2016 January 23

2015 BUTTERFLY REPORT FOR

SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND

Jeremy Tatum

   This short unofficial report is a summary of butterfly observations made in 2015 within the southern Vancouver Island birdwatching area and submitted to the Victoria Natural History Society’s Invertebrate Alert Website

https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/website/index.php/2014-09-25-19-24-16/2014-09-26-18-35-40/invert2

   I am not planning to produce a printed version, but if anyone would like one, let me know  (jtatum at uvic.ca) and I’ll see what I can do.

   This report does not include the many butterfly observations reported from Vancouver Island in 2015 outside the area described above (for full definition, see any issue of the Annual Bird Report), nor does it include the results of the Monthly Butterfly Counts organized by Aziza Cooper, which cover the area of the Victoria Christmas Bird Count Circle and which are usually published in the March/April issue of the Victoria Naturalist.

  Some species that probably occur within the area but were not reported in 2015 include

Dun Skipper, Clodius Parnassian, Western Tailed Blue,  Common Wood-Nymph, Great Arctic.  We’ll have to look out for these in 2016!

PROPERTIUS DUSKYWING

Erynnis propertius

   First reported on April 5 on Mount Tolmie and on Mount Douglas.  From April 7 onwards they were seen almost daily until April 20 at several locations, particularly on local hills where the larval foodplant, Garry Oak, grows, such as Mount Douglas, Christmas Hill and Observatory Hill. After April 20 sightings started to drop off, but a few were seen during the first week of May on each of the four hills mentioned above.  The last report received was of a few on Mount Tolmie on May 8.

TWO-BANDED GRIZZLED SKIPPER

Pyrgus ruralis

   This tiny butterfly is proving quite difficult to find, and the only report received by Invert Alert during 2015 was one photographed by AC on Camas Hill, April 19.

[Generally butterflies in the genus Pyrgus are called “grizzled” skippers, and those in the genus Carterocephalus are called “chequered” skippers.  Some authors refer to P. ruralis as a “checkered” skipper, which seems an unnecessary complication.]

ESSEX SKIPPER

Thymelicus lineola

   A third-instar caterpillar was found on Reed Canary Grass at Panama Flats on May 14.  The first adult in flight was reported from Uplands Park on June 7.  Seven were seen there five days later.  After that, the butterfly was so numerous in many locations that it became impractical to quote actual numbers, although JG counted 108 in Layritz Park on June 22.  Large numbers continued until mid July, with 10 recorded at Cherry Point on July 14.  Numbers started to drop off after that date, the last report being of a late individual photographed by VG at Island View Beach on August 10.

[This species is also known as the European Skipper, although there are, of course, many species of skipper in Europe, and it seems unnecessary to invent a new name for lineola when it already has a long-established name of Essex Skipper.]

WOODLAND SKIPPER

Ochlodes sylvanoides

    This and the previous species are among our most abundant butterflies and it is therefore a lamentable lapse on behalf of your compiler that he apparently omitted this species in the 2014 Report!  Whereas the Essex Skipper is an introduced European species, the Woodland Skipper is native, and it generally flies a little later than the Essex Skipper, though there is a period when both species may be seen together.   The first report of this species was on June 19.  No further reports were received until July 14.  (Were observers missing them among the abundant Essex Skippers?)   However on July 14 there were numerous reports of many Woodland Skippers from widespread locations, and on July 18 LD estimated about 1200 (yes  –  1200!) on her Lavender plants in Happy Valley Road.   From then until August 30, words being used by observers from many locations were:  lots, 25-30, numerous, several, clouds, clouds, clouds (August 9 – 12), dozens, common (August 30).  There was a rapid drop-off in September, the last being reported by JG on September 11.

WESTERN BRANDED SKIPPER

Hesperia colorado

   This new species was recently separated from the Common Branded Skipper (also called Silver-spotted Skipper) Hesperia comma.  The current wisdom (and I think we need more observations) is that both species occur on Vancouver Island, but the two colonies in our area (Cordova Spit and Camas Hill) are H. colorado.  It is difficult to find, though when seen it is fairly easy to distinguish it from the Woodland Skipper if you get a good view of the underside (which the butterflies do not often allow).  DR found several and photographed one on Cordova Spit on August 3.  Several observers tried to find it in the weeks following this.  Some were successful, some were not, successful dates being August 9 and August 22.  It will be very interesting to find the caterpillar, to see if it differs in any substantial way from that of H. comma.   My guess is that it doesn’t!

ANISE SWALLOWTAIL

Papilio zelicaon

   This formerly common species is now sufficiently uncommon that any sighting is an occasion for excitement.  All sightings reported were:  Two on Christmas Hill, May 2; one on Mount Tolmie, May 3;  one in Uplands Park, June 15;  three on Mount Douglas, June 19; one on Mount Tolmie, July 5.  Then on July 6, JM noted oviposition on Parsley at his farm in Metchosin.  First-instar caterpillars were noted on July 13.  Two were taken by JBT for rearing.  They had pupated by July 29, and the imagines will presumably eclode next year.  [I used these unfamiliar words “imagines” and “eclode” just to see what my computer would do.  It let “imagines” pass without a murmur.  “Imagines” is a four-syllable noun, being the plural of “imago”, meaning the adult insect.   The computer underlined “eclode” as a word or spelling that it couldn’t find in its dictionary.  We used to talk about the “emergence” of a butterfly from its chrysalis, but these days we are supposed to talk about the “eclosion” from the chrysalis, and some entomologists have invented the verb “eclose”.  But this is an incorrect back-formation.  The correct verbal form (if we can’t say “emerge”) would be “eclode”, from the Latin ex claudere.]

WESTERN TIGER SWALLOWTAIL

Papilio rutulus

   This species got off to a slow start, with none reported until May 8, and the next not until May 19, with several observers in May saying that they were seeing more Pale Tiger Swallowtails than Westerns.  However, by about June 6, once they had got going, they really did get going, and were common throughout June and July.  They were seen in many widespread locations, being especially abundant around the top of Mount Tolmie, while on June 26 JG counted 23 along the Galloping Goose Trail between Glen Lake Road and Colwood Corners.  August put an end to the period of abundance, the last adult being reported on August 16.  Several caterpillars were found from June to August, and one late, brown prepupal caterpillar was found by CH in Metchosin as late as September 13.

PALE TIGER SWALLOWTAIL

Papilio eurymedon

   Sightings from April 19 to July 5.  None reported after that date.  Several reported during the first half of May when Western Tiger Swallowtails were scarce. On May 5,  JG spotted five at Colwood Corners, and on May 8 GH reported 8 from his Highlands home.  On June 7 RJ reported 8 at Otter Point, and several more in Sooke.  On June 26 JG counted 7 along the Galloping Goose Trail between Glen Lake Road and Colwood Corners.

[Some authors call this the “Pale Swallowtail”, omitting the word “Tiger”.   The five Canadian species of tiger swallowtail in the subgenus Pterourus are obviously very closely related (indeed difficult to distinguish) and not at all close to the machaon group, so it seems strange to omit the word “tiger” from one member of the group.]

PINE WHITE

Neophasia menapia

   The first sighting was of six on Observatory Hill on July 1, which I believe to be an unusually early date, though these were quickly followed up by several additional sightings during the next seven days at several locations (Highlands, Spectacle Lake, Elk Lake, University of Victoria.  No huge numbers reported, though they were said to be all over the Beecher Bay area on August 18.  The last sighting was one at Aylard Farm on September 26.

MARGINED WHITE

Pieris marginalis

   Several seen at the usual location along the railway line north of Cowichan Station, June 23, nectaring on Herb Robert Geranium robertianum.

CABBAGE WHITE

Pieris rapae

   Often the Cabbage White is the first butterfly of the year – especially the first that emerges from a pupa, rather than spending the winter as an imago, as some of the nymphalids do.  This year it was beaten to it by a Satyr Comma which appeared on February 14.  February 17 was a good butterfly day, with Cabbage White, Green Comma and Mourning Cloak all being reported.   A second Cabbage White was seen on February 23, and from March 7 onward they were being seen almost every day until mid-October.

One was ovipositing on Sea Rocket Cakile sp. as late as September 23.  One egg was taken for rearing, and the resulting adult butterfly emerged and was released on October 22.  Two additional sightings of adult Cabbage Whites were noted on that date. But it was robbed by a nymphalid of the title of last butterfly of the year to be seen – a Red Admiral on the late date of November 2.

SARA ORANGETIP

Anthocharis sara

   The first report of the year was of three on Mount Douglas on March 12.  No more were reported until March 26, when eight were counted on Observatory Hill, and four the following day on Christmas Hill.  On March 27 a butterfly emerged that had been reared from a first-instar caterpillar found at Munn Road last year.  The adult was released in the same locality.  Sara Orangetips were numerous at many localities throughout April, some noteworthy counts including 15 on Mount Douglas on April 10 and 29 there on April 18.

The last one reported for the season was one on Mount Tolmie on May 3.

PURPLISH COPPER

Lycaena helloides

   The only ones reported to Invert Alert before August were two at Island View Beach on May 19, and two at Prospect Lake Road on June 20.  From August 3 to 27 up to three at a time were seen on several days in the Martindale Valley, Island View Beach and Cordova Spit.  These were the only localities from which the butterfly was reported.  None after August 27.

CEDAR HAIRSTREAK

Mitoura rosneri

   Enthusiasts did well this year in locating and photographing this uncommon and easily-overlooked small brown job in several places.   Records were from April 19 to May 18, one on June 7, and again from July 29 to August 26.  I had thought that this was a single-brooded butterfly, but this temporal distribution of sightings (which is similar to that observed for the known bivoltine Grey Hairstreak (q.v.)) suggests otherwise. I don’t recall ever seeing them before other than in spring. All records are:

April 19, one, Summit Hill

May 2, one, Highlands

May 17,  three, Galloping Goose, Goldstream

May 23, one, Sooke

May 27, one, Highlands

June 7, one Cowichan River

July 29,  one, Highlands

August 1,  one, Highlands

August 4, one, Goldstream campground

August 13, two, Highlands

August 26, one Mount Wells

  It is remarkable that good photographs were obtained for nearly all of these sightings.

WESTERN BROWN ELFIN

Incisalia iroides

    This is the commonest of our “small brown jobs” and adults were well observed from April 5 to May 17, from rural, suburban and urban areas, such as (in no particular order) Government House, Highlands, Munn Road, Camas Hill, Cordova Ridge, Mount Tolmie, Summit Hill, Gorge Road.  A tiny first-instar caterpillar was found at Munn Road, May 22, and another, sitting next to its empty eggshell was found at UVic on May 30.  A third-instar caterpillar was found near Cowichan River, June 7.  All of these were on Salal.  A final instar was found on Ocean Spray at Munn Road on June 27.

[Our butterfly was formerly included under Brown Elfin Incisalia augustinus, although some authors believe that our population is a separate species Incisalia iroides, called variously Western Brown Elfin or just Western Elfin. To add to the confusion, some authors place it, as well as other Incisalia, in the genus Callophrys.]

MOSS’S ELFIN

Incisalia mossii

   A remarkable four were spotted in one day, April 18, on Camas Hill.  The species was also found at Munn Road on April 20, 22 and May 17, and one was spotted at Thetis Lake on April 22.  No caterpillars (which feed on Stonecrop) were reported.

WESTERN PINE ELFIN

Incisalia eryphon

   This is a difficult butterfly to find – but our enthusiasts found some anyway. They are to be found in the vicinity of Lodgepole Pines.  One was spotted near Spectacle Lake on April 18, and two the following day at Camas Hill.  And RJ even managed to photograph one in the Sooke Hills on May 18 and another there on May 23.

GREY HAIRSTREAK

Strymon melinus

   The temporal distribution of this butterfly was similar to that of the Cedar Hairstreak (q. v.), namely from April 16 to May 18, one on June 7, and again from July 1 to August 22. There were about 30 sightings of this beautiful little butterfly.  During a Society field trip to Boas Road near Spectacle Lake on July 5, members saw 10 Grey Hairstreaks in pristine condition nectaring on Pearly Everlasting, which is also one of the principal larval foodplants.

WESTERN SPRING AZURE

Celastrina echo

   This is one of our commonest spring butterflies, and certainly the commonest blue.   Sightings of adults from throughout the area from March 14 to May 29, with words such as “several”, “many”, “clouds” being used frequently from mid-April to mid-May.  No adults were seen after May 29, but caterpillars, on Ocean Spray, were found on June 10 and 13. 

SILVERY BLUE

Glaucopsyche lygdamus

   This formerly fairly common butterfly is now quite scarce within the boundaries of the southern Vancouver Island birdwatching area, and is to be sought on banks of busy highways where lupins grow. One was photographed by MY at Spectacle Lake on May 16.  Others were found at the Colwood turnoff from the Island Highway on May 17 and 21. 

BOISDUVAL’S BLUE

Icaricia icarioides

   DR found a colony of this butterfly at Boas Road, near Spectacle Lake.  AC visited the area on July 4 and found and photographed one there.  None were found on a VNHS field trip the following day.

SATYR COMMA

Polygonia satyrus

   This is the default species of comma in our area, and unidentified commas (not infrequent!) are usually (and probably correctly) passed off as this species.  A Satyr Comma photographed by AN on Salt Spring Island on February 14 was the first butterfly reported to Invert Alert in the year.  There were three more February sightings.  They were seen commonly after that during March and April, although only two were reported in May – May 2 and May 9.  However, caterpillars were evident in many nettle patches at the end of May.  Individual adult butterflies were seen on June 8, 19 and 21.

GREEN COMMA

Polygonia faunus

   All records:

   One seen or photographed in the Highlands, February 17 and 23, and May 2

   One, Munn Road, April 16

It is probably a little more common than these sightings imply, since the comma species are hard to identify with certainty, and some may well be overlooked.

CALIFORNIA TORTOISESHELL

Nymphalis californica

    All sightings reported:

    One on Observatory Hill, Mar 26. 

    Two, Mount Douglas, April 10

   Four, Mount Douglas, April 16

   Two, Mount Tolmie, and five, Mount Douglas, May 3

   “A few” , Mount Tolmie, May 8

   One rather worn on Mount Tolmie, May 14

    This species was one of several nymphalids to be seen on the hilltops in the late afternoons and early evenings – this migratory butterfly is largely an April species in our area.  However, one was found trapped in a greenhouse on June 16.  We are glad to report that it eventually found its way out.

MOURNING CLOAK

Nymphalis antiopa

   While perhaps not quite as numerous as in the previous two years, this was nevertheless another good Mourning Cloak year.  The first sighting was on the early date of February 17 (the same day that that year’s first Green Comma was seen, and just three days after the year’s first butterfly – a Satyr Comma on February 14). Between then and April 19 there were a further ten sightings in ten locations. After that date one or two Mourning Cloaks were among the several nymphalids regularly hilltopping on the Mount Tolmie reservoir until May 18.  In addition to the Mount Tolmie butterflies, Mourning Cloaks were found at an additional five locations during this period.  After May, however, there were just five further reports, the last one being one seen on Tillicum Road on the late date of September 27  –  a week later than the last 2014 sighting.

MILBERT’S TORTOISESHELL

Aglais milberti

   This seems to be rather an uncommon butterfly in our area, any sighting being regarded as an exciting event.  The only adult in flight was reported by G&WA from Christmas Hill on March 27.  A large colony of young caterpillars was found along the Hillman Trail during the Metchosin Bioblitz on June 13.  Six adults arising from these emerged on June 30.   There were no further records.

PAINTED LADY

Vanessa cardui

   There were almost daily reports of one to several Painted Ladies during the period April 14 to August 26, from numerous localities, although the great majority of reports were of hilltopping butterflies in the late afternoon from hills such as Mount Tolmie, Mount Douglas, Christmas Hill, Summit Hill.  Twelve were counted on Mount Douglas on May 3.  After August there were just two reports of adults – one photographed at McIntyre reservoir on September 15, and one photographed in Brighton Avenue on the late date of October 16.  The only caterpillar reported was of one on thistle near Martindale Road on September 18.

WEST COAST LADY

Vanessa annabella

   One or two West Coast Ladies were hilltopping on the Mount Tolmie reservoir from May 7 to July 19, providing excellent photographic opportunities, and being lifers for more than one enthusiast.  Other locations where the species was noted and photographed were Cedar Hill Cross Road, Fort Rodd, Moss Rock Park, and one on Mount Douglas on the late date of August 16.

RED ADMIRAL

Vanessa atalanta

   2015 was an excellent Red Admiral year, with copious sightings from many localities from April 16 to the end of September and even later – one on Christmas Hill on October 1, two on the Mount Tolmie flowering Ivy patch on October 5, and even extending into November, with one photographed by GN at Cattle Point on November 2, for the last butterfly report of the year.  Caterpillars were noted in many nettle patches (Swan Lake, Bow Park, Lochside Drive, Hillman Trail, etc.) from May 28 (first instar) until June 13.  In this period, Red Admiral caterpillars were apparently more numerous than those of the Satyr Comma. Your compiler predicted a bumper fall population of Red Admirals.  However, just as the caterpillars were in their final instar, many of the nettle patches were cut down by local municipalities.  While the predicted bumper crop did not materialize, there were nevertheless still numerous sightings of fresh butterflies during August and September.

FIELD CRESCENT

Phyciodes pratensis

   This is now a scarce butterfly in our area, many of the former colonies having been either destroyed by development or otherwise deserted by the butterflies.  AC visited the known surviving colony at Eddy’s storage facility on Stelly’s Cross Road on June 9, and she found several there and obtained successful photographs.  Subsequent visits were made there by other enthusiasts on June 14 and 19.  Up to four at a time were seen in flight, and further photographs were obtained.

MYLITTA CRESCENT

Phyciodes mylitta

   This is not nearly as common a butterfly in our area as it was 20 years ago, and observers count it as an exciting event to find one.  There were just three sightings reported from our area to Invert Alert during 2015.  One was seen at Cherry Point on July 14, and one was seen at Beecher Bay on August 18 and again on August 30.  All three were photographed.

LORQUIN’S ADMIRAL

Limenitis lorquini

   While this familiar butterfly was common enough in 2015, more than one observer commented that numbers were noticeably down compared with recent years.  The first report of the year was of a caterpillar photographed by AP on May 21.  The first adult in flight was noted on May 21, and there were almost daily sightings until August 25, with one late sighting on September 4.  Reports of more than half-a-dozen at a time included 8 at UVic on June 9; 16 at Cuthbert Holmes Park on June 21;  8 along the Galloping Goose Trails on June 26;  5 on Mount Tolmie and 4 at UVic on July 5;  8 on Happy Valley Road, July 18.

FRITILLARY sp.

Speyeria sp.

  KF photographed a fritillary on Salt Spring Island on July 8.  We are not sure which species it is, so viewers are invited to look at her excellent image in the Invertebrate Alert for that date and let us have your opinion (with reasons!).  The default fritillary in our area is usually taken to be the Hydaspe Fritillary, but on Salt Spring Island it may well be the Zerene Fritillary.

LARGE HEATH  (“Ringlet”)

Coenonympha tullia

   Records from May 13 to September 3.   Nearly all records were from Island View Beach, where it was common, with observers reporting anything from “ten” to “lots”.

The only other location from which records were received was Layritz Park. None were reported from Rithet’s Bog or from Quick’s Bottom, which should be checked in 2016.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

   This report is based on sightings of butterflies in the southern Vancouver Island birdwatching area reported to Invert Alert during 2015.  I am grateful to all who did so.

The butterfly enthusiasts who sent us their records are listed here in completely random order.  I am sure I will have missed out one or two.  Apologies if I did – and do let me know, so that I can add you to the list!

Ann Nightingale                                    Gerry and Wendy Ansell

Val George                                           Gordon and Anne-Marie Hart

Colin Franks                                         Mike and Barbara McGrenere

Jeff Gaskin                                           Me  (Jeremy Tatum)

Aziza Cooper                                       Rick Schortinghuis

Bill Savale                                            Moralea Milne

Nathan Fisk                                          Devon Parker

Barbara Begg                                       Dave Robichaud

Bill Katz                                               Ken Vaughan

Annie Pang                                           Rosemary Jorna

Jochen Moehr                                      Ron Flower

Chris Garrett                                        Marie O’Shaughnessy

Geoffrey Newell                                   Linda Dowling

Mike Yip                                              Richard Rycraft

Anne Murray                                        Cheryl Hoyle

Ren Ferguson