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.

September 7

2017 September 7

 

   Annie Pang sends a photograph of a Spotted Tiger Moth caterpillar, which she is going to rear.  We look forward to seeing the adult next spring.

 

Spotted Tiger Moth Lophocampa maculata (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Annie Pang

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I believe my Zale is now in its final instar:


Zale sp. (Lep.: Erebidae – Erebinae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

  Jeremy Tatum found two very common moths outside his back door today.  The first, Noctua pronuba, is a European native.  The second, Neoalcis californiaria, is very much a West Coast native, and it seems to have been particularly common and widespread this year.  The antennae of the one shown below are threadlike, and the moth is presumably a female.  Some other examples of this species seen on this site in recent days have had feathery, bipectinate antennae, and are presumably females.

 

Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

 


Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum