2017 May 19

 

From Gordon Hart

 

Hello Butterfly Counters,

The May count runs nine days from the third Saturday, May 20, to the fourth Sunday, May 28. You can submit a count anytime over this period, and you can do more than one count, just use a separate form for each count. In the case of repeat counts, or more than one person counting an area, I will take the highest count for each species.

Please use the form at https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?p=33 on the Victoria Natural History Society website .

The count area is the same as the Christmas Bird Count circle (attached). For butterfly identification there are numerous internet sites, but most or all Victoria species are listed on E-Fauna. If you select by photographer, all the photos under James Miskelly’s name are of Victoria species. Here is the link: http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/efauna/photoGallery/Gallery.aspx?gr=showall&pid=175&photographer=miskelly,%20james&specrep=0

 

If you would like a suggestion for an area to count, please send me an email. The weather is finally looking much better this month, so we can hope for a good count.

In addition to the counts, a monthly butterfly walk is held on the first Sunday of each month – the next walk will be on June 4th. We start at the summit of Mount Tolmie at 1pm, and decide where to go from there. I will send out another reminder that week.

Thank-you for submitting your sightings and happy counting!

 

Gordon Hart

Butterfly Count Coordinator

Victoria Natural History Society

 

Count circle map link:

http://christmasbirdcount.ca/bcvi/CBCMaps.html#VictoriaMap

 

 

 

 

Jeff Gaskin writes:  Today, May 19, I saw my first Cedar Hairstreak of the year at the corner of Obed Avenue. and Wascana Street.  This is in the Gorge community.

 

Jeremy Tatum writes:  One Painted Lady near the Mount Tolmie Jeffery Pine at 4:00 pm today, but nothing on the reservoir.  Warm and sunny afternoon – but is it too late for that now?

 

Dar Churcher sends a photograph of a Zebra Spider with a hapless mayfly, Colwood, April 19.  And Mik Yip sends a photograph of a caddisfly from Nanoose Bay, May 17. We have had only a very few representatives from these Orders (Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera) so far on this site.

 

Salticus scenicus (Ara.: Salticidae) and Callibaetis ferrugineus (Eph.: Baetidae)

Dar Churcher

 

Val George sends a photograph of his first (and Invert Alert’s) Ringlet (Large Heath) of the season, Island View Beach, May 19.