2023 July 21

   Cheryl Hoyle photographed two butterflies in Beacon Hill Park, July 20.

Lorquin’s Admiral Limenitis lorquini (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Cheryl Hoyle

Anise Swallowtail Papilio zelicaon (Lep.: Papilionidae)
Cheryl Hoyle

2023 July 20 evening

Below we show a male Rusty Tussock or Vapourer Moth.  The female has no functional wings. The caterpillar from which this moth was reared is shown on July 2.  The insect spent less than three weeks in the pupal stage.  Tussock moths (Lymantriinae) are named for the characteristic tussocks of hairs on the caterpillars.  I don’t know for sure the origin of the name “Vapourer” moth, unless it be for the copious pheromones emitted by the flightless female.

Rusty Tussock or Vapourer  Orgyia antiqua
(Lep.: Erebidae – Lymantriinae)
Jeremy Tatum

2023 July 20

   Here is a Pearly Underwing Moth Peridroma saucia.  The caterpillar was shown on June 28 evening.  The pupal stage lasted only three weeks.

Peridroma saucia (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

Val George writes:  This long-horned beetle (Centrodera spurca) was on the wall of my Oak Bay house yesterday, July19. It was trapped there because one of its hind legs was caught in the spider thread visible in the photo.

Yellow Douglas-fir Borer Centrodera spurca (Col.: Cerambycidae) Val George

Jochen Möhr sends a photograph of a curious moth from Metchosin.  It seems to be a male Malacosoma – but it has none of the usual transverse lines of our two familiar species.  I can only think (writes Jeremy Tatum) that it is an unusual “ab”  (aberration) of one of the two – but which one,  I cannot tell.

Malacosoma sp.  (Lep.: Lasiocampidae)  Jochen Möhr

2023 July 19 evening

Aziza Cooper writes:  On July 16, I visited McIntyre Reservoir and found this dragonfly and moth. I saw about 15 Cabbage Whites and one Western Tiger Swallowtail butterfly.

Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis (Odo.: Libellulidae)
Aziza Cooper

Autographa californica (Lep.: Noctuidae – Plusiinae) Aziza Cooper

Aziza continues:  On July 17, at Mount Tolmie about 6:30 pm, there were four Painted Ladies and one Red Admiral.

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

Red Admiral  Vanessa atalanta  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Aziza Cooper

On July 18, at Island View Beach, Aziza saw an Anise Swallowtail, 3 Western Tiger Swallowtails, and various Cabbage Butterflies and skippers at Island View Beach park. On the First Nations Land there was a Grey Hairstreak and a black and white grasshopper.

For the identification of the grasshopper, we are grateful to James Miskelly, who writes:  This one is Trimerotropis pallidipennis.  They live in dry grasslands in interior BC, but in our area they’re strongly associated with coastal sand.

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

Trimerotropis pallidipennis  (Orth.: Acrididae)  Aziza Cooper

Rose Leaf Gall Diploletis polita  (Hym.: Cynipidae)  Aziza Cooper

On July 19 Aziza reports two Red Admirals, three Painted Ladies, two Anise Swallowtails and a Pale Tiger Swallowtail  from Mount Douglas, and Jeremy Tatum reports two Red Admirals and two Painted Ladies from Mount Tolmie.

Western Tiger Swallowtails  and Lorquin’s Admirals are still being seen generally.

2023 July 19 morning

   Jochen Möhr has photographed several Malacosoma moths in Metchosin.  We have two species; M. californicum and M. disstria.  The caterpillars are quite distinct, but the adult moths can be difficult to distinguish.  I believe (writes Jeremy Tatum) that all five of the moths below may be M. californicum.  However, I have labelled two of them as “Probably” M. californicum,  to indicate that I am not completely certain, and there is a (small) possibility that these may be M. disstria.

Malacosoma californicum  (Lep.: Lasiocampidae)  Jochen Möhr

Malacosoma californicum  (Lep.: Lasiocampidae)  Jochen Möhr

Malacosoma californicum  (Lep.: Lasiocampidae)  Jochen Möhr

Probably Malacosoma californicum  (Lep.: Lasiocampidae)
Jochen Möhr

Probably Malacosoma californicum  (Lep.: Lasiocampidae)
Jochen Möhr

Also shown by Jochen are an upperside and an underside of the White Satin Moth Leucoma salicis.

  Leucoma salicis (Lep.: Erebidae – Lymantriinae)  Jochen Möhr

Leucoma salicis (Lep.: Erebidae – Lymantriinae)  Jochen Möhr

Jochen sends pictures of two more moths, one of which is easy – the other not so!

Macaria lorquinaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

   Libby Avis writes, of the moth below: This moth is a Crambidae, subfamily Scopariinae for sure, but they’re hard to get to species. Most likely a Scoparia or a Eudonia. Best guess (only a guess, not an ID!) is Eudonia commortalis.  [Jeremy Tatum ventures:  Libby is right to be cautious – though her “guess” looks like a pretty good “guess” to me!]

Crambid moth (Lep.: Crambidae – Scopariinae)  Jochen Möhr