2024 May 23

On May 22, Marie O’Shaughnessy photographed two dragonflies at Outerbridge Park.  First, a California Darner:

 California Darner Rhionaeschna californica  (Odo.: Aeshnidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

   Most of the dragonflies (Anisoptera) that have appeared on this site have belonged to one or other of the two Families Aeshnidae and Libellulidae. Only occasionally is another Family represented.  It is nice, therefore to see the following photograph, by Marie, of a representative of the Corduliidae:

American Emerald  Cordulia shurtleffii  (Odo.: Corduliidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy

American Emerald  Cordulia shurtleffii  (Odo.: Corduliidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy

Jeff Gaskin writes:  There was a Propertius Duskywing on the way up Christmas Hill this morning, May 23.  It was the only butterfly I saw on the hill.

Aziza Cooper writes: Today, May 23, in the Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park on the Townsend’s Trail, I found one Cedar Hairstreak. There were also about 50 Western Spring Azures on the high elevation trails.

Cedar Hairstreak  Callophrys gryneus  (Lep.: Lycaenidae)   Aziza Cooper

   Aziza continues: On May 23, I could not find any butterflies at the lupin site near the Trans Canada overpass at Island Highway and the east end of Atkins Road. Along the Island Highway was one Pale Tiger Swallowtail.

On May 22, about 6 pm on Mount Tolmie, there were two Painted Ladies.

Painted Lady  Vanessa cardui  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Aziza Cooper