May 16 morning
2016 May 16
Annie Pang sends a photograph of the European Paper Wasp from Gorge Park, May 11. For the interest of those who, like me, originally hailed from the UK and you are wondering if you remember this wasp from the “old country” – no, I am pretty sure you do not. It occurs in Europe, but not, I think, in the British Isles.
European Paper Wasp Polistes dominula (Hym.: Vespidae) Annie Pang
Aziza Cooper sends a photograph of a bunch of young spiderlings, which I thought might be a challenge to our spider expert, Robb Bennett. Not a bit of it! Robb writes: Hatchling araneids (probably Araneus diadematus) getting ready to disperse. They would have overwintered as eggs.
Probably Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae) Aziza Cooper
Jeremy Tatum sends a photograph of a snout moth Hypena californica. That’s “snout” with a small s, because all of the Hypena genus are “snouts”. The caterpillar, which was found near Blenkinsop Lake on Stinging Nettle, was shown on April 29, when the exact species was not known. I have now labelled it californica.
Snout moth Hypena californica (Lep.: Erebidae – Hypeninae) Jeremy Tatum
Annie Pang sends a photograph of another nettle-feeder – Udea profundalis – from Gorge Park, May 15.
Udea profundalis (Lep.: Crambidae)Annie Pang
Libby Avis sends some photographs. First is a pretty micro, Eucosma amphorana, determined by Dave Holden. This one was at Piper’s Lagoon, Nanaimo, April 1. Libby writes that there were a lot of them in small woody debris at the tideline.
Eucosma amphorana (Lep.: Tortricidae) Libby Avis
Next, two close-ups of the caterpillar of Mesoleuca gratulata, from Thimbleberry at McLean Mill, Alberni Valley, May 14.
Mesoleuca gratulata (Lep.: Geometridae) Libby Avis
Mesoleuca gratulata (Lep.: Geometridae) Libby Avis
Viewers will have noted how often I have appealed on this site for help in identifying bees. Well, don’t be too hasty in identifying the following. It is not a bee – it is a moth, and, we believe, quite a rare one on Vancouver Island. Photographed by Rick Avis in their Port Alberni garden.
Proserpinus flavofasciata (Lep.: Sphingidae) Rick Avis
Proserpinus flavofasciata (Lep.: Sphingidae) Rick Avis
Marie O’Shaughnessy sends photographs of butterflies from the Mount Tolmie reservoir, May 13. First is a California Tortoiseshell.
California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)Marie O’Shaughnessy
Next is a West Coast Lady.
West Coast Lady Vanessa annabella (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy
And last is, I think, the mystery butterfly that I (Jeremy Tatum) have been mentioning recently from Mount Tolmie. Now that I can have a good look at it from Marie’s photograph, I believe it is not such a mystery after all, but it is in fact just a common or garden Painted Lady. If anyone thinks maybe not, let us know.
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy
Jeremy Tatum writes: I still haven’t quite caught up. There are still a few photographs and observations in the queue. I’ll get them posted a.s.a.p!