This blog provides an informal forum for terrestrial invertebrate watchers to post recent sightings of interesting observations in the southern Vancouver Island region. Please send your sightings by email to Jeremy Tatum (tatumjb352@gmail.com). Be sure to include your name, phone number, the species name (common or scientific) of the invertebrate you saw, location, date, and number of individuals. If you have a photograph you are willing to share, please send it along. Click on the title above for an index of past sightings.The index is updated most days.

2024 August 24

2024 August 24

   No Invertebrate Alert was issued on August 23.

Marie O’Shaughnessy sends these five photographs from a trip up to Parksville /Nanaimo area Aug 22, 2024

Western Forktail Ischnura perparva  (Odo.: Coenagrionidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

Spotted Spreadwing  Lestes congener  (Odo.: Lestidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

Paddle-tailed Darner Aeshna palmata  (Odo.: Aeshnidae)   Marie O’Shaughnessy

 

We thank James Miskelly, who writes, of the following two photographs:

The katydid is Conocephalus fasciatus and the grasshopper is a bit ambiguous. I think it’s Melanoplus sanguinipes but without a side view of the hind femora I can’t rule out M. femurrubrum. On Vancouver Island the latter species is only found in salt marsh habitat.

Conocephalus fasciatus  (Odo.: Tettigoniidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

Melanoplus sanguinipes  (Odo.: Acrididae) Marie O’Shaughnessy

       But see further on the identification of this grasshopper on the August 26 posting.