INVERTEBRATE ALERT
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.

2023 June 27

2023 June 27

   Ian Cooper photographed this clearwing moth along the E&N trail in View Royal, June 26.  Thanks to Libby Avis for confirmation of Ian’s identification as Synanthedon bibionipennis.  Libby writes that she saw a lot of them along the Somass Estuary on June 25.

Synanthedon bibionipennis (Lep.: Sesiidae) Ian Cooper

 

Kirsen Mills sends a photograph of a Pacific Forktail and a Cardinal Meadowhawk:

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

 

Cardinal Meadowhawk  Sympetrum illotum  (Odo.: Libellulidae) Kirsten Mills

 

Ian Cooper photographed a colourful spider.  He writes: This extremely fast-moving spider spotted running frantically through the ground vegetation by the E&N Trail was one of the more unusual species I saw on June 26.  Dr Robb Bennett writes: Wow! – one of our most photogenic spiders. One of the species of Castianeira ant mimics. I have trouble telling them apart without a microscope but it’s probably either C. longipalpa or C. walsinghami. They are actually fairly common but often mistaken for ants.

Castianeira longipalpa/walsinghami  (Ara.: Corinnidae)
Ian Cooper