INVERTEBRATE ALERT
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.

November 30

2016 November 30

 

   Some winter moths are obviously Operophtera brumata;  others are obviously O. bruceata.  Quite often they are “I’m not sure”.  The photograph below, taken in Saanich today, is a clear undoubted Operophtera brumata.  Annie Pang’s photograph on the November 24 posting comes in the “I’m not sure” category.  We now want an undoubted O. bruceata, and some reliable way of distinguishing the species.

 European Winter Moth   Operophtera brumata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

 

   Now some more remarkable photographs by Thomas Barbin – with luck there’ll be a few more tomorrow.

 

   First, four photographs of caterpillars (two individuals) of the Barberry Geometer moth, feeding on Mahonia in the Highlands, November 26. 

 Barberry Geometer Coryphista meadii (Lep.: Geometridae)  Thomas Barbin

 

Barberry Geometer Coryphista meadii (Lep.: Geometridae)  Thomas Barbin

 

Barberry Geometer Coryphista meadii (Lep.: Geometridae)  Thomas Barbin

 

Barberry Geometer Coryphista meadii (Lep.: Geometridae)  Thomas Barbin

 

Next, a non-biting midge, from the Highlands, November 26:

 Midge (Dip.: Chironomidae – Orthocladiinae) Thomas Barbin

 

 

Next, a stonefly, from Goldstream Park, November 29: 

 

 

 Stonefly (Plecoptera)  Thomas Barbin