2023 September 7

Gordon Hart writes:   I attach a photo of a Leaf-cutter Bee, Megachile genus, lifting off from a daisy, at Panama Flats. You can see the large mandibles used to cut circular segments of leaves for its nest. The shutter speed was 1/2500 sec. and still did not stop the wings!

Gordon also shows a photograph of a Bee Fly (Bombyliidae), also from Panama Flats

Leaf-cutter Bee Megachile (Hym.: Megachilidae)  Gordon Hart

Bee Fly, possibly Hemipenthes (Dip.: Bombyliidae)  Gordon Hart

Jeremy Tatum writes:  Here is a photograph of a moth Xestia xanthographa, which flew into my Saanich apartment today.  This is a European moth, which is fairly common and well-established on Vancouver Island.  Its English name is Square-spot Rustic, although, when talking to myself, I have taken to calling it “X x”.

The Western Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar, shown on September 4, has produced the chrysalis shown below.

Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa (Lep.: Noctuidae)
Jeremy Tatum

Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus (Lep.: Papilionidae)
Jeremy Tatum