2016 June 28
Val George writes: Yesterday, June 27, there were two Milbert’s Tortoiseshells at the summit of Mt Douglas. Attached is a photo of one of them.
Milbert’s Tortoiseshell Aglais milberti (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Val George
Jeremy Tatum writes: Here are two Idaea dimidiata that were resting on window panes at UVic today.
Idaea dimidiata (Lep.: Geometridae) Jeremy Tatum
Idaea dimidiata (Lep.: Geometridae) Jeremy Tatum
2016 June 27
Jeremy Tatum writes: There have been almost no moths at my apartment porch light for a long time, so I am reduced to photographing a harvestman. Some people call them “daddy-long-legs” – although this name is used in different parts of the world for other sorts of arachnid or insect, so it is best to call them harvestmen.
Harvestman Phalangium opilio (Opiliones: Phalangiidae) Jeremy Tatum
Harvestman Phalangium opilio (Opiliones: Phalangiidae) Jeremy Tatum
Jeremy continues: Although there was nothing else near our porch light, I found this assassin bug on the window of my living room in Saanich today. If you see one of these bugs, you would be well advised not to handle it. They have a reputation for being able to give a painful bite.
Assassin bug Zelus tetracanthus (Hem.: Reduviidae) Jeremy Tatum
Val George writes: Attached is a photo of a Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum I took at the Victoria Golf Course, June 26.
Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum (Odo.: Libellulidae) Val George
Aziza Cooper writes: On Sunday, June 26, Moralea Milne and I went to several places looking for butterflies and a moth.
Nanaimo River Road, between 9:30 and 10:30am:
Dun Skipper – 1
Pale Tiger Swallowtail – 1
Sylvan Hairstreak – 1
Grey Hairstreak – 2
Fritillary – possibly Hydaspe – 1
Lorquin’s Admiral – 1
Notch Hill, off Powder Point Rd. in Nanoose
– search for a Grammia moth was unsuccessful
Mount Cokely: Cameron Main to Pass Main to old ski area:
Dun Skipper 1 on lower part of Cameron Main near the Connector
Pale Tiger Swallowtail – 10
Anise Swallowtail – 1
Western Tiger Swallowtail – 5
Comma species – 1 flyby
Fritillary species – 5 flybys
Lorquin’s Admiral – 2
Clodius Parnassian – 7
Silvery Blue
Anna’s Blue
Western Tailed Blue
Sara Orangetip – 6
Persius Duskywing – 1
Arctic Skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon) – 3
Margined White – 3 near the last bridge/trailhead on Pass Main
Total species for the day (including Cabbage White along the highway) – 18
Dun Skipper Euphyes vestris (Lep.: Hesperiidae) Aziza Cooper
Sylvan Hairstreak Satyrium sylvinum (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Aziza Cooper
Lepturobosca chrysocoma (Col.: Cerambycidae) Aziza Cooper
2016 June 25
Annie Pang sends a photograph of a young female Blue-eyed Darner from Gorge Park, June 16. Thanks to Rob Cannings for the identification.
Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor (Odo.: Aeshnidae) Annie Pang
Jeremy Tatum sends a photograph of a caterpillar of Nycteola cinereana from near Blenkinsop Lake. It and its congeners are recognized by the sparse very fine hairs. Usually found on poplar, but this one was on willow.
Nycteola cinereana (Lep.: Nolidae) Jeremy Tatum
Jeremy Tatum writes: Two Red Admirals at the top of Mount Tolmie at 6:30 pm, June 25. He continues: On June 14 and 16 we showed pictures of two species of mite, and I had a clumsy attempt at trying to identify them. They have now been properly identified by acarologist Heather Proctor, to whom I am most grateful. To see the correct identifications, scroll to June 14 and 16.
2016 June 24
Monthly Butterfly Walk. No, it’s not quite yet – it will be on Sunday July 3. We usually meet on the top of Mount Tolmie in the early afternoon, but on July 3 we are meeting there at 10:00 a.m. because we are contemplating going farther afield than usual, maybe Shawnigan Lake or Cowichan. We’ll put a reminder on this site closer to the time, but I thought I’d mention it now because of the change in the meeting time.
Jeff Gaskin reports that a Western Sulphur has been in a private garden in the Prospect Lake area for a week. Also there – a Red Admiral and a Mourning Cloak. Jeff also reports a Red Admiral on the college grounds at Royal Roads today, June 24.
Gordon Hart writes: Even though the weather has not been great, there have been 19 counts submitted so far, with 12 species seen. Numbers are down from May, and several species only have one individual butterfly. After Cabbage Whites, Western Tiger Swallowtails and Lorquin’s Admirals are most common.
Gordon Hart sends a photograph of a Dot-tailed Whiteface from Munn Road.
Dot-tailed Whiteface Leucorrhinia intacta (Odo.: Libellulidae) Gordon Hart
Rosemary Jorna writes: This is the second Pacific Sideband Snail Monadenia fidelis I’ve found on our Kemp Lake Road property in the last week. The cool damp weather must be bringing them out. This one pulled in his “horns“ as I took its photo this afternoon, June 23, 2016.
Pacific Sideband Snail Monadenia fidelis (Pul.: Bradybaenidae) Rosemary Jorna
Mike Yip sends a photograph of two ladybirds (or should that be a gentleman and a lady?) enjoying themselves in his Nanoose Bay potato patch.
2016 June 23
Annie Pang sends a photograph of a Western Pondhawk from Gorge Park, Victoria, June 22.
Western Pondhawk Erythemis collocata (Odo.: Libellulidae) Annie Pang