2024 March 20

   Happy Nowruz, everyone!

Now that Spring is here, insects are starting to stir, although this syrphid fly photographed yesterday by Aziza Cooper seems to have had a chilly night, for it is covered with dew.

Hover fly (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Aziza Cooper

Jochen Möhr was wondering why we seem to have more butterflies here in suburban Victoria than he sees in the wilds of Metchosin.  We are glad to hear, therefore, that on March 19 Jochen at last saw his first Mourning Cloak of the year on William Head Road.  Unfortunately much too briefly even to attempt to photograph it.  Jeremy Tatum writes:  Well, I haven’t seen a Mourning Cloak yet this year – so Metchosin can’t be all that bad!

2024 March 19

Spring starts at 10:06 pm PDT this evening.

Aziza photographed this Mourning Cloak on the Mount Tolmie reservoir on March 18.

Mourning Cloak  Nymphalis antiopa (Lep. Nymphalidae)  Aziza Cooper

   Aziza writes:  Today, March 19, I saw three Mourning Cloaks – one along the Colquitz Creek path near Marigold Street, one flushed from Conway Road near Interurban Road, and one at the Beaver Lake Riding Ring trails (photograph of this one below).  Two California Tortoiseshells were still on the Mount Tolmie reservoir at 5:30 pm.

Mourning Cloak  Nymphalis antiopa (Lep. Nymphalidae)  Aziza Cooper

Here are more of Ian Cooper’s photographs from this morning at *Colquitz River Park and the #Galloping Goose Trail in View Royal.

* Young Limax maximus (Pul.: Limacidae)  Ian Cooper

* Adult Limax maximus (Pul.: Limacidae)  Ian Cooper

# Eratigena (probably duellica)  (Ara: Agelenidae)  Ian Cooper

# Linyphiid spider, probably Neriene sp. (Ara.: Linyphiidae)  Ian Cooper

*Cross Orb-weaver Araneus diadematus  (Ara.: Araneidae) Ian Cooper

* European Sowbug  Oniscus asellus (Isopoda: Oniscidae)  Ian Cooper

2024 March 18

   Yesterday, Kirsten Mills photographed two of the California Tortoiseshells that were (and still are) on the Mount Tolmie reservoir.

California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)   Kirsten Mills

California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)   Kirsten Mills

Kirsten writes:  I saw two new butterfly species today, March 18, for the year for me. First was a Satyr Comma near Hyacinth Park. The second was a Cabbage White on the corner of Cook Street and Finlayson Road.

Gordon Hart writes, from Highlands:  We have had two Green Commas and one Satyr Comma since Saturday March 16. I have attached pictures which nicely show some differences between the species.

Satyr Comma Polygonia satyrus  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Gordon Hart

Green Comma Polygonia faunus  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Gordon Hart

Green Comma Polygonia faunus  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Gordon Hart

2024 March 17

   These sunny days are bringing out lots of nymphalid butterflies.  On March 17, Aziza Cooper reported a Satyr Comma and two Mourning Cloaks at Swan Lake, and Kirsten Mills reported three Mourning Cloaks and three California Tortoiseshells at the Mount Tolmie reservoir, one of each also seen by Val George.   We also hear of a Milbert’s Tortoiseshell seen by Geoffrey Newell along the cliff at Clover Point on March 16.  Here’s a selection of photographs of some of these butterflies.

Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Kirsten Mills

Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa (Lep.: Nymphalidae)   Aziza Cooper

Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa (Lep.: Nymphalidae)   Aziza Cooper

Satyr Comma Polygonia satyrus  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Aziza Cooper

Satyr Comma Polygonia satyrus  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Aziza Cooper

California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Val George

Yesterday, March 16, Jochen Möhr photographed these two moths at his Metchosin house:

Probably Orthosia praeses  (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Eupithecia ravocostaliata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr