterfly arising from that egg emerged (ecloded) yesterday. I photographed it indoors (see below) and then released it on the flowering ivy patch on Mount Tolmie, so that it will have plenty of nectar to give it strength as long as this mild fall weather lasts. The caterpillar from Gordon’s broccoli came a little later; it has pupated and I have put the chrysalis away in a cool, dark spot, so Gordon’s butterfly won’t emerge until Spring. 

Cabbage White Pieris rapae (Lep.: Pieridae)   Jeremy Tatum

   There are still a few Cabbage Whites around.  Jeff Gaskin reports one or two in the 100 block of Gorge Road East, today, October 22. Please keep reporting them

   All the same, the season for butterflies and for many other invertebrates is coming to a close and it is time to say

THANK YOU!

to all of you who have contributed to this Invertebrate Alert site this year and a special thanks to Adam Taylor for his technical expertise in keeping the site going. We have been able to show a huge and impressive variety of the wonderful creatures to be seen locally.  Although there will inevitably be fewer to see as the colder months move in, the Invertebrate Alert site will remain open for business, although postings will doubtless no longer be on a daily basis. So continue to watch the site from time to time and let us know whenever you see something of interest. And thank you again for all your fascinating contributions.                                                                    

Jeremy Tatum

2015 October 17

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Here is a latish Yellow Woolly Bear from Martindale Flats today.  There were also several Cabbage Whites still in flight over Martindale Flats. Unlike the Banded Woolly Bear, which spends the winter as a caterpillar and is much in evidence just now, the Yellow Woolly Bear spends the winter as a pupa inside a silken cocoon – so this individual is just a little late. 

Yellow Woolly Bear Spilosoma virginica (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Jeremy Tatum

2015 October 16

   Aziza Cooper writes:  A Painted Lady was on Brighton Avenue near Oliver Street this afternoon, Oct. 15. I think this is the latest Lady I’ve seen.  

   Jeremy Tatum comments:  This is certainly a late date for a Painted Lady, and a nice surprise.  The Painted Lady spends the winter as an adult butterfly, so in principle one might see one in any of the winter months.  However, I don’t know whether any actually survive the winter here in Victoria, or whether they fly south to avoid our winter (mild as ours are).  It is a highly migratory species.  Last year, 2014, there were two October sightings reported to Invertebrate Alert – the latest being October 7.   See the 2015 January 30 posting for a summary of 2014 butterfly sightings reported to Invert Alert.

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Aziza Cooper

   There are still some Cabbage Whites around.  They were reported today (October16) from Lansdowne Road, Cattle Point and McMicking Point.  The caterpillar from Gordon Hart’s broccoli (see October 9 posting) pupated into a nice chrysalis today.

Cabbage White Pieris rapae (Lep.:  Pieridae)  Jeremy Tatum

2015 October 15

  During this sunny spell, there are still a few butterflies around. On October 14-15, Cabbage Whites were reported from Martindale Road, Clover Point, Fort Rodd Hill, Anchorage Road (Esquimalt Lagoon) and McMicking Point (several at the latter location,).  Please keep reporting these (or any other!) butterflies.  There are also dragonflies to be seen, and Aziza Cooper photographed a Cardinal Meadowhawk at McIntyre Reservoir.

Cardinal Meadowhawk Sympetrum illotum (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Aziza Cooper