2023 April 11

   Aziza Cooper sends a photograph of the day-flying geometrid moth Epirrhoe plebeculata from Goldstream Heights.   This is a commonly-seen moth at this time of the year, and, writes Jeremy Tatum, I have been trying for years to find its caterpillar.   It is reputed to feed upon Galium, but I am all but certain that this is quite wrong.  Please, then, all keep a look-out for this moth and watch it carefully to see if it oviposits.  I would be very glad to have an egg – with foodplant – to rear it from egg to adult (and then, of course, to release the adult in suitable habitat when it emerges next year).

Epirrhoe plebeculata  (Lep.: Geometridae)  Aziza Cooper

Epirrhoe plebeculata  (Lep.: Geometridae)  Aziza Cooper

Please also all keep a look-out (perhaps in the Munn Road area) for the Moss’s Elfin butterfly.   There have been very few sightings in recent years.

Ian Cooper sends another nice bunch of a variety of creatures from Colquitz River Park.

First, a harvestman, and, for the sharp-eyed, just below it, a small springtail, Orchesella villosa.

Unidentified Harvestman (Opiliones)   Ian Cooper

And now for a closer look at the springtail:

Springtail – Orchesella villosa (Coll.: Orchesellidae)   Ian Cooper

Armadillidium vulgare  (Isopoda:  Armidillidiidae)   Ian Cooper

Common Rough Woodlouse – Porcellio scaber (Isopoda: Porcellionidae)
Ian Cooper

Grey Field Slug – Deroceras reticulatum (Pul.: Agriolimacidae)   Ian Cooper

Believed to be Steatoda bipunctata (Ara.: Theridiidae)   Ian Cooper

Dr Bennett comments: Quite likely Ian is correct on the ID. However, bipunctata is an introduction and there are not many verified records of it yet from our area. I would want to examine the specimen before saying “for sure!”

2024 April 10 morning

Aziza Cooper writes:  April 9, one Western Spring Azure and one Cabbage White were at Fort Rodd Hill Park and one Cabbage White was along Lagoon Road east of Esquimalt Lagoon.

This morning, Jochen Möhr sends photographs of two noctuid moths from Metchosin.  Kindly identified for us by Libby Avis.

Behrensia conchiformis  (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Egira rubrica  (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

2024 April 9

    Ian Cooper sends photographs of a variety of invertebrates, most of which would need specialists to identify them.  If any viewer thinks s/he can help with any of them, please let us know.

Banana Slug Ariolimax columbianus (Pul.: Arionidae)  Ian Cooper

Female linyphiine spider (Ara.:  Linyphiidae – Linyphiinae)  Ian Cooper

Probably Enoplognatha ovata (Ara.: Theridiidae)  Ian Cooper

Crane Fly (Dip.: Tipulidae)  Ian Cooper

Unidentified fly (Diptera)  Ian Cooper

Unidentified fly (Diptera)  Ian Cooper

2024 April 7 morning

Aziza Cooper writes:  On April 6, I saw two Sara Orangetips on the west slope of Mount Douglas, where Glendenning Trail enters the oaks.  On April 5, there was one Mourning Cloak at Red Barn/Tod Creek Flats.

Solar Eclipse
Jeremy Tatum  (retired astronomer)

 There will be a small partial eclipse of the Sun tomorrow, starting at 10:41 am PDT,  maximum at 11:29 am, ending at 12:19 pm.  It will be much smaller than the partial eclipse that we saw last October, but still worth watching.

­How to watch it safely:  It is very dangerous to attempt to look directly at the Sun, with or without sunglasses.  Even expensive polarizing sunglasses, for which you paid hundreds of dollars, are not remotely suitable for protecting your eyes.  The best way (in my opinion the only way) to watch a partial eclipse safely is to do so under the direct supervision of an experienced astronomer.  We are very fortunate here in Victoria, that you can go either to UVic or to the DAO (Dominion Astrophysical Observatory), where there will be lots of astronomers showing the eclipse safely, and I strongly advise people to go to one of these places.

Sorry – I’m not available myself, since I will be visiting at a care home at the time, where I shall be showing the eclipse to residents and staff.

One interesting observation that you can make is to look at the dappled shadow of a leafy broad-leafed tree.  There, you will see hundreds of pinhole images of the partially-eclipsed Sun.