2016 July 24

   Annie Pang sends a photograph of a Bald-faced Hornet,

Bald-faced Hornet Dolichovespula maculata (Hym.: Vespidae)  Annie Pang

   Liam Singh writes:  There were three or four Black Saddlebags today at Rathtrevor Park.

Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Liam Singh

Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Liam Singh

   Devon Parker writes:  My Dad and I went for looking for butterflies at Mount Brenton/Mount Hall area near Chemainus today (July 24). We found a total of 104 butterflies comprising 13 different species. I also witnessed a very unusual behaviour of female Clodius Parnassian ovipositing eggs on the leaves of Alder, not Bleeding Heart.

Sightings for the day:
1 Grey Hairstreak
1 Red Admiral
1 Western Sulphur
1 Western Meadow Fritillary
2 Comma sp.
2 Western Tiger Swallowtails
3 Dun Skippers
6 Anna’s Blue
8 Lorquin’s Admiral
12 Clodius Parnassian
13 Mariposa Coppers
15 Blues (most likely all Anna’s)
39 Fritillaries (Speyeria sp.)

Clodius Parnassian Parnassius clodius  (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Devon Parker

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Not many butterflies left in the immediate vicinity of Victoria just now, so it is good to hear that there are still plenty elsewhere on the Island.  My visit to Mount Tolmie at 6:00 this evening was not quite as profitable as Devon’s  to  Mounts Brenton and Mount Hall, but for the record there were two Red Admirals there.