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

2015 October 13

   Jeremy Gatten writes:  The geo you had, Tetracis jubararia (I guess they changed the genus from Synaxis to Tetracis), is the one I have seen loads of on the walls out at Hans Helgesen School.  It is extremely variable with the ground colour ranging from faded margarine yellow to vivid burnt sienna.  For what it’s worth, the walls at Hans Helgesen were much barer today.  Still a few Ceranemota fasciata, a couple of Ennomos magnaria, maybe a half dozen Tetracis jubararia, and a couple of Noctua pronuba.  I forgot to add that I also had one of each Nepytia phantasmaria and Philedia punctomacularia on the 10th.

  Jeremy Tatum writes:  Jeremy Gatten is right on both counts re jubararia.  Synaxis jubararia and Tetracis jubararia are synonyms.  The former has been used for many years, but some modern lists use the latter name.  Previous examples in Invert Alert have used the name Synaxis, which is also the name used in the Index.  Whether I ever have the energy to go through our archival postings and change the name remains to be seen.  Maybe I’ll wait a bit and see what the majority of modern authors are doing.

  Jeremy G also mentions the wide colour variation.  Jeremy T went out to Goldstream this morning, and there were several jubararia there.  Most were of the typical pale yellow or yellowish brown colour, but there was one that was deep, rich reddish brown (perhaps Jeremy G’s “vivid burnt sienna”?).  I photographed it on the chance that it might be another species, but I think it is just an extreme example of jubararia.

Tetracis (also called Synaxis) jubararia (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jeremy Tatum

   Jeremy Tatum found a spider in his bath this morning.  Thanks to Robb Bennett who identified it as Scotophaeus blackwalli.  Robb writes that it is a recently established Old World spider, with BC records so far only in Victoria and Salmon Arm.  This is the third time Robb has identified this species from my Saanich apartment – obviously the centre of its BC distribution!   Lots of Banded Woolly Bears at Panama Flats this morning.  But have we seen the last butterfly of the season?  Let us know if you see any – even a Cabbage White.

Scotophaeus blackwalli (Ara.: Gnaphosidae)   Jeremy Tatum