2021 May 23 evening

 

      Moths of the geometrid genus Eupithecia are called “pugs”.  Most of the caterpillars feed on flowers.  Here is one from near Blenkinsop Lake on a flower of Rosa nutkana.  In Klaus Bolte’s 1990 study of 62 species of pugs in Canada, he lists Rosa as the foodplant of only one species:  E. maestosa.  Whether the one in this photograph is this species, we shall have to wait and see.

 

Eupithecia sp. (Lep.: Geometridae)    Jeremy Tatum

 

   Diane Crowther reports seeing a Two-banded (Checkered or Grizzled) Skipper Pyrgus ruralis on May 16, fluttering along along above and landing on the dirt tracks which follow the hydro line near the south border of the Hartland Mountain Bike Park.

 

  Rosemary Jorna reports that she had only a brief hour at the Sooke Potholes on May 21.  She saw 2 Western Spring Azures,  3 or more Pale Tiger Swallowtails and this Mylitta Crescent. The blue posed nicely but the Myllita Cresent led her a merry dance.

 

Western Spring Azure Celastrina echo (Lep.: Lycaenidae)   Rosemary Jorna

 

Mylitta Crescent Phyciodes mylitta (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Rosemary Jorna

 

   The Grizzled Skipper and Mylitta Crescent are nice sightings – these two species are not seen here all that often these days.