2015 July 11

   Jeremy Tatum writes:   Here is a caterpillar of a Western Tiger Swallowtail on an Aspen leaf.

Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus (Lep.: Papilionidae) Jeremy Tatum

   Scott Gilmore writes:  I had a quiet moment and managed to go through a few photos from the last few nights. For various reasons I have been able to check my lights in the middle of the night when they were most active so I turned up a few less common (for me) moths. Around 2 a.m. on the night of the heaviest smoke was the busiest I have ever seen my lights with huge numbers of species that I often only see singly. 

  Jeremy Tatum responds:  Scott sent a wonderful bunch of exciting photographs, which I’m going to divide between today and tomorrow!

Pyrausta californicalis (Lep.: Crambidae)  Scott Gilmore

Furcula scolopendrina (Lep.: Notodontidae)  Scott Gilmore

Arched Hooktip Drepana arcuata (Lep.: Drepanidae)  Scott Gilmore

Isomira comstocki (Col.: Tenebrionidae)  Scott Gilmore

European Pine Shoot Moth

Rhyacionia buoliana (Lep.: Tortricidae)

Scott Gilmore

2015 July 10

   Cheryl Hoyle sends a photograph of lovely bluey-green example of Lacinipolia strigicollis  from View Royal, July 9.  Many examples of this moth are the usual mixture of browns and greys that make all noctuids look alike to those who are just starting to study them.  This is an exceptionally strikingly-marked individual, and I certainly didn’t recognize it.  Thanks to Jeremy Gatten for identifying it for us.

Lacinipolia strigicollis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Cheryl Hoyle

2015 July 09

   Cheryl Hoyle sends a photograph of a Sheep Moth caterpillar.   Viewers who see caterpillars of this species should be warned that, if handled, they may give you a nettle-like rash.

Sheep Moth Hemileuca eglanterina (Lep.: Saturniidae)  Cheryl Hoyle

   Jeff Gaskin writes:  Today (July 9) I found another Red Admiral, and this time it was in Gorge Waterway Park at the corner of Tillicum Road and Gorge Road West. There may be quite a few of them around.

   Liam Singh sends photographs of a comma from Mount Cokely Road on June 14.  As is so often the case with commas – particularly when seen away from the immediate area around Victoria – identification of the exact species presents a challenge.  Jeremy Tatum writes that he thinks it is most likely a female Satyr Comma, but that he wouldn’t wager his pension pot on it.  We would welcome opinions (with reasons!).

(Satyr?) Comma Polygonia (satyrus?) (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Liam Singh

(Satyr?) Comma Polygonia (satyrus?) (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Liam Singh

2015 July 6

   Aziza Cooper writes:  Yesterday’s VNHS monthly butterfly walk went to Boas Road near Spectacle Lake. In spite of the smoke obscuring the sky and blocking the sun, the temperature was very warm and the butterflies were active. Six butterfliers found six species:

Grey Hairstreaks – nine on Pearly Everlasting flowers by the side of the road; one more in the clearcut.  [Pearly Everlasting flowers are also a larval foodplant – Jeremy]

Western Tiger Swallowtail – 1

European (Essex) Skipper – 1

Cabbage White – 3

Pine White – 1

Lorquin’s Admiral – 2

We searched for the Boisduval’s Blue, but didn’t see it today. Several very interesting insects were found by Jeremy and photographed by Aziza.

Several of us went on to Spectacle Lake where there were many dragonflies near the swimming beach – Eight-spotted Skimmers and others.

At our meeting place at the top of Mount Tolmie, we saw one Anise Swallowtail. A bonus sighting there was three Black Swifts.  [Birds – not hepialid moths!  Jeremy]

What Aziza doesn’t say is that I don’t think any of us had ever seen so many Grey Hairstreaks all in one day and in pristine condition, and that we found it a huge thrill – Thank you so much Aziza, from all of us!.

Grey Hairstreaks Strymon melinus (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Aziza Cooper

   The next insect is one that we found and photographed just to remind ourselves that we shouldn’t be calling any insect a “bug”.  Beetles, butterflies, wasps, dragonflies are not “bugs”.  The insect in the photograph is a bug – identified by Scott Gilmore as a mirid bug of the genus Lygus.

Lygus sp.  (Hem.: Miridae)    Aziza Cooper

   The next insect is not a bug.  It is in the Order that includes wasps, and my guess (Jeremy Tatum) is that it is an ichneumonid of the genus Rhyssa or a near relative.  It uses its long ovipositor to bore deeply into wood to lay its eggs on wood-boring larvae of other insects. 

Probably Rhyssa or near relative (Hym.: Icheumonidae)  Aziza Cooper

   Nor is this a bug – it is a moth of the Family Pterophoridae.  The best-known moth of this family in our area is Emmelina monodactyla, which looks quite like this one, but my recollection of this moth is that is was rather smaller than Emmelina monodactyla, and probably a different species.  Although it is very visible in the close-up photograph, from any distance its colour seemed to match that of the Pearly Everlasting flowers so well that it was not easy to spot.

Unknown moth (Lep.: Pterophoridae)   Aziza Cooper.

   On the same day, July 5,  Barb McGrenere reports:  At Mount Tolmie this afternoon, Mike and I saw:
Western Tiger Swallowtail 5
Anise Swallowtail  1
Pale Swallowtail  2
Cabbage White  2
Lorquin’s Admiral  6
European (Essex) Skipper  1

Then, at Finnerty Gardens (UVic) we saw:
Western Tiger Swallowtail  4
Lorquin’s Admiral  2
Pine White  1
Cabbage White  5