2015 October 2

October Monthly Butterfly Walk: Scroll down to October 1 posting for details.

Jeff Gaskin writes: Yesterday, October 1, there was a single Red Admiral in crisp condition sunnying itself on the summit of Christmas Hill, around 4:00 p.m.

Jeremy Tatum writes: Now that October is here, most of the woolly bears that we are seeing are Banded Woolly Bears (Isabella Moth Pyrrharctia isabella), but today at Rithet’s Bog I still saw a late woolly bear caterpillar of the Spotted Tiger Moth Lophocampa maculata. The caterpillars of the former are difficult to rear; those of the latter are much easier. Are all furry caterpillars entitled to be called “woolly bears”? I would say no – they must belong to the erebid subfamily Arctiinae. Greek arktos = bear. And how many l’s in woolly? I use two, but I believe that our friends to the south use just one.

Annie Pang sends pictures of a Large Yellow Underwing from her house, September 30.

Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba (Lep.: Noctuidae) Annie Pang

Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba (Lep.: Noctuidae) Annie Pang

Aziza Cooper sends a photograph of a caddisfly on the wooden walkway near the Goldstream Nature House, September 30. Eric LaGasa suggests that this caddisfly looks like a good fit for Limnephilis sp. Aziza also writes: The Tuesday birding group went to Panama Flats and found many Banded Woolly Bear caterpillars, and 3 Cabbage Whites.

Caddisfly. Perhaps Limnephilus sp.  (Tri.: Limnephilidae) Aziza Cooper

Val George asks: What’s this one? It was in my bathroom in Oak Bay yesterday, Oct 1. Jeremy Tatum responds: Oh, dear. It looks as though it has been trying to get out of your bathroom for some time. It is badly battered and has lost many of the scales and hence wing-pattern. I am not sure that I’ll be able to identify it!

Noctuid moth (Lep.: Noctuidae) Val George.