2023 July 18

  There was no Invert Alert for July 17.  Today, I have so much that I probably shan’t get them all in today.  Some may have to wait until tomorrow.  This is a very nice problem to have!

   Marie O’Shaughnessy visited Parksville yesterday and saw and photographed butterflies and dragonflies and damselflies.
Butterflies seen were:
3 Lorquin’s Admirals
2 Western Tiger Swallowtails
5 Cabbage Whites
1 Grey Hairstreak
1 Mylitta Crescent
2 Woodland Skippers

Dragonflies and damselfies were:
3 Common Whitetail
2 Common Green Darner
1 Eight-spotted Skimmer
1 California Darner
many Tule Bluets
several Western and Pacific Forktails

   Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides (Lep.: Hesperiidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

Mylitta Crescent Phyciodes mylitta (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

Western Forktail  Ischnura perparva  (Odo.: Coenagrionidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

Common Whitetail Plathemis lydia  (Odo.: Libellulidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

Common Whitetail Plathemis lydia  (Odo.: Libellulidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

Jeff Gaskin writes: Today, July 18, I found an Anise Swallowtail in the same vacant lot where the Yellow-breasted Chat was being seen – Wilkinson Road at Dunsterville Road.  There are lots of Fennel plants growing there so that’s probably the reason why this swallowtail is there.

Also, a Common Ringlet was at the disc playing fields in Layritz Park and another Mourning Cloak was in Copley Park.

Jeremy Tatum writes:  Yesterday, July 17, I saw eight Western Tiger Swallowtails and one Painted Lady at Highrock Hill in Esquimalt.  Today, an adult Mourning Cloak emerged from its chrysalis – formed by one of the caterpillars from the Cattle Point bunch.  I released it in Playfair Park.

2023 July 16

   Marie O’Shaughnessy writes:  I was in Uplands Park today for a short while looking for butterflies. Since it was too hot, I was on my way out and a Black Saddlebags passed by. It was the only dragonfly I saw.   Butterflies were

2 Lorquin’s Admirals
1 Cabbage White
1 Western Tiger Swallowtail

 Jeremy Tatum responds:  Yes, I looked for butterflies on the UVic campus today, and all I saw were

2 Lorquin’s Admirals
6 Cabbage Whites
3 Western Tiger Swallowtails

Nevertheless, it is still probably worth looking in the late afternoons for hill-topping nymphalids on Mount Tolmie, Mount Douglas, Christmas Hill and Highrock Hill. (Bear Hill and Mount Newton may be too heavily forested, though you never know.)

Here is Marie’s photograph of a Black Saddlebags.

Black Saddlebags Tramia lacerata (Odo.: Libellulidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

2023 July 15

July Butterfly Count
Message from Gordon Hart

Hello, Butterfly Watchers,
The July count period starts Saturday July 15 until Sunday July 23. This is an informal census of butterfly numbers and species in Greater Victoria. The area is defined by the Christmas Bird Count circle, extending from Victoria to Brentwood Bay and Island View Road in Central Saanich, and west to Happy Valley and Triangle Mountain, and Langford Lake and Goldstream areas.

You can submit a count any time over the count period, just use a separate form for each count and location. In the case of repeat or duplicate counts, I will use the higher numbers. To submit counts, please use the form from the VNHS website at https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?p=33
If you have difficulty with the form, just send me an email with the information.
Thank-you for submitting your sightings and good luck with your count.

Gordon

Gordon Hart,
Butterfly Count Coordinator,
Victoria Natural History Society

Gordon also sends pictures of some insects from Maber Flats.

Male Cabbage White Pieris rapae  (Lep.: Pieridae) Gordon Hart

Compare this with Jochen Möhr’s female shown on July 7.  Male has one black spot.  Female has two (one of which is a very close double-spot).

Next is an interesting-looking fly.  If anyone can tell us what it is, please do let us know.  In the meantime, Jeremy Tatum suggests that it may be a member of the Family Pallopteridae.

Unidentified fly (Dip.:  Possibly Pallopteridae)  Gordon Hart

Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula (Odo.: Coenagrionidae)
Gordon Hart

Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula (Odo.: Coenagrionidae)
Gordon Hart

Water Strider  (Hem.: Gerridae)  Gordon Hart

2023 July 14 evening

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I saw my first Woodland Skipper of the year today nectaring on Thyme at Mount View Park, Carey Road.

Aziza Cooper writes: On July 13, I went to km 13.9 at Nanaimo River Road and I saw seven species of butterflies in one hour. It was 3:30 to 4:30 pm and quite hot.

Hydaspe Fritillary – 2
Grey Hairstreak – 1
Mylitta Crescent – 1
Woodland Skipper – 1
Lorquin’s Admiral – 1
Western Tiger Swallowtail – 1
Pale Tiger Swallowtail – 1

At km 12.1, I saw one Hydaspe Fritillary and one Grey Hairstreak.

 Mylitta Crescent Phyciodes mylitta (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Aziza Cooper

Hydaspe Fritillary Speyeria hydaspe  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Aziza Cooper

Hydaspe Fritillary Speyeria hydaspe  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Aziza Cooper

Hydaspe Fritillary Speyeria hydaspe  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Aziza Cooper

Hydaspe Fritillary Speyeria hydaspe  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Aziza Cooper

These fritillaries are nectaring on Dogbane Apocynum, which appears to be a good butterfly attractant,  although accidents can happen (see Dogbane in Lewis Clark’s Wild Flowers of British Columbia.

Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides  (Lep.:  Hesperiidae)  Aziza Cooper

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

Bee Fly Villa sp. (Dip.: Bombyliidae)  Aziza Cooper

Gordon Hart and Jeremy Tatum were both leaning toward Villa for this one.  We are grateful to Dr Jeff Skevington for confirming that it is indeed Villa.

2023 July 14 morning

   Val George  writes:  Two moths (Eulithis xylina and Anania hortulata) from the walls of my Oak Bay house yesterday morning, July 13.  Also, I went to Nanaimo River Road yesterday and saw a Mylitta Crescent.

  Phoenix Moth Eulithis xylina (Lep.: Geometridae) Val George

Small Magpie Moth  Anania hortulata (Lep.: Crambidae)
Val George

Male Mylitta Crescent  Phyciodes mylitta  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Val George

Marie O’Shaughnessy writes:  A quick stop at the top of Mount Tolmie at 6:00 pm July 13 revealed

1 Red Admiral
1 Cabbage White
2 Lorquin’s Admirals
1 West Coast Lady
2 Painted Ladies
1 Tiger Swallowtail

Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

Anise Swallowtail  Papilio zelicaon  (Lep.: Papilionidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

Marie continues:  Dragonfly, Dasher, Damselfly, Black Saddlebags, Skimmer and Bluets were all seen at McIntyre reservoir, July13.

Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis (Odo.: Libellulidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis (Odo.: Libellulidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor  (Odo.: Aeshnidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy