2024 July 12 morning

   Here is a leaf-cutter bee photographed by Ian Cooper:

Leaf-cutter bee.  Probably Megachile sp. (Hym.: Megachilidae)  Ian Cooper

Aziza Cooper writes:  On July 10, at Tod Creek Flats, there were five Cabbage Whites and one Essex Skipper.   On July 11, at Island View Beach, there were two Cabbage Whites and over 50 Essex Skippers. I went north to the base of Saanichton Spit but didn’t see any other butterfly species.  Aziza sends these photographs:

Essex Skipper Thymelicus lineola  (Lep.: Hesperiidae)    Aziza Cooper

Honey Bee  Apis mellifera  (Hym.: Apidae)  Aziza Cooper

Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva (Col.: Cantharidae)  Aziza Cooper
Thanks to Charlene Wood for the identification of this beetle.

Chrysoteuchia topiarius  (Lep.: Crambidae)  Aziza Cooper
Thanks to Libby Avis for the identification of this moth.

Kirsten Mills writes:    Jeff Gaskin  and I  were at Outerbridge Park and McIntyre Road reservoir on July 11 and found the following dragonflies  :   At Outerbridge Park we saw 3 Four-spotted Skimmers, 2 Blue Dashers, 3 Blue-eyed Darners and 2 Cardinal Meadowhawks.   At McIntyre Road reservoir, we saw no fewer than 3 Black Saddlebags,  4 Common Green Darners,  6 Blue Dashers,  9 Eight-spotted Skimmers,  7 Blue-eyed Darners, 8 Western Pondhawks, and 3 Cardinal Meadowhawks.  Also, there were at least 20 Tule Bluets.  Jeff also saw a Common Green Darner as well as Blue-eyed Darners, and Blue Dashers at Swan Lake in the morning.  Kirsten sends these photographs.  Note that the Western Pondhawk is perching flat on he ground – one of its characteristic habits.

Western Pondhawk Erythemis collocata (Odo.: Libellulidae) Kirsten Mills

Four-spotted Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata  (Odo.: Libellulidae) Kirsten Mills

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

Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis  (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Kirsten Mills