2015 June 11

   On June 10 Scott Gilmore wrote:   A little over two years ago my then five year old son and I went looking for moths for the first time. We were very fortunate to have a White-lined Sphinx sitting near an overnight CFL light and we were quickly hooked to find and learn more about moths and other insects. We have seen a few hundred moth species since then but not a single sphinx since that first day until yesterday morning when we had an Elegant Sphinx (Sphinx perelegans) near the same light.

Sphinx perelegans (Lep.: Sphingidae) Scott Gilmore

   Scott continues on June 11:  There was a second Elegant Sphinx (smaller and not missing a wingtip) at the same light this morning. Also present was a Salt and Pepper Geometer  (also known as Peppered Moth) Biston betularia and a Dark-bordered Granite Digrammia neptaria.

   Aziza Cooper writes:  On Tuesday June 9 about 5pm I explored the field west of West Saanich Road near Eddy’s Self Storage. In a back corner of the field I found four or five Field Crescents. There are a lot of daisies around the edges of the large field and a smaller field at the back of it, but only Cabbage Whites were there. The crescents were all in a small neglected bit off the far left corner of the back field.  There are other undeveloped spots nearby that might have Crescents, if it is possible to search them – if the owners will permit. Eddy’s Self Storage has some daisy patches, and the property to the east does also.

Field Crescent Phyciodes pratensis (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Aziza Cooper

Field Crescent Phyciodes pratensis (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Aziza Cooper

Rosemary Jorna writes:  This dragonfly was on the shrub overhanging the beach at Devonian Park this morning. Several Western Tiger Swallowtails were flying as well as a Cabbage White and one worn Mourning Cloak landing on the beach.

Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor (Odo.: Aeshnidae) Rosemary Jorna

This dragonfly let me get extraordinarily close on the beach at Devonian Park.

Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor (Odo.: Aeshnidae) Rosemary Jorna

Jeremy Tatum writes:  Here are two caterpillars from Bow Park, June 10.

Jeremy Tatum

Behrensia conchiformis (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jeremy Tatum

  2015 June 9

   Bill Katz writes:  We spent a week in Parksville and I checked Rathtrevor Park for moths several times while there.  I think the first two photos show different shades of Idia americalis, and the third photo is Enypia packardata.  A highlight of the week was meeting Libby and Rick Avis for the first time.  

Idia americalis (Lep.: Erebidae – Herminiinae)  Bill Katz

Enypia packardata (Lep.: Geometridae) Bill Katz

   Cheryl Hoyle sends a photograph of a Spotted Tiger Moth from Metchosin – one perhaps a little past the first fresh flush of youth.

Spotted Tiger Moth Lophocampa maculata

(Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)

Cheryl Hoyle

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  On the evening of June 8, at about 7:00 pm, there were lots and lots of Western Tiger Swallowtails flying around the Mount Tolmie reservoir and the summit of the hill.  Also Pale Tiger Swallowtail, Painted and West Coast Ladies, Red and Lorquin’s Admirals, Cabbage White.  The apparent dearth of Western Tigers seems to be over – they have now come into their own. Alas, no Anise Swallowtails – and they used to breed so commonly on Mount Tolmie.  Their food plant was  Lomatium nudicaule –  but that seems to have vanished, too.  There is plenty of Fennel on Mount Tolmie – the Anise caterpillars should like that.

   I visited Swan Lake this morning (June 9), and there are lots of Red Admiral  caterpillars on the several nettle patches there.  Provided that they don’t get zapped by tachinids or braconids, there should be lots of butterflies later in the year.  The door of the Nature House sometimes attracts a few moths.  This morning there were Hemithea aestivaria and Spilosoma virginica.

   Jeff Gaskin writes:  A Red Admiral was seen this morning (June 9) around 10 a.m. on Mystic Lane, which is in Cadboro Bay.  The Tuesday Group spent the morning at UVic afterwards and saw the following species:  10 Western Tiger Swallowtails, 8 Lorquin’s Admirals, 2 Pale Tiger Swallowtails, and 5 Cabbage Whites. At Cadboro Bay there were 3 Cabbage Whites, and 1 Western Tiger Swallowtail.

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  here is a caterpillar found at Munn Road:

Nycteola frigidana (Lep.: Nolidae)  Jeremy Tatum

   More photos tomorrow – nearly caught up!

2015 June 8

    Ken Vaughan writes:    I thought I’d go to the Beaver Lake Ponds early on June 5 and see how things are on the west side of the pond.

Blue Dasher Pachidiplax longipennis (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Ken Vaughan

American Emerald Cordulia shurtleffii  (Odo.: Corduliidae)  Ken Vaughan

   Aziza Cooper writes:  I went to Beacon Hill Park and Government House on June 4. At Beacon Hill Park I saw a Mourning Cloak – the only butterfly I saw there.  There was also the beetle shown below.  Scott Gilmore writes that there are a number of very similar-looking beetles, so without photographs from various angles or having the beetle to look at, he can go no further than Subfamily.  It is in the Subfamily Lepturinae (flowering longhorns) of the Family Cerambycidae.

Flowering longhorn (Col.: Cerambycidae – Lepturinae)  Aziza Cooper

   Aziza continues: At 5:00 pm (June 4) there were four Western Tiger Swallowtails

and a Red Admiral at Government House.

   Jeremy Tatum reports that on June 6 there were several Western Tiger Swallowtails and a Satyr Comma at UVic.  He also sends photographs of the caterpillars of Satyr Comma and Red Admiral.

   We have had very few crustaceans in this site, and the picture below, taken by Rosemary Jorna at Skutz Falls on June 6, is certainly our first crayfish.  Jeremy Tatum writes:  My knowledge of crayfish is close to zero, so my attempt at identification is risky, but this well marked specimen would appear to be a good fit for Pacifastacus leniusculus.

Pacifastacus leniusculus (Decapoda: Astacidae) Rosemary Jorna

   Gordon Hart writes:  I saw this tiny fly today shining in the sun. I think it is a Longlegged Fly, Dolichopodidae, but I don’t know what species.  Jeremy Tatum writes:  I am sure there are experts out there in cyberspace who have devoted their lives to the study of the Dolichopodidae or who at least are more familiar with them than we are.  If any of you are reading this, please help us out with Gordon’s picture!

Long-legged fly (Dip.: Dolichopodidae)  Gordon Hart

   Jeff Gaskin writes:  On June 6 around 6 p.m. June 6, there were two rather worn Red Admirals, 2 or 3 Painted Ladies and 2 Pale Tiger Swallowtails on or near the concrete reservoir on Mount. Tolmie. Also here were several Western Tiger Swallowtails and Lorquin’s Admirals.

   Rosemary Jorna writes:  We visited all the gardens on Sooke’s Secret Garden Tour and there were Pale Tiger Swallowtails in every one but no Western Tigers.  A few whites moving fast, one blue and a Grey Hairstreak. Late in the afternoon we returned to my sister’s home on Kemp Lake Road, Otter Point.  There I photographed a Western Tiger Swallowtail,  a Pale Tiger Swallowtail (there have been 7 or 8 there for days)  and a Cabbage White.

Pale Tiger Swallowtail Papilio eurymedon (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Cabbage White Pieris rapae (Lep.: Pieridae)  Rosemary Jorna

   Val George writes:  Yesterday, June 7, I saw my first European (Essex) Skipper of the year at Uplands Park.  Also there was a Painted Lady and a Milbert’s Tortoiseshell.

   The June 7 Butterfly Walk proved to be quite an adventure along rough logging roads towards Cowichan River, but there were a few interesting finds.  Thus we found a caterpillar of a Western Brown Elfin on a Salal flower.  Aziza Cooper photographed a spider and an unfortunate butterfly (shown below) at the end of Hillcrest Road.  And she and Rick Schortinghuis saw a Cedar Hairstreak along the forest road at Chemainus Park.

Misumena vatia (Ara.: Thomisidae) and Papilio eurymedon (Lep.: Papilionidae)

Aziza Cooper

Rheumaptera hastata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Aziza Cooper

   More photographs to come tomorrow!

2015 June 7

   Sorry I’m posting today’s Invert Alert so early in the day  –  I’m, just off to the monthly Butterfly Walk – at Duncan!

   Ken Vaughan writes:  Had a nice walk around Beaver Lake Ponds on June 4, with two first-of-year-for-me odes.

Male Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis (Odo.:  Libellulidae)  Ken Vaughan

 Ellychnia sp. (Col.: Lampyridae)  Ken Vaughan

Pale Tiger Swallowtail Papilio eurymedon (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Ken Vaughan

Dot-tailed Whiteface Leucorrhinia intacta (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Ken Vaughan

   …and it looks as though Gordon Hart is seeing the same animals!  He sends the following:

Dot-tailed Whiteface Leucorrhinia intacta (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Gordon Hart

Yellow Crab Spider Misumena vatia (Ara.: Thomisiidae) Gordon Hart

   Annie Pang sends a Western Tiger Swallowtail in its typical pose nectaring on Himalayan Blackberry, just like Ken’s Pale Tiger above.

Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Annie Pang

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  On May 17 I posted a photograph of a caterpillar, which I labelled Enargia infumata.  The adult moth from this caterpillar emerged two days ago and it looks as though it might be a different species.  The three (or more?) Enargia species that we have in British Columbia pose an identification problem, and we are working to try to get a certain identification on this one, but for the time being I believe it is most likely Enargia decolor.

Enargia sp. (probably decolor)  (Lep.: Noctuidae)   Jeremy Tatum