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.

June 7 , morning

2017 June 7 morning

 

   Ron Flower sends a photograph of two Field Crescents from Eddy’s storage facility on Stelly’s Cross Road, June 5.

 Field Crescents Phyciodes pratensis (Lep.: Nymphalidae – Melitaeinae)  Ron Flower

 

 

   Jeremy Tatum sends a photograph of Hyphantria cunea from UVic, June 6.  The caterpillar of this moth is the “Fall Webworm”.

 

Hyphantria cunea (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

 

Michael Aronoff sends a picture of Sphinx perelegans  from Salt Spring Island – an uncommon, powerful and spectacular moth.

 Sphinx perelegans (Lep.: Sphingidae)  Michael Aronoff

 

 

   Cheryl Hoyle sends two pictures of the caterpillar of a noctuid moth.  There are too many look-alikes for us to be certain of the exact species.

 

Unknown caterpillar (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Cheryl Hoyle

 

Unknown caterpillar (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Cheryl Hoyle

 

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Yesterday (June 6) at about 4:00 pm I went to the Mount Tolmie reservoir, and there were eight or more tiger swallowtails (both species) flying around and chasing each other and obviously thoroughly enjoying themselves.  It was quite spectacular to watch them.  There were just a couple of Painted Ladies on the reservoir – the nymphalids tend to come a bit later, say half past five or so.