2017 June 25

   Reminder:  Please send photographs as attachments in .jpg format.  It makes life so very much easier for me.  Jeremy Tatum.

Jeremy Tatum writes:  Peter Boon photographed an interesting moth in the Nanaimo River estuary on June 23.   Not only could I not identify it, but it turns out that it was one that I hadn’t even heard of!  Libby Avis identified it for us as Leucania dia – and she reports that she had also found one a few days ago in Port Alberni.  This moth was until recently regarded as a subspecies of another species of wainscot moth; it was named a full species only a few years ago, in 2010.

Leucania dia (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Peter Boon

   Peter Boon writes:  During a hike up Mount Becher today I found 4-5 commas patrolling the mid-lower slope trails.  One seemed to like perching on my hat, so I took it off to snap a photo or two. Lower down on the old ski runs I found a fresh Western Meadow Fritillary. Also seen on the lower slopes was a Pale Tiger Swallowtail.

   Butterfly enthusiasts are asked to look carefully at Peter’s comma photographs and to let us know which species you think it is.  Please do let us know what you think, and why. [Added later:  Problem solved.  See June 27 entry.]

Comma Polygonia sp. (Lep.:  Nymphalidae)   Peter Boon

Comma Polygonia sp. (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Peter Boon

Western Meadow Fritillary Boloria epithore (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Peter Boon

Western Meadow Fritillary Boloria epithore (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Peter Boon

   Jochen Moehr writes:  I continue to enjoy the drive up to our new Metchosin property.  I always encounter up to four Papilios and some Pieris rapae.  Today I saw my first Lorquin’s Admiral of the year.  And I was able to take pictures of this Papilio eurymedon. 

Pale Tiger Swallowtail Papilio eurymedon (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Jochen Moehr.