2023 May 15

   Val George writes:  This impressive hawk moth was on the wall of my Oak Bay house this morning,  May 15.

Smerinthus ophthalmica   (Lep.: Sphingidae)   Val George

2023 May 14 evening

   More invertebrates by Ian Cooper photographed along the Galloping Goose Trail in *Saanich and #View Royal on May 09, 10 and 11.

*Soldier beetle  (Col.: Cantharidae)  Ian Cooper

 Lophocampa argentata  (Lep.: Erebidae- Arctiinae)   Ian Cooper

2023 May 14 morning

Jeremy Tatum writes:  There were two moths at my Saanich apartment this morning:

Possibly Eupithecia annulata   (Lep.:  Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

Euthyatira pudens   (Lep.: Drepanidae  – Thyatirinae)   Jeremy Tatum

  Here are some invertebrates photographed by Ian Cooper taken along the Galloping Goose Trail in *Saanich and #View Royal on the afternoon of May 09, 2023.

#Spiderlings, probably Araneus diadematus   (Ara.: Araneidae)   Ian Cooper

#Metaphidippus manni  (Ara.: Salticidae) Ian Cooper

#Tibellus oblongus (Ara.:  Philodromidae)   Ian Cooper

#Crab spider Xysticus  (Ara.: Thomisidae)

with snakefly (Rhaphidioptera)

Ian Cooper

*Harvestman  (Opiliones)   Ian Cooper

*Harvestman  (Opiliones) Ian Cooper

2023 May 13 evening

Some recent invertebrate photographs from Ian Cooper.

Stink bug Chlorochroa sp.   or  Chinavia sp. (Hem.:  Pentatomidae)

   Ian Cooper

Tibellus oblongus (Ara.: Philodromidae)  Ian Cooper

Chaetopsis fulvifrons  (Dip.: Ulidiidae)   Ian Cooper

Coccinella septempunctata (Col.: Coccinellidae)Ian Cooper

Harvestman  (Opiliones) Ian Cooper

Carpenter Ant, Camponotus modoc (Hym.: Formicidae)

 Ian Cooper

Hover Fly   (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Ian Cooper

Mining bee (Hym.: Andrenidae)  Ian Cooper

2023 May 13 morning

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Viewers and contributors will, I hope, forgive me for delays and other deficiencies, while I struggle with a backlog and a few remaining technical problems following the recent “down” of my computer.  It is mostly “up” again now, though there are still a few minor problems.

   Here are some recent moths and a butterfly from Jochen Möhr in Metchosin:

Triphosa haesitata (Lep.: Geometridae)    Jochen Möhr

Hypena decorata (Lep.:  Erebidae – Hypeninae)  Jochen Möhr

Orthosia hibisci  (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Mourning Cloak  Nymphalis antiopa  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Jochen Möhr

   Aziza Cooper writes:   On May 12, at Mount Tolmie about 3 pm, there was a Painted Lady and one Anise Swallowtail, plus a Cabbage White at the rocky summit. I didn’t see
any butterflies on the reservoir.

  Also on May 12, at Blenkinsop / Lochside Trail, there were four Mourning Cloaks, two Commas  [all but certainly Satyr Commas at that location – Jeremy Tatum], two Cabbage Whites and one Western Spring Azure.

 On May 11, at Goldstream day use area, there was one Satyr Comma,  3 Western
Spring Azures. At the campground and railroad track

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

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

Western Spring Azure  Celastrina echo  (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Aziza Cooper

   Gordon Hart writes that on  May 7, he saw one Western Brown Elfin on the Panhandle Trail. We almost stepped on it, but it did not stay around for a photo. Also, many Western Spring Azures.

Jeff Gaskin writes:  Bill Dancer tells me that he saw a Western Tiger Swallowtail in his garden on Sherwood Drive (Arbutus/Queenswood area) last weekend on the 6th or 7th of May.

  Presumably as a result of the recent computer difficulties (now, we hope, over) I missed an earlier contribution from Kirsten Mills.  She writes: On May 2nd I went for a walk on Mount Tolmie. I saw 1 Western Spring Azure, 2 Sara Orangetips, 1 Propertius Duskywing, 1 Mourning Cloak and 1 Western Brown Elfin. Here’s a picture of the Mourning Cloak. Here is also the pictures on May 10th at Mount Tolmie of the Red Admiral and California Tortoiseshell that were there.

Jeremy Tatum remarks:  The damage to the hind wings of the California Tortoiseshell looks like damage caused by a bird’s bill.

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

Red Admiral  Vanessa atalanta  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)   Kirsten Mills

California Tortoiseshell  Nymphalis californica  (Lep.:  Nymphalidae)

 Kirsten Mills