2017 May 7 morning

   Annie Pang sends a photograph of a pair of Harmonia axyridis not wasting any time.  This is a very variable species of ladybird, but the black W on the pronotum identifies it as this species.

Harmonia axyridis (Col.: Coccinellidae)   Annie Pang

Mike Yip writes:  Butterflies are still scarce around Nanoose Bay, but I did see a few Sara Orangetips, Western Spring Azures, and Western Brown Elfins. A surprise find was a Hoary (“Zephyr”) Comma at Cross Road – they are usually at higher elevations and Cross Road is probably less than 50 m.

Hoary (“Zephyr”) Comma Polygonia gracilis zephyrus (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mike Yip

   Annie Pang sends two spider pictures, and we thank Robb Bennett for his comments and identifications.

Of the first picture, Robb comments: Young orb-weavers / garden spiders, starting to disperse.  They have overwintered in an egg case hidden away somewhere last fall by their dear departed mother.  Likely your spiders are young of Araneus diadematus – a species introduced years ago from Europe and one of the most common orb-weavers in southeastern BC.  Could also be one of our native orb weavers — I can’t tell them apart as juveniles.

Of the second, he comments:  That’s another introduced species — a female [you can clearly see her epigynum (mating apparatus) on her abdomen] giant house spider.  Now Eratigena atrica, formerly Tegenaria duellica.

Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae)  Annie Pang

Eratigena atrica (Ara.: Agelenidae)  Annie Pang

 Ken Vaughan sends more pictures from Beaver Lake Ponds, April 6.

Leafhopper Hordnia atropunctata (Hem.: Cicadellidae)  Ken Vaughan

Midge (Dip.: Chironomidae)   Ken Vaughan

Ellychnia hatchi (Col.: Lampyridae)  Ken Vaughan

Silver-spotted Tiger Moth Lophocampa argentata (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)

Ken Vaughan

Jeremy Tatum comments:  Unusual foodplant.  Not sure what it is – Thimbleberry, maybe – but the caterpillar seems to be enjoying it anyway.  Usual foodplant is Douglas Fir.

Ken Found the moth below at his home this morning.

Cyclophora dataria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Ken Vaughan

  Gordon Hart writes:  On May 4 I thought I would check the Pike Lake Substation pond area past the yellow gate. There were lots of  Western Spring Azures, at least 20,  two Sara Orangetips, a Painted Lady, and a fresh Two-banded Grizzled Skipper nectaring on wild strawberry.  [Jeremy comments:  Interesting – that’s also the larval foodplant.]  A Propertius Duskywing flew off before I had a proper look I also attach a picture of a click beetle I saw at Francis/King Park.

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Gordon Hart

Two-banded Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus ruralis (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Gordon Hart

Click beetle Selatosomus suckleyi (Col.: Elateridae) Gordon Hart