2024 July 24

Jeff Gaskin writes:   Yesterday, July 23, Kirsten Mills and I saw eight species of dragonflies at the south end of Beaver Lake and at the retriever ponds.  Included among that number were firsts of the year for me.   1 Striped Meadowhawk, which Kirsten photographed, and 6 or so Paddle-tailed Darners.  Also, seen were a Four-spotted Skimmer, a Common Green Darner, 2 or 3 Black Saddlebags, and several Blue-eyed Darners, Blue Dashers, and Western Pondhawks.

Earlier in the day I saw my first of the year Pine White at Viaduct Flats.

Jeremy Tatum writes:  The Beaver Lake ponds are an excellent locality for dragonflies.  So far this year no one has yet reported a Dot-tailed Whiteface.  Jeff’s Pine White is the first reported this year.  So far, still no Purplish Copper.  Also, amazingly, only one Woodland Skipper – at Cowichan Station; none near Victoria.  And only one Grey Hairstreak this year.

Here is Kirsten’s photograph referred to by Jeff:

Striped Meadowhawk Sympetrum pallipes  (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Kirsten Mills

Jeremy Tatum writes:  This moth was at my Saanich apartment building this morning, July 24:

Neoalcis californiaria  (Lep.:  Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

The following five photographs were taken by Ian Cooper on July 16 and 17.  All were feeding on a lush stand of Fennel flowers growing at the corner of Esquimalt Road and Mary Street in Vic West, adjacent to the E&N Trail.  The first three show some of the great variety of forms of the Asian Lady Beetle – but don’t get them confused with the Seven-spotted Lady Beetle in the fourth photograph!

Asian Lady Beetle – Harmonia axyridis (Col.: Coccinellidae)   Ian Cooper

Asian Lady Beetle – Harmonia axyridis (Col.: Coccinellidae)   Ian Cooper

Asian Lady Beetle – Harmonia axyridis (Col.: Coccinellidae)   Ian Cooper

Seven-spotted Lady Beetle – Coccinella septempunctata (Col.: Coccinellidae)   Ian Cooper

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