2023 September 19

   We are nearing the end of summer – but there are still a few nice moths around.   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I have been asked more than once how to tell whether a moth is a geometrid or a noctuid.  One possible answer, which works most (not all!) of the time, is that geometrids are landscape, while noctuids are portrait.  This is illustrated by these two moths that I photographed today. The first was at my Saanich apartment.  The second was from a caterpillar found on Gumweed at Island View Beach.

Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae)    Jeremy Tatum

Heliothis phloxiphaga (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

Also seen (but not photographed) yesterday, at Swan Lake Nature House, was a Common Emerald Moth.

Val George photographed the moth shown below at his Oak Bay house today.  This is a puzzler.  It is obviously one of the difficult pair Triphosa haesitata / Coryphista meadii  – but which one?!!!  Libby Avis and Jeremy Tatum – after careful examination – agree that it is Coryphista meadii:  1.  Conspicuous dark discal spot.  2.  Fourth tooth on outer margin of hind wing short.  3.  Slightly falcate wingtips.

Libby tells me of another complication:  Coryphista meadii  has had a name change – it is now Rheumaptera meadii.  For consistency with earlier photographs of the species within this site, I label it here with its old name.

Coryphista meadii  (Lep.: Geometridae)  Val George

Jeremy Tatum writes:  I have seen several Banded Woolly Bears recently.  October is their peak month.  They are often abundant at Panama Flats.