INVERTEBRATE ALERT
This blog provides an informal forum for terrestrial invertebrate watchers to post recent sightings of interesting observations in the southern Vancouver Island region. Please send your sightings by email to Jeremy Tatum (tatumjb352@gmail.com). Be sure to include your name, phone number, the species name (common or scientific) of the invertebrate you saw, location, date, and number of individuals. If you have a photograph you are willing to share, please send it along. Click on the title above for an index of past sightings.The index is updated most days.

March 12

2016 March 12

 

   Nathan Fisk reports that Yellow-faced Bumblebees Bombus vosnesenskii‎ have been slowly emerging to feed on the flowering currants of Fort Rodd.

 

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Yellow-faced Bumblebee Bombus vosnesenskii (Hym.: Apidae)  Nathan Fisk

 

 

March 10

2016 March 10

Rebecca Reader-Lee sends a photograph of Feralia deceptiva, which her sister Emma found on the front door of their house in the North Highlands on March 8. Rebecca says that she is “new” to moths.  I’d say that this is a pretty good start!

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Feralia deceptiva (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Rebecca Reader-Lee

March 9

2016 March 9

   David Allinson writes: This 25mm long caterpillar was photographed January 28, 2016. However, I was surprised to have daily observed 1-5 similar ones (same species) along the road ALL winter long while walking my dog (late November on). Most were about the same size, but some were much smaller.  I saw them on mild days, and usually during sunny breaks after rainfall. Not surprisingly, they were very lethargic in the still cool temperatures (I carefully picked up a few to save them from being run over).  Location is in Metchosin, along Ferncliffe Place, off Happy Valley Road.

  Jeremy Tatum writes:  This is the caterpillar of the Large Yellow Underwing moth.  The caterpillar can be found in most months.  They hide during the day, but now is as good a time as any to find them on grass at night with a flashlight.

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Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba (Lep.: Noctuidae)

David Allinson

 

March 8

2016 March 8

   We just received a late report that Bill Dancer had seen a Mourning Cloak in his garden on Sherwood Drive in the Arbutus area on February 25. 

March 7

2016 March 7

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  The caterpillar season is back!  Here is a second-instar caterpillar of Aseptis adnixa, feeding on young leaves of Oemleria cerasiformis from Lochside trail north of Blenknsop Lake yesterday, March 6.

Aseptis adnixa

Aseptis adnixa  (Lep.: Noctuidae)   Jeremy Tatum