2023 May 30

     Yet another Mourning Cloak – Jeremy Tatum saw one near the Don Mann yard at Lochside Drive yesterday evening.

Jochen Möhr sends a photograph of a caterpillar of a Silver-spotted Tiger Moth Lophocampa argentata  from Metchosin May 29.

Lophocampa argentata (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)
Jochen Möhr

Marie O’Shaughnessy sends photographs of a Cabbage White and a California Darner from Outerbridge Park, May 29.

Cabbage White Pieris rapae (Lep.: Pieridae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

California Darner Rhionaeschna californica (Odo.: Aeshnidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

2023 May 29

    Ron Flower photographed a Purplish Copper at Goldstream today.   This is good news.  Last year just one was reported during one of the Monthly Butterfly Walks, and no additional reports were received by Invertebrate Alert.

Purplish Copper Lycaena helloides (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Ron Flower

Purplish Copper Lycaena helloides (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Ron Flower

Aziza Cooper sends pictures of a Painted Lady and a West Coast Lady  from Mount Tolmie.

Painted Lady  Vanessa cardui  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Aziza Cooper

West Coast Lady Vanessa annabella (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Aziza Cooper

2023 May 29 morning

    Aziza Cooper writes that yesterday, May 28, on Mount Tolmie, there were:  4 Painted Ladies (two on the reservoir, and two on the road near the Jeffery Pine), 1 West Coast Lady and 1 Red Admiral (all in the genus Vanessa).

Cheryl Hoyle sends a photograph of a Xanthorhoe defensaria from View Royal, May 28.

Xanthorhoe defensaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Cheryl Hoyle

2023 May 28

    Jeff Gaskin writes: A great day for Lorquin’s Admirals.  I saw a total of four today in the Colquitz River/Swan Creek/Hyacinth Park areas.  Plus,  I got an email from Dorothy Chambers saying  that she saw her first Lorquin’s Admirals in Cuthbert Holmes Park today.  I also saw three Mourning Cloaks in different places at Panama Flats this morning.  All sightings were today, May 28.

Jeremy Tatum writes that he had a Mourning Cloak settle on his sleeve for several seconds, and, very briefly, on his head, at Rithet’s Bog today.  We have heard of so many instances of Mourning Cloaks alighting on people that I think we can say that it a fairly regular and distinctive habit of the species.  Jeremy also found a hawk moth egg on willow at Rithet’s Bog:

Smerinthus ophthalmica  (Lep.: Sphingidae)   Jeremy Tatum

Jochen Möhr writes today from Metchosin: I think today I spotted more Swallowtails than Cabbage Whites. At one time I saw three almost simultaneously on the property, where we live, but was only able to record one.

Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus  (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Jochen Möhr

Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus  (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Jochen Möhr

2023 May 27 morning

   Val George tallied Cabbage White 37; Western Tiger Swallowtail 6; Pale Tiger Swallowtail 2; Western Spring Azure 6; Painted Lady 6; Red Admiral 1  on Mount Douglas on May 25.  He photographed a Nadata gibbosa on the wall of his Oak Bay house on May 26.

Nadata gibbosa  (Lep.: Notodontidae)   Val George

Kirsten Mills sends a photograph of a pair of Pacific Forktails from McIntyre Reservoir, May 25, and a Western Pondhawk from Blenkinsop Lake, May 27.  She also reports seven Mourning Cloaks from the Blenkinsop Lake area.

Pacific Forktails Ischnura cervula (Odo.: Coenagrionidae)
Kirsten Mills

Western Pondhawk Erythemis collocata (Odo.: Libellulidae)
Kirsten Mills

Jeff Gaskin writes:  On May 27, at Ocean Boulevard and Lagoon Road, there was a Milbert’s Tortoiseshell.  On Heatherbell Road I saw a Mourning Cloak and at my mom’s home on Wascana Street I saw a second Mourning Cloak.  Adam Ross told me at the Colwood Tim Horton’s that he saw a third Mourning Cloak at Witty’s Lagoon as well as 8 or 9 Western Tiger Swallowtails.   Jeremy Tatum adds yet another Mourning Cloak – one at Maber Flats, May 27.