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.

August 18 morning

2017 August 18 morning

 

   From Gordon Hart:

 

Hello Butterfly Counters!

The next butterfly count period will begin Saturday August 19 running until Sunday August 27. Please use the submission form on the VNHS website: www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?p=33

 

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. The count area is the same as the Victoria Christmas Bird Count circle. 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 need suggestions for a place to count, please email me.  If you want to be removed from this list, please let me know. If you know someone who wants to be on the list, please ask them to email me. hartgordon19 at gmail dot com

 

The final butterfly walk of the year will be on Sunday September 3, meeting at Mt Tolmie , at 1 p.m. The trip is weather-dependent and I will send out another reminder closer to the date. 

 

Thanks for participating in the count!

 

Gordon Hart,

Butterfly count coordinator ,

Victoria Natural History Society 

 

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes: The Vapourer Moth (Rusty Tussock), whose caterpillar from Blenkinsop Lake was shown on August 3, emerged from its pupa this morning, I took it back to Blenkinsop Lake.

 

Male Vapourer Moth Orgyia antiqua (Lep.: Erebidae – Lymantriinae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

 

   Ron Flower writes:  Hi, Jeremy:   We went back to McIntyre Reservoir yesterday Thursday 17th. about 1:30 p.m.  I got lucky [i.e. skillful – Jeremy] to get a shot of a sulphur with its wings open.  I am pretty sure it is an Orange . What do you think? Cheers Ron Flower.  [Jeremy writes:  I think it is an Orange Sulphur!   (I.e. I know it is!)]

 

Male Orange Sulphur Colias eurytheme (Lep.: Pieridae)  Ron Flower