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 16

2017 June 16

 

   Aziza Cooper writes:  Yesterday, June 15, I found this lovely snail at Martindale in a puddle on the road next to the central north/south ditch beside Garcia Nursery.

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I believe this is the European Cepaea nemoralis, a terrestrial snail, which probably isn’t very comfortable in the water.   Let us hope it got out soon.


Cepaea nemoralis (Pul.: Helicidae)  Aziza Cooper

 

 

   Rosemary Jorna photographed the beetle below on a maple in the Kemp Lake area on June 14.  Beetles are the largest Order in the animal kingdom, and not all of them can be easily identified.  However, Charlene Wood tells us that it is in the Family Chrysomelidae¸ and we’ll be content with that.

 

Leaf beetle (Col.: Chrysomelidae)  Rosemary Jorna

 

 

   Val George writes:  Butterflies today, June 16, at or near the Mount Tolmie reservoir:  1 West Coast Lady (photo), 3 Painted Ladies, 2 Red Admirals, 1 Lorquin’s Admiral, 2 Western Tiger Swallowtails.

   Jeremy Tatum  writes: That’s the first West Coast Lady reported to Invert Alert this year.  I’ve been going to Mount Tolmie most days, but I decided not to go today – just my luck!

West Coast Lady Vanessa annabella (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Val George