September 23
2015 September 23
Welcome to autumn! Apologies for no news for a few days – have been having a little computer trouble, but I think I have it organized now.
Jeff Gaskin writes: A Red Admiral flew across Douglas Street and south of Bay Street around 11:30 a.m. on September 21.
Wendy Ansell writes: Today (September 22) Gerry and I saw 3, possibly 4, very fresh Red Admirals by the beach at Aylard Farm, East Sooke Regional Park. There was also 1 Pine White further west along the trail.
Rosemary Jorna sends photographs of Araneus diadematus. This is called the Common Garden Spider – but so are a few other species of spider! This one is a European species. She also sends a photograph of a Drone Fly Eristalis tenax, also a European. Jeremy Tatum writes: The fly bears a sufficient resemblance to a drone Honey Bee that it had me guessing for a while – I wasn’t 100 percent certain whether I was looking at a fly or a bee! Rosemary’s photographs were taken from Broomhill in Otter Point or in Kemp Lake Road.
Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae) Rosemary Jorna
Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae) Rosemary Jorna
Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae) Rosemary Jorna
Drone Fly Eristalis tenax (Dip.: Syrphidae) Rosemary Jorna
Jody Ells sends a photograph of a grasshopper from Saanichton Spit. Can anyone identify it for us?
Grasshopper (Orth.: Acrididae) Jody Wells
Jeremy Tatum writes: Lots of Banded Woolly Bears in the Martindale area today, though more had been trodden on than one would expect by accident. I can’t help wondering if the normal reaction of many humans on seeing a caterpillar is to tread on it – just as the normal reaction to seeing a nice mushroom is to kick it over.