2017 September 28 morning

 

   Jochen Moehr sends photographs from Metchosin of a Robber Fly, which he describes as being as aesthetically pleasing as an Apache attack helicopter.  Rob Cannings writes: This is a male Laphria asturina or L. fernaldi. These two are very difficult to tell apart and I’m not convinced yet that they are distinct species.

Robber fly Laphria asturina/fernaldi (Dip.: Asilidae)   Jochen Moehr

 

Robber fly Laphria asturina/fernaldi (Dip.: Asilidae)   Jochen Moehr

 

 

   Jeremy Tatum found a small (6 mm) beetle on the windshield of his car when he was parked near McIntyre reservoir yesterday.  Charlene Wood writes:  It looks like a Sitona sp. broad-nosed weevil (Curculionidae: Entiminae), which includes many non-native pests of clover, pea, etc. Looks most like a clover weevil, Sitona hispidulus, which is an introduced species from Eurasia, but there are a few other possible species.

 

Sitona sp (probably hispidulus) (Col.: Curculionidae – Entiminae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  The caterpillar of a Ni Moth shown on September 11 produced the moth shown below.  The moth emerged in the middle of last night, so I had to try to photograph it in artificial light when I was half asleep. Then I drove out to the Martindale area to release it there.  When I got back, a second moth had emerged, and I had to start all over again.  The second moth was from the caterpillar shown on August 28, 30, September 2,7,11.  I believe it is Zale lunata.

 

Ni Moth Trichoplusia ni (Lep.: Noctuidae – Plusiinae) Jeremy Tatum

 

 

 

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

 

 

   Aziza Cooper sends a photograph of a Purplish Copper from Saanichton (Cordova) Spit.

 

Purplish Copper Lycaena helloides (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Aziza Cooper

 

    Jeremy Tatum writes: At press time no word from yesterday’s observations at McIntyre reservoir, but I can tell you that there were several Cabbage Whites, one Orange Sulphur (deep orange, no problem with identity), several Painted Ladies, at least one (could be more) American Lady, a probable Purplish Copper, and several Autographa californica.  So it is well worth a visit there on this, the last day before the rains begin.  Also a report of a Red Admiral from Whiffin Spit.