2023 June 26 morning

   Aziza Cooper writes:  On Friday, June 23, at Goldstream railroad tracks, six Lorquin’s Admirals were puddling together, plus four others nearby. Also on June 23, a bee was on purple honeysuckle.   [Jeremy Tatum writes:  We thank Steven Roias for the identification of the bee.]

Lorquin’s Admiral Limenitis lorquini  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Aziza Cooper

Male Bombus mixtus (Hym.: Apidae) Aziza Cooper

Jeremy Tatum shows a female Satyr Comma – from the chrysalis shown on June 16.  The butterfly was released along the Lochside Trail north of Blenkinsop Lake.  With luck you may see it there.

Female Satyr Comma Polygonia satyrus  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Jeremy Tatum

This Green Lacewing was photographed by Ian Cooper on May 28 in View Royal.  We thank Dr Cara Gibson for the identkfication.

Chrysoperla rufilabris  (Neu.: Chrysopidae)   Ian Cooper

2023 June 25

   Ian Cooper sends photographs of a spider and a harvestman from Colquitz River Park, June 21.

Steatoda sp.  (Ara.: Theridiidae)  Ian Cooper

Protolophus sp.  (Opiliones:  Protolophidae)  Ian Cooper

Protolophus sp.  (Opiliones:  Protolophidae)  Ian Cooper

Ian also photographed some creatures from near the 9 km mark along the Galloping Goose Trail, View Royal.  He writes:

This encounter between two pillbugs appears to be either a mating or predatory encounter. Not sure. The darker one was grappling with the lighter one, which was mostly curled up in a defensive ball, but it would also open up somewhat. The encounter was still happening when I returned 10 minutes later.

Common Pillbug  Armadillidium vulgare
(Isopoda:  Armidillidiidae)
Ian Cooper

Common Pillbug  Armadillidium vulgare
(Isopoda:  Armidillidiidae)
Ian Cooper

In the interests of science, Ian allowed this mosquito to land on his left hand while he took a photograph.  There is probably someone on Vancouver Island who can identify this one to species.  Please let us know if that is you.

Mosquito (Dip.: Culicidae)  Ian Cooper

The Squire’s daughter has been foully murdered.

Murdered?  By whom?

By Amos

Amos who?

Amos Quito

Jeremy Tatum spotted these two caterpillars today on a birch tree in the busiest part of the Saanich Centre shopping area.  They are caterpillars of the Vapourer Moth, also known as the Rusty Tussock.   Tussock moths (Lymantriinae) are named from their caterpillars, which bear characteristic tussocks of hair, which look a little like toothbrush bristles.

 Orgyia antiqua (Lep.:  Erebidae – Lymantriinae)  Jeremy Tatum

Orgyia antiqua (Lep.:  Erebidae – Lymantriinae)  Jeremy Tatum

2023 June 25 morning

  Marie O’Shaughnessy spent a productive hour with dragonflies and damselflies at Outerbridge Park, June 23:

Male Tule Bluet Enallagma carunculatum (Odo.: Coenagrionidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

Female Tule Bluet Enallagma carunculatum
(Odo.: Coenagrionidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy
Thanks to Dr Rob Cannings for identifying this one for us.

Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula  (Odo.: Coenagrionidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

Four-spotted Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata
(Odo.: Libellulidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

Cardinal Meadowhawk  Sympetrum illotum (Odo.: Libellulidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy

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

2023 June 24 evening

   On June 22, Val George photographed this Drepanulatrix at his Oak Bay house.  Drepanulatrix  is a difficult genus. Libby Avis and Jeremy Tatum think that it is probably (not 100 percent certain) either D. foeminaria or D. monicaria, but we cannot be more certain than that.

Drepanulatrix (probably foeminaria or monicaria)
(Lep.: Geometridae )
Val George

   Today, Val shows several young hatchling Banasa Stink Bugs on his raspberry canes:

Banasa dimidiata  (Hem.: Pentatomidae)   Val George

   Marie O’Shaughnessy writes about amazing numbers of Sheep Moths in Uplands Park Thursday and Friday this week in one small area. I guess it’s called an “outbreak” – just like a rash.  [Jeremy Tatum inserts:  Yes, I saw large numbers along the Panhandle Trail, too.]  Marie continues: These moths are so rich in colour and great subjects for photography, I can’t resist marvelling at this spectacle.  Plenty of mating going on, though I couldn’t find any ovipositing yesterday among the 40 seen in the 45 minutes that I was there.

 Sheep Moth Hemileuca eglanterina (Lep.: Saturniidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

Sheep Moths Hemileuca eglanterina (Lep.: Saturniidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

Sheep Moth Hemileuca eglanterina (Lep.: Saturniidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

Today, June 24, Jeff Gaskin found 2 Grey Hairstreaks in two separate locations.  One was in front of 950 Mackenzie Avenue near Christmas Hill, and the other was at Rithet’s Bog.  Also, at Rithet’s Bog were 10 European (Essex) Skippers,  1 Cabbage White, 15 Western Tiger Swallowtails, and 39 Lorquin’s Admirals.  Nothing special at Christmas Hill except for 2 Cabbage Whites, 16 Lorquin’s Admirals, and 5 Western Tiger Swallowtails.  Later this afternoon still on June 24, a Painted Lady was in my mom’s backyard in the Burnside/Gorge neighbourhood.

Among the dragonflies I saw, I had Cardinal Meadowhawks at both Christmas Hill and Rithet’s Bog.  An Eight spotted Skimmer and Four spotted Skimmer were at Christmas Hill, as were a surprising number of Blue Dashers.

2023 June 24 morning

   Here is a selection of photographs by Ian Cooper taken June 21 2023 along the E&N and Galloping Goose Trails in View Royal:

Western Blood-red Lady Beetle  Cycloneda polita
(Col.: Coccinellidae)
Ian Cooper

Blue-green Sharpshooter Hordnia atropunctata
(Hem.: Cicadellidae)
Ian Cooper

Blue-green Sharpshooter Hordnia atropunctata
(Hem.: Cicadellidae)
Ian Cooper

Enoplognatha ovata (or latimana) (Ara.: Theridiidae)  Ian Cooper
We are grateful to Catherine Scott for identification of this spider.

Worker Bombus mixtus (Hym.: Apidae)  Ian Cooper
We are grateful to Steven Roias for identification of this bee.

Honey Bee Apis mellifera  (Hym.: Apidae)  Ian Cooper

Marie O’Shaughnessy photographed this Pale Tiger Swallowtail in Uplands Park yesterday afternoon:

Pale Tiger Swallowtail Papilio eurymedon  (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy