This blog provides an informal forum for terrestrial invertebrate watchers to post recent sightings of interesting observations in the southern Vancouver Island region. Please send your sightings by email to Jeremy Tatum (tatumjb352@gmail.com). Be sure to include your name, phone number, the species name (common or scientific) of the invertebrate you saw, location, date, and number of individuals. If you have a photograph you are willing to share, please send it along. Click on the title above for an index of past sightings.The index is updated most days.

2022 August 30

2022 August 30

   Colias alert!

     Mike McGrenere writes:  I cycled out to the Martindale area in the early afternoon and stopped at McIntyre reservoir. As I walked along the west side of the reservoir, an Orange Sulphur was flying around with Cabbage Whites.

 

   Jochen Möhr photographed these moths at his Metchosin home last night.  Also there, but not photographed, were five Udea profondalis.

 


Spargania magniolata
(Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

 

Spargania magniolata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

 

Xestia xanthographa (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

 

Xestia xanthographa (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

 

 

Xestia xanthographa (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

 

Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.:  Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

 

Ian Cooper photographed this curious creature two nights ago at Colquitz Creek Park.  We do not know for certain what it is, but we assume that it is a bug (Hemiptera) and possibly either an adult or a nymph from the large mirid genus Phytocoris.  If any viewer has an idea, please do let us know.

 

Unidentified bug, possibly Phytocoris sp. (Hem.: Miridae)   Ian Cooper

   Ian photographed the following spiders in the middle of the night last night.

 

Zygiella sp. (Ara.: Araneidae)  Ian Cooper

 

Philodromid spider (Ara.: Philodromidae)

Immature male in the Philodromus/Rhysodromus group of species

Ian Cooper

Male Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae)  Ian Cooper

 

Jody Wells sends a photograph of a Black Saddlebags from Brentwood Bay, today, August 30.

Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata (Odo.: Libellulidae) Jody Wells