2017 August 27

 

   Jochen Moehr sends some photographs from around his Metchosin house, August 26.   The first is a jumping spider Salticus scenicus with a moth, which I think may be a bit too far gone to identify, although I think it is a geometrid.

 

Salticus scenicus (Ara.: Salticidae)  Jochen Moehr

 

The second is a handsome geometrid moth Ennomos magnaria.

 

Ennomos magnaria (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jochen Moehr

 

The third one – a noctuid moth – is more difficult.  The best that Libby Avis and Jeremy Tatum can come up with is probably Euxoa sp.  That is one of the largest noctuid genera, so that doesn’t narrow it down a great deal.  As Libby points out, this genus is one where several species are similar, and there can be quite a variation among individuals of the same species.

 

Probably Euxoa sp. (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Moehr

 

Jochen writes:  One thing I find worth mentioning is that I always see Pine Whites, but
always only single ones.  In the years after the total devastation of
the insect world because of the aerial bombing with BTK in 1999 –
perhaps around 2005 – I often saw many, just driving by the Royal Roads
property along Metchosin Road.  Once I counted 28 in one pass.

What is the reason for the current scarcity?

 

Good question!  Who knows?  They vary greatly in numbers from year to year, and I think most watchers would agree that Pine White numbers have been rather low this year. The species overwinters in the egg stage, and the young caterpillars hatch in the spring. This year we had a prolonged wet spring at a time when the young caterpillars will have been active.  Maybe this had something to do with it.   Has anyone seen a Pine White recently?

 

Jeff Gaskin writes:  Yesterday, August 26,  Kirsten Mills tells me she saw 2 Orange Sulphurs along Martindale Road about half way down the road.  Jeremy Tatum writes:  I thought I’d follow up on this, so I went out to Martindale today (August 27), to see if I could find a sulphur.  There were lots of Cabbage Whites, and one or two Woodland Skippers, but I didn’t see any sulphurs.  However, I did see two unexpected nice surprises – an Anise Swallowtail and a Grey Hairstreak.  The fresh hairstreak was nectaring on Wild Carrot along the east edge of the cabbage field on Martindale.  The slightly worn swallowtail was flying around erratically, occasionally nectaring on a wild species of Brassica.

   Annie Pang sends a photograph of Alucita montana from her kitchen window sill.

 

Alucita montana (Lep.: Alucitidae)  Annie Pang

 

Time to go home.  More photos tomorrow!   Jeremy